Romans 3:22 - William Styles

“Even the rightreousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe,” Rom. 3:22. An amended punctuation of these words is suggested to defend the doctrine of a universal atonement. “Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all—and upon all that believe;” but neither Alford, Bloomfield, Valpy, nor Calvin favour it. J.N. Darby, who suggested it, being almost the only scholar who can be appealed to in its support. David Brown, D.D., indeed suggests that it means that “Christ’s righteousness is extended to all, and rests on all them that believe,” but on no authority, and his meaning is hard to grasp. There is therefore no doubt but that our translation is correct. The words, “and upon all,” are pleonastic, introduced (so Calvin and Tholuck say) “for the purpose of confirming and emphasizing the preceding clause, ‘which is unto all;’” and are intended to state, with all possible emphasis, that believing sinners, whether Gentiles or Jews, are interested in the salvation of God. In the Revised Translation “and upon all” is omitted. If this reading is received, the verse requires no comment.