003:019 But it cannot be denied that all that the Law says is addressed
to those who are living under the Law, in order that every
mouth may be stopped, and that the whole world may await
sentence from God.
003:020 For on the ground of obedience to Law no man living will be
declared righteous before Him. Law simply brings a sure
knowledge of sin.
003:021 But now a righteousness coming from God has been brought
to light apart from any Law, both Law and Prophets bearing
witness to it--
003:022 a righteousness coming from God, which depends on faith
in Jesus Christ and extends to all who believe.
No distinction is made;
003:023 for all alike have sinned, and all consciously come short
of the glory of God,
003:024 gaining acquittal from guilt by His free unpurchased grace
through the deliverance which is found in Christ Jesus.
003:025 He it is whom God put forward as a Mercy-seat,
rendered efficacious through faith in His blood, in order
to demonstrate His righteousness--because of the passing over,
in God's forbearance, of the sins previously committed--
003:026 with a view to demonstrating, at the present time, His righteousness,
that He may be shown to be righteous Himself, and the giver
of righteousness to those who believe in Jesus.
003:027 Where then is there room for your boasting? It is for ever
shut out. On what principle? On the ground of merit?
No, but on the ground of faith.
003:028 For we maintain that it is as the result of faith that a man is held
to be righteous, apart from actions done in obedience to Law.
003:029 Is God simply the God of the Jews, and not of the Gentiles also?
He is certainly the God of the Gentiles also,
003:030 unless you can deny that it is one and the same God who will
pronounce the circumcised to be acquitted on the ground of faith,
and the uncircumcised to be acquitted through the same faith.
003:031 Do we then by means of this faith abolish the Law? No, indeed;
we give the Law a firmer footing.
004:001 What then shall we say that Abraham, our earthly forefather,
has gained?
004:002 For if he was held to be righteous on the ground of his actions,
he has something to boast of; but not in the presence of God.
004:003 For what says the Scripture? "And Abraham believed God,
and this was placed to his credit as righteousness."
004:004 But in the case of a man who works, pay is not reckoned a favour
but a debt;
004:005 whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own,
but simply believes in Him who declares the ungodly free
from guilt, his faith is placed to his credit as righteousness.
004:006 In this way David also tells of the blessedness of the man to
whose credit God places righteousness, apart from his actions.
004:007 "Blessed," he says, "are those whose iniquities have been forgiven,
and whose sins have been covered over.