book 3
1
这样说来,犹太人有什么长处?割礼有什么益处呢?

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?

2
凡事大有好处。第一是神的圣言交托他们。

Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.

3
即便有不信的,这有何妨呢?难道他们的不信,就废掉神的信吗?

What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?

4
断乎不能。不如说,神是真实的,人都是虚谎的。如经上所记,你责备人的时候,显为公义。被人议论的时候,可以得胜。

Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."

5
我且照着人的常话说,我们的不义,若显出神的义来,我们可以怎么说呢?神降怒,是他不义吗?

But 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.)

6
断乎不是。若是这样,神怎能审判世界呢?

Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?

7
若神的真实,因我的虚谎,越发显出他的荣耀,为什么我还受审判,好像罪人呢?

Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?"

8
为什么不说,我们可以作恶以成善呢?这是毁谤我们的人,说我们有这话。这等人定罪,是该当的。

Why not say--as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say--"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.

9
这却怎么样呢?我们比他们强吗?决不是的。因我们已经证明,犹太人和希利尼人都在罪恶之下。

What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.

10
就如经上所记,没有义人,连一个也没有。

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;

11
没有明白的,没有寻求神的。

there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

12
都是偏离正路,一同变为无用。没有行善的,连一个也没有。

All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

13
他们的喉咙是敞开的坟墓。他们用舌头弄诡诈。嘴唇里有虺蛇的毒气。

"Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips."

14
满口是咒骂苦毒。

"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."

15
杀人流血他们的脚飞跑。

"Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16
所经过的路,便行残害暴虐的事。

ruin and misery mark their ways,

17
平安的路,他们未曾知道。

and the way of peace they do not know."

18
他们眼中不怕神。

"There is no fear of God before their eyes."

19
我们晓得律法上的话,都是对律法以下之人说的,好塞住各人的口,叫普世的人都伏在神审判之下。

Now 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.

20
所以凡有血气的没有一个,因行律法,能在神面前称义。因为律法本是叫人知罪。

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

21
但如今神的义在律法以外已经显明出来,有律法和先知为证。

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

22
就是神的义,因信耶稣基督,加给一切相信的人,并没有分别。

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,

23
因为世人都犯了罪,亏缺了神的荣耀。

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24
如今却蒙神的恩典,因基督耶稣的救赎,就白白地称义。

and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

25
神设立耶稣作挽回祭,是凭着耶稣的血,借着人的信,要显明神的义。因为他用忍耐的心,宽容人先时所犯的罪。

God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--

26
好在今时显明他的义,使人知道他自己为义,也称信耶稣的人为义。

he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

27
既是这样,哪里能夸口呢?没有可夸的了。用何法没有的呢?是用立功之法吗?不是,乃用信主之法。

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.

28
所以(有古卷作因为)我们看定了,人称义是因着信,不在乎遵行律法。

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

29
难道神只作犹太人的神吗?不也是作外邦人的神吗?是的,也作外邦人的神。

Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

30
神既是一位他就要因信称那受割礼的为义,也要因信称那未受割礼的为义。

since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

31
这样,我们因信废了律法吗?断乎不是,更是坚固律法。

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.