Notes on the Epistle of Paul, the Apostle, to the Romans

By William Kelly

A NEW TRANSLATION OF THE TEXT ACCORDING TO ANCIENT AUTHORITY.

Chapter 3

Romans 3.

What then [is] the superiority of the Jew, or what the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way; for, first, because they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 For what if some believed not? shall their unbelief make void the faith1 of God? 4 Let it not be, but let God be true and every man false, even as it is written, 'That thou mightest be justified in thy words, and overcome when thou art judged.' 5 But if our unrighteousness commend God's righteousness, what shall we say? [Is] God unrighteous who inflicteth wrath? I speak according to man. 6 Let it not be: since how shall God judge the world? 7 For if the truth of God abounded in my lie to his glory, why any longer am I too judged as a sinner? 8 and not, even as we are slanderously reported, and even as some give out that we say, 'Let us do evil that good things may come?' whose judgment is just.

9 What then? are we better? Not at all; for we have before charged both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin, 10 even as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not one; 11 there is not the [man] that understandeth; there is not the [man] that seeketh out God. 12 All went out of the way, together they became unprofitable; there is none that practiseth kindness, there is not so much as one.' 13 'An open grave [is] their throat; with their tongues they used deceit; venom of asps [is] under their lips; 14 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; 15 swift [are] their feet to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery [are] in their ways; 17 and no way of peace they knew. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.' 19 Now we know that what ever things the law saith, it speaketh to those that [are] in the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be under judgment with God. 20 Wherefore by works of law no flesh shall be justified before him, for by law [is] knowledge of sin.

21 But now apart from law God's righteousness is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, 22 even God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all sinned, and come short of the glory of God, 24 being justified gratuitously by his grace through the redemption that [is] in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiatory2 through faith in his blood, for a declaration of his righteousness on account of the praeter-mission of the sins that had been before, in the forbearance of God, 26 with a view to the declaration of his righteousness in the present time, in order to his being just and justifying him that [is] of faith in Jesus. 27 Where then [is] boasting? It was excluded. Through what law? of works? No, but through [the] law of faith. 28 We reckon then that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law. 29 Is he, pray, the God of Jews only? [Is he] not also of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also; 30 since God [is] one who shall justify [the] circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through3 faith? 31 Do we then make void law through3 faith? Let it not be: nay, we establish law. 

1) That is, His faithfulness or good faith.

2) That is, a mercy-seat as in Hebrews 9:5.

3) The article follows, meaning the faith actually exercised by any.