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Romans 3:1-20 New International Version (NIV)

God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? ²Much in every way!^(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.^(B)

³What if some were unfaithful?^(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?^(D) ⁴Not at all! Let God be true,^(E) and every human being a liar.^(F) As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak
and prevail when you judge.”^[a]^(G)

⁵But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,^(H) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)^(I) ⁶Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?^(J) ⁷Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,^(K) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”^(L) ⁸Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?^(M) Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

⁹What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?^(N) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.^(O) ¹⁰As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
¹¹    there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
¹²All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”^[b]^(P)
¹³“Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”^[c]^(Q)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”^[d]^(R)
¹⁴    “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”^[e]^(S)
¹⁵“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
¹⁶    ruin and misery mark their ways,
¹⁷and the way of peace they do not know.”^[f]^(T)
¹⁸    “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”^[g]^(U)

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the law says,^(V) it says to those who are under the law,^(W) so that every mouth may be silenced^(X) and the whole world held accountable to God.^(Y) ²⁰Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;^(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.^(AA)

New International Version (NIV)