|5| But if our unrighteousness brings out and highlights the Tzedek Olamim, the Tzidkat Hashem
(the righteousness of G-d), what shall we say? Rhetorically speaking, is G-d unjust in inflicting
Charon Af Hashem (1:18)? (I speak from a human standpoint.)
|6| Chas v'shalom! (G-d forbid!) For then how could Hashem be
HaShofet kol ha'Arets (BERESHIT 18:25)?
|7| "But if the Emes Hashem (truth of G-d) has by my sheker overflowed to his kavod (glory),
why am I still judged as a rashah (an evildoer)?"
|8| Why do we not say, as some speakers of lashon hora slanderously report us to say, "Let us do
rah that tov might come of it"? The gezar din (verdict) of ashem (guilty) on them is well
deserved.
|9| What then? Are we (Yehudim) better off? Not altogether. For we have now charged both
Yehudim and non-Jews as all alike under HaChet (sin, i.e. the power of Chet Kadmon),
|10| as it is written, EIN TZADDIK BA'ARETZ (KOHELET 7:20), There is none [on earth]
righteous, not even one.
|11| There is none who has binah (understanding), there is none who seeks out G-d.
|12| All have turned aside, they have become altogether paskudne, worthless; there is none who
does good, there is none, not so much as one.
|13| Their throat is an open grave. They use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under
their lips,
|14| whose mouth is full of curses and bitterness.
|15| Their feet are swift when it comes to shedding blood.
|16| Ruin and wretchedness are in their ways,
|17| and the derech Shalom (the way of peace) they have not known.
|18| There is no yirat Shomayim (fear of G-d) before their eyes. (See TEHILLIM 13:1-3; 14:1-3;
5:9,10; 139:4; 140:3; 9:28; 10:7; YESHAYAH 59:7-8; TEHILLIM 36:1; MISHLE 1:16;
TEHILLIM 35:2.)
|19| Now we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those under the Torah, in order that
every mouth might be stopped and kol HaOlam Hazeh become ashem (guilty) and liable to the
Mishpat Hashem [TEHILLIM 1:5].
|20| For by Ma'asim (Works) of Chok (Law) shall KOL CHAI LO YITZDAK ("all living not be
justified" TEHILLIM 143:2), for through the Chok (Law) comes the da'as HaChet (the
knowledge of sin, BERESHIT 3:7).
|21| But now, apart from the Chok, the Tzedek Olamim, the Tzidkat Hashem (the righteousness
of G-d) has been revealed, as attested by the Torah and the Nevi'im (the Prophets),
|22| that is, the Tzidkat Hashem through emunah in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua to all
the ma'aminim (believers). For there is no distinction.
THE FIRST REFERENCE TO THE NEED FOR A GOEL REDEEMER MOSHIACH TO
PURCHASE BACK THE LOST HOLY GLORY OF ADAM'S RACE CAUSED BY THE
GOLUS OF CHET
|23| For all have sinned and suffered want of the kavod of Hashem.
|24| They are acquitted and accounted to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM as a matnat Hashem (gift
of G-d) by the unmerited Chen v'Chesed Hashem (grace of G-d) through HaPedut (the ransom,
the payment of ransom for the Geulah redemption--Shmuel Bais 7:23 that comes about through
the Go'el Moshiach Tzidkeinu) which is in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua,
|25| whom G-d set forth as a kapparah (place or kapporet medium of wrath-propitiating blood
atonement sacrifice) through emunah (faith) in the DAHM ("blood"--BERESHIT 22:7;
SHEMOT 12:3,6; YESHAYAH 53:7,10) of Moshiach, to demonstrate the Tzedek Olamim, the
Tzidkat Hashem (righteousness of G-d) in pasach (passing over, letting go the penalty of) the
averos (sins) committed in former times
|26| in the forbearance of G-d, to vindicate his Tzidkat Hashem (righteousness of G-d) in the
present time, that HASHEM TZADDIK ("G-d is righteous" DIVREY HAYAMIM BAIS 12:6)
Himself and the One who counts to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (IYOV 25:4) the person who
has emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust) in [Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach] Yehoshua.
|27| Where then is boasting? (4:2) It has been memayet (precluded, excluded). By what kind of
Torah? Of ma'asim (works)? No, on the contrary, by the Torah of Emunah (the Law of Faith,
that is, the Law understood in terms of emunah).
|28| For we reckon that a man is acquitted and pronounced to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM by
emunah (personal faith, trust, bitachon), apart from the Ma'asim of Chok (Law).
|29| Or is Hashem G-d of the Yehudim only? Is Hashem not also G-d of the Goyim? Ken, of
non-Jews, too,
|30| vi-bahlt (since), after all, Adonai echad ("G-d is one"--DEVARIM 6:4). Therefore, he will
consider to be YITZDAK
IM HASHEM and acquit those of the bris milah on the ground of emunah and the "arelim"
(uncircumcised ones) through that same emunah.
|31| Does it follow that we abolish Torah and make it invalid through emunah (faith)? Chas
v'shalom! (G-d forbid!) Aderaba (to the contrary), we uphold the Torah.
§PEREK DALET (CHAPTER FOUR)
What then shall we say about the one who according to the basar (flesh) is Avraham Avinu
(Abraham our forefather)? What did he find to be the case?
|2| For if Avraham Avinu was accounted to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM and acquitted before
Hashem on the basis of Ma'a'sim (Works), he has something to boast about. But not before
Hashem!
|3| For what does the Torah say? Avraham Avinu had emunah (faith) in Hashem
V'YACHSHEVEH-HA LO TZEDAKAH ("and it was accounted/credited/reckoned to him for
righteousness" BERESHIT 15:6.)
|4| Now to him who works, the loin (wages) is not credited to one's account as a favor or gift of
chesed but as a choiv (debt).
|5| But to the man who does not "work" but has emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust) in the One
who takes the impious man lacking chasidus and accounts him to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM
(justified with G-d), such a man who does not "work " but has emunah (faith), such emunah is
credited to him for TZEDAKAH ("righteousness" --BERESHIT 15:6).
|6| As also Dovid HaMelech speaks of the me'ushar (blessedness) of the person whom Hashem
reckons to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d) without dependence on [zechus-
earning] ma'asim (works) [trans. note: with merit (zechus) viewed as "pay" earned for "work"
rendered--see Ro 4:4]:
|7| "Ashrey (blessed/happy) are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins
have been covered over;
|8| ASHREY ADAM LO YAKHSHOV HASHEM LO AVON. Blessed/happy is the one whose
sin the L-rd will by no means count." (TEHILLIM 32:1-2).
|9| This me'ushar (blessedness), then, does it come on those of the bris milah (the circumcised) or
also on those without the bris milah (the uncircumcised)? For we say, emunah "was counted/
reckoned/credited" to Avraham Avinu for TZEDAKAH ("righteousness"--BERESHIT 15:6).
|10| When then was it "reckoned"? When Avraham Avinu had the bris milah and was in the state
of circumcision? Or when Avraham Avinu did not have the bris milah and was in the state of
uncircumcision?