CHAPTER 3
The advantages of the Jews. All men are sinners and none can be justified by the works of the law, but only by the grace of Christ.
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HAT advantage then hath the Jew: or what is the profit of circumcision?
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Much every way. First indeed, because the words of God were committed to them.
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For what if some of them have not believed? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid!
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But God is true and every man a liar, as it is written: That thou mayest be justified in thy words and mayest overcome when thou art judged.
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But if our injustice commend the justice of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust, who executeth wrath?
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(I speak according to man.) God forbid! Otherwise how shall God judge this world?
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For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie, unto his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner?
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And not rather (as we are slandered and as some affirm that we say) let us do evil that there may come good? Whose damnation is just.
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What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.
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As it is written: There is not any man just.
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There is none that understandeth: there is none that seeketh after God.
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All have turned out of the way: they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one.
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Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they have dealt deceitfully. The venom of asps is under their lips.
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Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
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Their feet swift to shed blood:
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Destruction and misery in their ways:
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And the way of peace they have not known.
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There is no fear of God before their eyes.
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Now we know that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law: that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be made subject to God.
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Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.
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But now, without the law, the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.
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Even the justice of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that believe in him: for there is no distinction.
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For all have sinned and do need the glory of God.
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Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
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Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins,
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Through the forbearance of God, for the shewing of his justice in this time: that he himself may be just and the justifier of him who is of the faith of Jesus Christ
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Where is then thy boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
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For we account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law.
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Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? yes, of the Gentiles also.
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For it is one God that justifieth circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith.
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Do we then, destroy the law through faith? God forbid! But we establish the law.