“ But,” some might say,“ our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?”( This is merely a human point of view.)

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？

我姑且照着人的看法来说，我们的不义若显出上帝的义来，我们要怎么说呢？上帝降怒是他不义吗？

我姑且照着人的看法来说，我们的不义若显出神的义来，我们要怎么说呢？神降怒是他不义吗？

我姑且用人的观点说：“如果我们的不义可以反衬出上帝的公义，我们该做何论？上帝向我们发怒是祂不公正吗？”

我且照着人的见解来说，我们的不义若彰显神的义，我们可以说什么呢？难道降怒的神是不义的吗？

但是，如果我按人的意思来说，我们的不义可以显明神的义，那我们要怎么说呢？难道降震怒的神是不公正的吗？

我且照着人的常話說，我們的不義若顯出神的義來，我們可以怎麼說呢？神降怒，是他不義嗎？

我姑且照着人的看法來說，我們的不義若顯出上帝的義來，我們要怎麼說呢？上帝降怒是他不義嗎？

我姑且照着人的看法來說，我們的不義若顯出神的義來，我們要怎麼說呢？神降怒是他不義嗎？

我姑且用人的觀點說：「如果我們的不義可以反襯出上帝的公義，我們該做何論？上帝向我們發怒是祂不公正嗎？」

我且照著人的見解來說，我們的不義若彰顯神的義，我們可以說甚麼呢？難道降怒的神是不義的嗎？

但是我們的不義倘若證明上帝的義來，那要怎麼講呢？難道說上帝顯義怒是不義麼？（我且照人的講法說話吧）。

但是，如果我按人的意思來說，我們的不義可以顯明神的義，那我們要怎麼說呢？難道降震怒的神是不公正的嗎？

我且依人而言、若我之不義彰上帝義、我將何言、上帝降怒為不義乎、

我今所言者、藉人言耳、曰、我不義、益彰上帝之義、吾何以稱之哉、如是而上帝施刑、豈義乎、

我今且按人言言之曰、若我儕之不義、顯彰天主之義、則何言哉、天主施刑、可謂其不義乎、

曰：若人之不義、適足彰天主之義、則就人情言之、吾將何說、豈主之譴怒為不義乎？

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.)

Doesn’t the fact that we are wrong prove more clearly that God is right? Then what can we say? Can we say that God is not fair when he brings his anger down on us? As you can tell, I am just using human ways of thinking.

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us?( I speak in a human way.)

But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I am using a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He?( I am speaking from a human viewpoint.)

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath?( I speak as a man.)

But if our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath?( I speak after the manner of men.)

But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I use a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say?[ Is] God unrighteous who taketh vengeance?( I speak as a man)

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he?( I am speaking in human terms.)

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

Dear brothers and sisters, here’s an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case.

Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing?

Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!Now I raise my hand to heaven and declare,“ As surely as I live,when I sharpen my flashing sword and begin to carry out justice, I will take revenge on my enemies and repay those who reject me.I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword will devour flesh— the blood of the slaughtered and the captives, and the heads of the enemy leaders.”’“ Rejoice with him, you heavens, and let all of God’s angels worship him. Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles, and let all the angels be strengthened in him. For he will avenge the blood of his children; he will take revenge against his enemies. He will repay those who hate him and cleanse his people’s land.”

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.Well then, you might say,“ Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it,“ Why have you made me like this?”

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said,“ You must not covet.”

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,“ I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.

And what value was there in fighting wild beasts— those people of Ephesus— if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection,“ Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!Arise, O Judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve.

“ But,” someone might still argue,“ how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”

The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.Then at last everyone will say,“ There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.”

In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels,in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.

In the words of the Scriptures,“ I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!

And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying,“ You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments.Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward.”And I heard a voice from the altar, saying,“ Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.”

Who can stand before his fierce anger? Who can survive his burning fury? His rage blazes forth like fire, and the mountains crumble to dust in his presence.The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.But he will sweep away his enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue his foes into the darkness of night.

And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:“ Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.

Rejoice over her fate, O heaven and people of God and apostles and prophets! For at last God has judged her for your sakes.

For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies!

Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.