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Romans 3

Romans 3 brings everyone under God’s judgment and declares justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul addresses objections about Jewish privilege and God’s justice in his letter to the Christians in Rome. Israel’s possession of God’s revelations matters, and human faithlessness cannot cancel God’s faithfulness. Yet Jews and Greeks alike stand under sin, a charge Paul supports with a chain of Scripture quotations. He then explains how God justifies those who trust in Jesus through Christ’s atoning death. This excludes boasting while upholding both God’s justice and the law.

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1Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?
2Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the revelations of God.
3For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?
4May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “that you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”
5But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.
6May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?
7For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
8Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let’s do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned.
9What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.
11There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.
12They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”
13“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips.”
14“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15“Their feet are swift to shed blood.
17The way of peace, they haven’t known.”
18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
20Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
21But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;
22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
23for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;
26to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time, that he might himself be just and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.
27Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
29Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.
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Key verses
Romans 3:19The law closes every mouth, bringing Paul’s case against human righteousness to its conclusion: the whole world answers to God.
Romans 3:22God’s righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, with no distinction between Jews and Gentiles.
Romans 3:24Justification is God’s gift of grace, grounded in the redemption Christ Jesus provides for people who have sinned.
Where this chapter reaches

Paul draws quotations from Psalm and Isaiah to establish the reach of human sin, including corrupt speech, violence, and the absence of peace. Galatians shares the teaching of justification through faith apart from works of the law, while Ephesians shares the themes of grace and redemption in Christ.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

Which part of Paul’s case that everyone stands under sin is hardest for you to accept, and why?

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How does Paul’s exclusion of boasting shape your understanding of grace and faith?

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Questions people ask about Romans 3

What does Romans 3:23 mean by falling short of God’s glory?

Paul places everyone, Jews and Gentiles alike, under the charge of sin. Falling short of God’s glory describes humanity’s failure before God, though the phrase receives no further definition here. The next verse connects this shared need with justification by God’s grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus.

What does justified mean in Romans 3?

To be justified is to be declared righteous before God. Paul says works of the law cannot secure this verdict, because the law exposes sin. God grants justification by grace through Christ’s redemption, received through faith. Jesus’ atoning death demonstrates how God remains just while justifying those who believe.

Does Romans 3 say faith makes the law unnecessary?

Paul rejects the claim that faith nullifies the law in verse 31. Earlier, he says the law reveals sin and that the law and the prophets testify to God’s revealed righteousness. Faith upholds the law’s witness and role, even though works of the law cannot justify anyone before God.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).