For whenever the Gentiles, ¹  who do not have the law, do by nature ²  the things required by the law, ³  these who do not have the law are a law to themselves.

You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!

Do we then nullify ¹  the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead ²  we uphold the law.

For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression ¹  either.

but Israel even though pursuing ¹  a law of righteousness ²  did not attain it. ³ 

For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God.

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law? ¹ 

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ¹ 

For we consider that a person ¹  is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law. ² 

To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) ¹  to gain those under the law.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. ¹  He who speaks against a fellow believer ²  or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge. ³ 

For all who have sinned apart from the law ¹  will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. ¹ 

And will not the physically uncircumcised man ¹  who keeps the law judge you who, despite ²  the written code ³  and circumcision, transgress the law?

For no one is declared righteous before him ¹  by the works of the law, ²  for through the law comes ³  the knowledge of sin.

But now ¹  apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) ²  has been disclosed –

Where, then, is boasting? ¹  It is excluded! By what principle? ²  Of works? No, but by the principle of faith!

for before the law was given, ¹  sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin ²  when there is no law.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I ¹  would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else ²  if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” ³