But if our (ἡμῶν) unrighteousness demonstrates (συνίστησιν, a form of συνιστάω) the righteousness of God, Paul continued, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he?  (I am speaking in human terms.)¹  This is similar, though not identical, to a concern Paul addressed later in his letter to the Romans (Romans 9:22-24 NET):

But what if God, willing to demonstrate (ἐνδείξασθαι, a form of ἐνδείκνυμι) his wrath and to make known (γνωρίσαι, a form of γνωρίζω) his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?  And what if he is willing to make known (γνωρίσῃ, another form of γνωρίζω) the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory – even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

In the latter example there is no question about God’s righteousness when inflicting wrath, but these two are joined in my opinion as some of the implications of faith comes by hearing (ἀκοῆς, a form of ἀκοή), and hearing comes by God (or Christ) uttering, “hear,” that Paul worked through in this letter.  Paul’s differentiation of the objects of wrath from the objects of mercy, whom [God] has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles, and the caveat in Romans 3:5—I am speaking in human terms—leads me to the conclusion that our unrighteousness is an example of Paul identifying with every human being from Romans 3:4 (NET),² in particular those who have not yet been told to “hear.”

And I seriously question the translation of συνίστησιν (a form of συνιστάω) as demonstrates here.  It seems to me the translators are trying to make the question as obtuse as possible.  To demonstrate is to “clearly show the existence or truth of (something) by giving proof or evidence,” or to “give a practical exhibition and explanation of” something.  Clearly the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them will never show the existence or truth of the righteousness of God by giving proof or evidence.  Neither will their unrighteousness give a practical exhibition and explanation of God’s righteousness.

In the King James translation the word commend was used for συνίστησιν.  One of the definitions of commend is to “present as suitable for approval or acceptance.”  Now, the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them might very well commend the righteousness of God if the two are presented side by side for comparison and contrast.  So then I have a real question:  If the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them commends the righteousness of God, is God unrighteous when he inflicts wrath on them?

Absolutely not! Paul said unequivocally.  For otherwise how could God judge (κρινεῖ, a form of κρίνω) the world?³  Paul already stated that there is no partiality⁴ with God.  For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.⁵  None of that changes because the hearing that is so crucial to faith in Christ comes from God rather than from some special insight or intelligence or virtue in those who hear and believe the message.

For if by my lie, Paul continued, the truth of God enhances (ἐπερίσσευσεν, a form of περισσεύω) his glory (δόξαν, a form of δόξα), why am I still actually being judged (κρίνομαι, another form of κρίνω ) as a sinner?⁶  I think it is safe to assume that Paul was still speaking in human terms.⁷  But I want to entertain the question.  After all, one of the reasons Paul gave for the wrath of God in the first chapter of Romans was they did not glorify (ἐδόξασαν, a form of δοξάζω) him as God.⁸  And here is God’s glory (δόξαν, a form of δόξα) being enhanced by the truth of God in juxtaposition to the lie of one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear.”

I criticize the NET translators often without any standing to do so.  So I want to make a point of saying I think they have it exactly right here.  It is the truth of God which enhances his glory, not the lie.  The answer is in the question.  The one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” is judged as a sinner precisely because of the truth of God, for sinner he is.

Paul was laying the groundwork for a statement that occurs later in his letter to the Romans: But the gracious gift is not like the transgression.  For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply (ἐπερίσσευσεν, a form of περισσεύω) to the many!⁹  The fact that God is gracious does not alter the fact that the one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” is a sinner.  And it certainly doesn’t mean that sinning is a good way to enhance (ἐπερίσσευσεν) or multiply (ἐπερίσσευσεν) the grace of God.

And why not say, Paul continued, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say.¹⁰  Paul switched roles abruptly here, from identifying with those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” to those who have faith because they hear the message of Christ because He has uttered “hear.”

Apparently there were Jews, slanderers or blasphemers of the believers in Christ, who alleged that the Gospel message was, Let us do evil so that good may come of it.  The Jewish leaders assumed that Jesus was not of God because He healed on the Sabbath and called God his Father.¹¹  A disciple is not greater than his teacher, Jesus said, nor a slave greater than his master.  It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.  If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!¹²  Paul answered those slanderers or blasphemers curtly but factually, Their condemnation is deserved!¹³

What then? Are we better than they?¹⁴  I quoted from the New King James translation for a reason.  I believe Paul was saying, “What then?  Are we, who have faith because we hear the message of Christ because He has uttered ‘hear,’ better than they whose condemnation is deserved?”  The NET renders it, What then?  Are we better off?¹⁵  It may seem nitpicky but I would say, “Yes, those who have faith because they hear the message of Christ because He has uttered ‘hear’ are much better off than those whose condemnation is deserved, because they won’t receive the condemnation they also deserve.”  But are they better, holding themselves before those whose condemnation is deserved?  Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin…¹⁶

Now, some translations¹⁷ that use better off, also assume that Paul was identifying with Jews here and add that to the text: Does it mean that we Jews are better off than the Gentiles?¹⁸  In that case, better and better off are essentially equivalent.  But then the slanderers or blasphemers would have been Gentiles who accused Jews of preaching “Let us do evil so that good may come of it.”  Granted Paul did write Jews and Greeks, but I assume that to be a literary way of saying all (or, no one) like the Old Testament quotations that follow (Romans 3:10-18 NET):

…just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one [Table].”  “Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.”  “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”  “Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.”  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Addendum: March 24, 2021
A table comparing Romans 2:11 in the NET and KJV follows.