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Further； I am more than amply rewarded if just one Christian
acknowledge me as a workman with integrity。 I do not care about
the papists； as they are not good enough to acknowledge my work
and； if they were to bless me； it would break my heart。 I may be
insulted by their highest praise and honor； but I will still be a
doctor； even a distinguished one。 I am certain that they shall
never take from me until the final day。
Yet I have not just gone ahead； ignoring the exact wording in the
original。 Instead； with great care； I have； along with my
helpers； gone ahead and have kept literally to the original；
without the slightest deviation； wherever it appeared that a
passage was crucial。 For instance； in John 6 Christ says： 〃Him
has God the Father set his seal upon （versiegelt）。〃 It would be
more clear in German to say 〃Him has God the Father signified
（gezeiehent）〃 or even 〃God the Father means him。〃 But rather than
doing violence to the original； I have done violence to the German
tongue。 Ah； translating is not every one's skill as some mad
saints think。 A right； devout； honest； sincere； God…fearing
Christian； trained； educated； and experienced heart is required。
So I hold that no false Christian or divisive spirit can be a good
translator。 That is obvious given the translation of the Prophets
at Worms which although carefully done and approximating my own
German quite closely； does not show much reverence for Christ due
to the Jews who shared in the translation。 Aside from that it
shows plenty of skill and craftsmanship there。
So much for translating and the nature of language。 However； I was
not depending upon or following the nature of language when I
inserted the word 〃solum〃 （alone） in Rom。 3 as the text itself；
and St。 Paul's meaning； urgently necessitated and demanded it。 He
is dealing with the main point of Christian doctrine in this
passage … namely that we are justified by faith in Christ without
any works of the Law。 In fact； he rejects all works so completely
as to say that the works of the Law； though it is God's law and
word； do not aid us in justification。 Using Abraham as an
example； he argues that Abraham was so justified without works
that even the highest work； which had been commanded by God； over
and above all others； namely circumcision； did not aid him in
justification。 Instead； Abraham was justified without
circumcision and without any works； but by faith； as he says in
Chapter 4： 〃If Abraham is justified by works； he may boast； but
not before God。〃 However； when all works are so completely
rejected … which must mean faith alone justifies … whoever would
speak plainly and clearly about this rejection of works would have
to say 〃Faith alone justifies and not works。〃 The matter itself
and the nature of language necessitates it。
〃Yet〃； they say； 〃it has such an offensive tone that people infer
from it that they need not do any good works。〃 Dear； what are we to
say？ IS it not more offensive for St。 Paul himself to not use the
term 〃faith alone〃 but spell it even more clearly； putting the
finishing touches on it by saying 〃Without the works of the Law？〃
Gal。 1 ＇2。16＇ says that 〃not by works of the law' （as well as in
many other places） for the phrase 〃without the works of the law〃
is so ever offensive； and scandalous that no amount of revision
can help it。 How much more might people learn from 〃that they
need not do any good works〃； when all they hear is preaching
about the works themselves； stated in such a clear strong way：
〃No works〃； 〃without works〃； 〃not by works〃！ If it is not
offensive to preach 〃without works〃； 〃not by works〃！； 〃no works〃；
why is it offensive to preach 〃by faith alone〃？
Still more offensive is that St。 Paul does not reject just
ordinary works； but works of the law！ It follows that one could
take offense at that all the more and say that the law is
condemned and cursed before God and one ought only do what is
contrary to the law as it is said in Rom。 3： 〃Why not do evil so
that there might be more good？〃 which is what that one divisive
spirit of our time was doing。 Should one reject St。 Paul's word
because of such ‘offense' or refrain from speaking freely about
faith？ Gracious； St。 Paul and I want to offend like this for we
preach so strongly against works； insisting on faith alone for no
other reason than to offend people that they might stumble and
fall and learn that they are not saved by good works but only by
Christ's death and resurrection。 Knowing that they cannot be
saved by their good works of the law； how much more will they
realize that they shall not be saved by bad works； or without the
law！ Therefore； it does not follow that because good works do not
help； bad works will； just as it does not follow that because the
sun cannot help a blind person see； the night and darkness must
help him see。
It astounds me that one can be offended by something as obvious as
this！ Just tell me； is Christ's death and resurrection our work；
what we do； or not？ It is obviously not our work； nor is it the
work of the law。 Now it is Christ's death and resurrection alone
which saves and frees us from sin； as Paul writes in Rom。 4： 〃He
died for our sin and arose for our righteousness。〃 Tell me more！
What is the work by which we take hold of Christ's death and
resurrection？ It must not be an external work but only the
eternal faith in the heart that alone； indeed all alone； which
takes hold of this death and resurrection when it is preached
through the gospel。 Then why all this ranting and raving； this
making of heretics and burning of them； when it is clear at its
very core； proving that faith alone takes hold of Christ's death
and resurrection； without any works； and that his death and
resurrection are our life and righteousness？ As this fact is so
obvious； that faith alone gives； brings； and takes a hold of this
life and righteousness … why should we not say so？ It is not
heretical that faith alone holds on to Christ and gives life； and
yet it seems to be heresy if someone mentions it。 Are they not
insane； foolish and ridiculous？ They will say that one thing is
right but brand the telling of this right thing as wrong … even
though something cannot be simultaneously right and wrong。
Furthermore； I am not the only one； nor the first； to say that
faith alone makes one righteous。 There was Ambrose； Augustine and
many others who said it before me。 And if one is to read and
understand St。 Paul； the same thing must be said and not anything
else。 His words； as well； are blunt … 〃no works〃 … none at all！
If it is not works； it must be faith alone。 Oh what a marvelous；
constructive and inoffensive teaching that would be； to be taught
that one can be