16 in their ways are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they do not know." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no flesh will be justified in his sight by works of the law, for through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as an atoning sacrifice by his blood, to be received through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over sins committed beforehand; 26 and it was to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where then is our boasting? It is excluded. On what law? On the law of works? No, but on the law of faith. 28 For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through their faith. 31 Do we then nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we uphold the law. 4 1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. 5 And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin." 9 Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them. 12 And he is also