Text -- Romans 3:26-31 (NET)

3:26 This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness. 3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded! By what principle? Of works? No, but by the principle of faith! 3:28 For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law. 3:29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too! 3:30 Since God is one, he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 3:31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rom 3:26

¹ tn The words “This was” have been repeated from the previous verse to clarify that this is a continuation of that thought. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

² tn Grk “toward a demonstration,” repeating and expanding the purpose of God’s action in v. 25a.

³ tn Or “righteous.”

⁴ tn Or “of the one who has faith in Jesus.” See note on “faithfulness of Jesus Christ” in v. 22 for the rationale behind the translation “Jesus’ faithfulness.”

NET Notes: Rom 3:27

¹ tn Although a number of interpreters understand the “boasting” here to refer to Jewish boasting, others (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, “‘The Works of the Law’ in the Epistle to the Romans,” JSNT 43 [1991]: 96) take the phrase to refer to all human boasting before God.

² tn Grk “By what sort of law?”

NET Notes: Rom 3:28

¹ tn Here ἄνθρωπον (anqrwpon) is used in an indefinite and general sense (BDAG 81 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 4.a.γ).

² tn See the note on the phrase “works of the law” in Rom 3:20.

NET Notes: Rom 3:30

¹ tn Grk “but if indeed God is one.”

NET Notes: Rom 3:31

¹ tn Grk “render inoperative.”

² tn Grk “but” (Greek ἀλλά, alla).