Romans 3:21–26 constitutes one complete sentence. It must be read as a whole sentence to keep the proper context. This is where many of the modern versions fail in their translations, they do not maintain the complex sentence structure of the Greek, losing the proper context. The KJV maintains it so you can get the true complete thought. Verses divide the Bible into individual thoughts. A sentence might be contained in one verse or contain several verses. The complete thought within a sentence comprises all the individual thoughts, each verse, in a sentence to make the complete thought.
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
It does not matter who or what your are, there is no difference, all are sinners, and all who will believe will receive the righteousness of God.
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Salvation is by God’s grace through our faith; “by grace are ye saved through faith”.
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
A sentence is the smallest unit of grammar that has a definite meaning. Anything less than a sentence can be made to mean almost anything. Do not study the Bible verse by verse, but rather sentence by sentence, taking into account the individual thoughts marked out by the verse numbers that make up the complete thought of the sentence or provide all information needed to properly interpret it. Once you have interpreted the sentence correctly, the individual thoughts, verses, can be studied independently.
In this particular instance, if you take just verses 21 & 26 you will get a complete sentence. This will demonstrate that the other verses add to the complete thought by adding secondary information.
Romans 3:21 & 26 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
You can see clearly how verses 22-25 add to the sentence in providing more information. Not all sentences in the Bible can be so laid out. Diligently study the sentences.
The only word that might give you trouble is propitiation, which can be defined by reading the whole sentence: the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing, “remission of sins”.
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