ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ: "entrusted with the very words of God"

Says 3:1 asks τί οὖν τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου, ἢ τίς ἡ ὠφέλεια τῆς περιτομῆς; picking up 2:25 (see note.language.Rom.2.25.peritome-ophelei). The answer is πολὺ κατὰ πάντα τρόπον ("Much in every way," BSB).

Says πρῶτον μέν ("first of all") begins a list that is not continued here; no "second" follows (compare the fuller list in 9:4–5). In ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ the passive of πιστεύω, "to entrust," keeps the thing entrusted in the accusative: "they were entrusted with the oracles of God."

Abbott-Smith defines λόγιον (logion) as "an oracle" and lists Acts 7:38; Rom 3:2; Heb 5:12; 1 Pet 4:11. In the LXX it chiefly renders words for God's "word" or "saying" (his note, s.v.).

Uncertain The scope of τὰ λόγια. This note leans to God's spoken and written words to Israel as a whole, the Scriptures, since 3:4, 10–18, and 3:19 go on to cite them as one body. The main alternative is a narrower sense, the promises in particular, which suits the stress on God's faithfulness in 3:3.

Implies Israel's advantage is a trust held for others: being entrusted with God's words is a privilege that carries accountability (3:19; compare 2:17–24).