Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision? 2Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the oracles of Allah. 3For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of Allah? 4Astaghfirullah! Yes, let Allah be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written,
“That you may be proved right when you speak,
And justified when you judge.“[1]
5But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of Allah, what will we say? Is Allah unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do. 6Astaghfirullah! Then how will Allah judge the world? 7For if the truth of Allah through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, that good may come?“ Those who say so are justly condemned. 9What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin. 10As it is written,
“There is no one righteous.
No, not one.
11There is no one who understands.
There is no one who seeks after God.
12They have all turned aside.
They have together become unprofitable.
There is no one who does good,
No, not, so much as one.“[2]
13“Their throat is an open tomb.
With their tongue they speak lies.“[3]
“The poison of vipers is under their lips;“[4]
14“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.“[5]
15“Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16Ruin and misery are in their ways.
17The way of peace they do not know.“[6]
18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.“[7]
19Now we know that whatever things the Taurat says, it says to those who are under the Taurat, that every mouth may be shut, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of Allah. 20No flesh will be justified in the sight of Allah by the legalistic observance of the Taurat. For through the Taurat comes the knowledge of sin. 21But now apart from the Taurat, a righteousness from Allah has been revealed, being testified by the Taurat and the Prophets; 22even the righteousness from Allah through faith in ‘Isa al-Masih to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, 23for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of Allah; 24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in al-Masih ‘Isa; 25whom Allah set forth to be an atoning sacrifice[8], through faith in his blood, as a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in Allah’s forbearance; 26to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of whoever who has faith in ‘Isa.
27Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the Taurat’s requirements. 29Or is Allah the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of the other nations also? Yes, of the nations also, 30since indeed there is only one God. He will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised by faith. 31Do we then abrogate the Taurat through this faith? Astaghfirullah! On the contrary, we establish the Taurat.
[1] 3:4 Quoting the Zabur 51:4.
[2] 3:10-12 See the Zabur 14:1-3 and 53:1-3.
[3] 3:13 Quoting the Zabur 5:9.
[4] 3:13 Quoting the Zabur 140:4.
[5] 3:14 Adapted from the Zabur 10:7.
[6] 3:15-17 Quoting the Taurat, Shaya 59:7-8.
[7] 3:18 Quoting the Zabur 36:1.
[8] 3:25 or, a propitiation.