Romans 3 – NIV & AKCB

New International Version

Romans 3:1-31

God’s Faithfulness

1What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

3What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak

and prevail when you judge.”3:4 Psalm 51:4

5But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” 8Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

9What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;

11there is no one who understands;

there is no one who seeks God.

12All have turned away,

they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

not even one.”3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20

13“Their throats are open graves;

their tongues practice deceit.”3:13 Psalm 5:9

“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”3:13 Psalm 140:3

14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)

15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16ruin and misery mark their ways,

17and the way of peace they do not know.”3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8

18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”3:18 Psalm 36:1

19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Righteousness Through Faith

21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in3:22 Or through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,3:25 The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16). through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

Romafo 3:1-31

1Ɛno de, na Yudaniyɛ so mfaso ne dɛn, anaasɛ twetiatwa so wɔ mfaso bi? 2Yiw mfaso wɔ so. Nea edi kan no, Onyankopɔn de ne nsɛm ahyɛ wɔn nsa.

3Na sɛ ebinom nni gyidi ɛ? Gyidi a wonni no kyerɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn nyɛ ɔnokwafo ana? 4Ɛnte saa koraa! Sɛ obiara yɛ ɔtorofo a, Onyankopɔn de, ɔyɛ ɔnokwafo, sɛnea wɔakyerɛw se,

“Wudi bem wɔ wo kasa mu

na woteɛ wɔ wʼatemmu mu.”

5Na obi bɛka se, “Sɛ yɛn bɔne a yɛyɛ no da Onyankopɔn trenee adi kann a, adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn abufuwhyew ba yɛn so?” (Merekasa sɛ onipa) 6Dabi da! Sɛ Onyankopɔn nyɛ ɔtreneeni a, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na watumi abu wiase atɛn? 7Obi begye akyinnye aka se, “Sɛ me nkontompo ma Onyankopɔn nokware da adi na nʼanuonyam boro so a, ɛno de, adɛn nti na Onyankopɔn bu me fɔ sɛ ɔdebɔneyɛni?” 8Ebinom nso bɛka se, “Ɛno de, momma yɛnyɛ bɔne sɛnea biribi pa befi mu aba!” Nnipa bi mpo ka se saa asɛm yi na yɛka. Onyankopɔn bebu wɔn atɛn.

Obiara Nteɛ

9Afei, dɛn na yɛnka? Yɛn Yudafo yɛ nnipa sen amanamanmufo no ana? Ɛnte saa! Makyerɛ mu dedaw sɛ Yudafo ne amanamanmufo nyinaa yɛ pɛ wɔ bɔne tumi ase. 10Sɛnea Kyerɛwsɛm no ka se,

“Obiara nyɛ ɔtreneeni;

11obiara nyɛ ɔbadwemma;

na obiara nni hɔ a ɔhwehwɛ Onyankopɔn akyi kwan.

12Nnipa nyinaa atwe wɔn ho afi Onyankopɔn ho;

wɔn nyinaa ayɛ bɔne.

Obiara nni hɔ a ɔyɛ papa.

Ɔbaako mpo nni hɔ.”

13“Wɔn anom te sɛ ɔda a abue;

na wɔn tɛkrɛma ka nnaadaasɛm.”

“Wɔn anofafa ka nsɛm a ɛte sɛ ɔwɔ ano bɔre.

14Nnome a ɛyɛ hu na efi wɔn anom ba.”

15“Wɔnam awudi so pira afoforo ntɛm.

16Wɔde ɔsɛe ne awerɛhow ba,

17na wonnim asomdwoe kwan.”

18“Na wonsuro Onyankopɔn.”

19Yenim sɛ biribiara a ɛwɔ mmara no mu no, wɔkyerɛw maa wɔn a wɔhyɛ mmara no tumi ase. Mmara no ka eyinom sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a obiara rennya anoyi, na ama Onyankopɔn akyerɛ sɛ wiase nyinaa di fɔ. 20Efisɛ obiara nni hɔ a sɛ ɔyɛ nea mmara no hyɛ sɛ ɔnnyɛ a, Onyankopɔn bebu no bem. Nea mmara no yɛ ara ne sɛ, ɛma onipa hu sɛ wayɛ bɔne.

21Wɔada treneeyɛ a efi Onyankopɔn, na emfi mmara no adi. Ɛno na mmara no ne Adiyifo no di ho adanse. 22Saa treneeyɛ a efi Onyankopɔn yi nam gyidi a yɛwɔ wɔ Yesu Kristo mu. Ɛwɔ hɔ ma agyidifo nyinaa. Nsonoe biara nni mu. 23Na nnipa nyinaa ayɛ bɔne ama Onyankopɔn anuonyam abɔ wɔn, 24nanso ɔnam Kristo adom nkwagye no so abu wɔn nyinaa bem. 25Onyankopɔn somaa Kristo sɛ ɔmfa ne ho mmɛbɔ afɔre mma yɛn. Kristo de ne mogya mae, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a gyidi a yebenya wɔ ne mu nti wobegye yɛn. Saa afɔre yi ma yehu sɛ, mmere a atwa mu no, Onyankopɔn nam boasetɔ ne adom so de bɔne kyɛe. 26Efisɛ na Onyankopɔn rehwɛ kwan na ɔde wɔn abɛka nea ɔreyɛ saa bere yi no ho. Onyankopɔn yɛɛ eyi de kyerɛɛ ne trenee, efisɛ ɔno ankasa nyɛ nyiyimu, na obu atɛntrenee nso, na sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo gye Yesu di a, obu wɔn sɛ wɔteɛ wɔ nʼani so.

27Ɛno de, na ahohoahoa wɔ he? Biribiara nni hɔ! Na adɛn nti? Mmara no a yedi so no nti na wagye yɛn anaa? Dabi. Gye a ogye yɛn no nnyina mmara a yedi so, na mmom, egyina gyidi a yɛwɔ wɔ Yesu mu. 28Ne tiaatwa ne sɛ, wɔnam gyidi so na wobu onipa bem, na ɛnyɛ mmara a odi so no nti. 29Onyankopɔn yɛ Yudafo nko ara Nyankopɔn ana? Ɔnyɛ amanamanmufo nso Nyankopɔn bi ana? Ɛyɛ nokware turodoo sɛ ɔyɛ amanamanmufo nso Nyankopɔn. 30Onyankopɔn yɛ baako, na ɔnam gyidi nko ara a Yudafo wɔ so bebu wɔn bem. Na saa ara nso na ɔnam gyidi nko ara so bebu amanamanmufo bem. 31Enti eyi kyerɛ sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ yɛfa saa gyidi no so gyae Mmara no so di ana? Dabi da, na mmom, sɛ yɛwɔ gyidi a, yɛfoa Mmara no adanse so.