Free Bible Version

1 So does a Jew have any advantage? Does circumcision have any benefits? 2 Yes, there are many benefits! First of all, God (Elohim)'s message was entrusted to them. 3 What if some of them didn't trust in God (Elohim)? Does their lack of trust in God (Elohim) obliterate the trustworthiness of God (Elohim)? 4 Of course not! Even if everyone else is proved to be lying, God (Elohim) always tells the truth. As Scripture says, “What you say will be proved right, and you will win your case when you are judged.” 5 But if the fact that we're wrong helps to show that God (Elohim) is right, what should we conclude? That God (Elohim) is wrong to pronounce judgment on us? (I'm talking from a human perspective here.) 6 Of course not! How else could God (Elohim) judge the world? 7 Someone could say, “Why am I still condemned as a sinner if my lies make the truth of God (Elohim) and his glory more obvious in contrast?” 8 Is it a case of, “Let's sin to bring about good”? That's what some people have slanderously accused us of saying. They should be rightly condemned! 9 So then, are we Jews better than others? Definitely not! Remember that we've already argued that both Jews and foreigners are under the control of sin. 10 As Scripture says, “No one does what is right, not even one. 11 No one understands; no one seeks God (Elohim). 12 Everyone has turned their backs on him; everyone does what is totally wrong. No one does what is good, not a single one. 13 Their throats are like an open grave; their tongues spread deceit; their lips ooze with the venom of snakes. 14 Their mouths are full of bitterness and curses, 15 Their way leads to disaster and misery; 16 They don't care about respecting God (Elohim) at all.” 17 It's clear that everything in the law applies to those who live under the law so that no one could have any excuses, and to make sure everyone in the whole world is answerable to God (Elohim). 18 For no one is made right before God (Elohim) by doing what the law requires. The law only helps us recognize what sin really is. 19 But now God (Elohim)'s character of goodness and right has been demonstrated. It has nothing to do with law-keeping, even though it was spoken of by the law and the prophets. 20 This character of God (Elohim) that is good and right comes to everyone who trusts in Yashua (Jesus) Christ, those who place their confidence in him. It doesn't matter who we are: 21 We have all sinned, and we fall far short of God (Elohim)'s glorious ideal. 22 Yet through the free gift of his Grace, God (Elohim) makes us right through Christ Yashua (Jesus) who sets us free. 23 God (Elohim) openly presented Yashua (Jesus) as the gift that brings peace to those trusting in him, the one who shed his blood. God (Elohim) did this to demonstrate he is truly good and right, for previously he would hold back and pass over sins, 24 but now at this present time God (Elohim) proves he is fair and does what is right, and that he makes right those who trust in Yashua (Jesus). 25 So do we have anything to boast about then? Absolutely not, there's no place for that! And why's that? Is it because we follow the law of observing requirements? No, we follow the law of trusting in God (Elohim). 26 We conclude that people are made right with God (Elohim) through their trust in him, and not from legal observance. 27 Is God (Elohim) only the God (Elohim) of the Jews? Isn't he the God (Elohim) of other people as well? Of course he is! 28 There is only one God (Elohim), and he makes us morally right through our trust in him, whoever we are, Jew or foreigner. 29 Does that mean that by trusting in God (Elohim) we do away with the law? Of course not! In fact we affirm the importance of the law.