Romans chapter 3:22 has been translated many different ways. The translation the textbook Paul for Everyone: Romans 1-8 uses says, “God’s covenant justice comes into operation through the faithfulness of Jesus the Messiah, for the benefit of all who have faith. For there is no distinction:” yet, the New Internatonal Version it says, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,” (NIV.) There is quite the difference between these two versions. The question is, which version is translated correctly? What does the phrase “faith of Christ” mean, and how can this phrase best be communicated. The Hebrew text for the phrase “faith in Christ” is, “pistis Iēsous Christos”
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Romans 3:23-24 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (NIV.) Paul highlights our need for Christ. The translation, “Righteousness is given through the faithfulness of Jesus to all those who believe” seems to fit the context of what Paul is trying to communicate to the church.
In Paul’s thesis statement located in Romans 1:16-17. Paul says,
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith,”(Romans 1:16-17, NIV.)
The phrase “a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” is “dikaiosynē theos apokalyptō ek pistis eis pistis” in the original Greek (Blue Letter Bible.) This is translated “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” The word faith here can be translated as faith or faithfulness, just like chapter three. Some people read the phrase “from faith to faith” as God’s faithfulness as the source of human faith. Others read this as past to present faith (Wardlaw 112
Romans 3:23-24 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (NIV.) Paul highlights our need for Christ. The translation, “Righteousness is given through the faithfulness of Jesus to all those who believe” seems to fit the context of what Paul is trying to communicate to the church.
In Paul’s thesis statement located in Romans 1:16-17. Paul says,
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith,”(Romans 1:16-17, NIV.)
The phrase “a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” is “dikaiosynē theos apokalyptō ek pistis eis pistis” in the original Greek (Blue Letter Bible.) This is translated “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” The word faith here can be translated as faith or faithfulness, just like chapter three. Some people read the phrase “from faith to faith” as God’s faithfulness as the source of human faith. Others read this as past to present faith (Wardlaw 112