(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
God is righteous
- Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of the circumcision?
- Much in every way. For indeed, it’s primarily that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
- For what if some disbelieved? Their unbelief won’t nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?
- May it never be! But let God be true though every man is a liar; just as it is *written: “that you might be made righteous in your words, and will prevail when you’re to be judged.”1quotation/allusion to Psalm 51:4
- But if our unrighteousness proves God’s righteousness, what will we say: is God – the One inflicting wrath – unrighteous? (I speak as a man might.)
- May it never be! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?
- But if the truth of God overflowed for His glory by my lie, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
- And why not say: “Let us do evil so good might come”? Just as we’re blasphemously charged with saying and as some men report us to say, men whose condemnation is just.
No man is righteous
- What then, are we better? Not at all! For we previously brought an accusation against both Jews and Greeks that all are under sin.
- Just as it is *written: “There is none righteous, not even one.
- “There is no man understanding, there is no man seeking God.
- “All turned away; together they became like worthless spoiled milk.2” they became like worthless spoiled milk” is one word in Greek, originally referring to milk that had spoiled, and thus was worthless and good for nothing. Thus, this word also has the connotation of being corrupt/spoiled/ruined. There is no man doing good; there isn’t even one.”3quotation/allusion to Psalm 14:1-3
- “Their throat is a *open grave, their tongues were continually deceiving.”4quotation/allusion to Psalm 5:9 “The venom of asps5an “asp” is a highly poisonous snake who’s venom is very often fatal when left untreated. Further, the venom works quickly, making it even more dangerous. is under their lips;”6quotation/allusion to Psalm 140:3
- “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”7quotation/allusion to Psalm 10:7
- “Their feet are swift to spill blood,
- “complete ruin and misery are in their ways,
- “and they didn’t know the way of peace.”8quotation/allusion to Isaiah 59:7-8
- “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”9quotation/allusion to Psalm 36:1
- Yet we have known that whatever the law says, it speaks to the men under the law so that every mouth might be stopped, and all the world might be brought to trial, being guilty10“might be brought to trial, being guilty” is one word in Greek. It refers to bringing someone who is guilty to trial to answer for their crimes. It can also refer to the sentence of the condemned. before God.
- Therefore, no flesh will be made righteous in His sight by the works of the law, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Righteousness from God through Jesus
- But now, the righteousness of God has been made known apart from the law, being testified of by the law and the prophets;
- even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus the Anointed for all the men believing, for there’s no distinction,
- for all sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- being made righteous by His freely given grace through the repurchase payment11“repurchase payment” is one word in Greek, typically translated “redemption”. It properly refers to the price paid to “buy back” something that had been lost. in Jesus the Anointed,
- whom God set forth as a mercy seat12“mercy seat” is one word in Greek, usually translated “propitiation” here. The only other place this word is used is in Hebrews 9:5, where it is universally agreed to refer to the “mercy seat”, or the lid of the Ark of the Covenant. In the Septuagint, this word was used almost exclusively for the Ark’s lid. Thus, Paul’s use of the word here was likely intended to tie Jesus’s work back to the Old Testament sacrificial system, and especially the “Day of Reconciliation/Atonement” in Leviticus 16. Specifically, it’s likely a reference to the sin offering which was sprinkled on the mercy seat on that day, since Jesus is called a sin offering in other passages. through faith in His blood for a demonstration of His righteousness in the forbearance of God through the overlooking of sins previously *committed,
- for the demonstration of His righteousness in the present season, for Him to be righteous and also making righteous the man whose faith is in Jesus.
- Where then is the boasting? It was excluded. Through what law? Of works? Certainly not! But through the law of faith.
- For we consider a man to be made righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.
- Or is God only the God of the Jews? Isn’t He also God of the gentiles? Yes! Of the gentiles too,
- since there’s indeed one God who will make the circumcision righteous by faith and the uncircumcision righteous through the same faith.
- Then, do we nullify the law through faith? May it never be! Instead, we establish the law.
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