Romans 2:28-3:18 (Epistle)
- 28
- For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;
- 29
- but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
- 1
- What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
- 2
- Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.
- 3
- For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?
- 4
- Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.”
- 5
- But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
- 6
- Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
- 7
- For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
- 8
- And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”? – as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
- 9
- What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
- 10
- As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
- 11
- there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.
- 12
- They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”
- 13
- “Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips;
- 14
- whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
- 15
- “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
- 16
- destruction and misery are in their ways;
- 17
- and the way of peace they have not known.”
- 18
- There is no fear of God before their eyes.