Focused Passage

Romans 3:1-8

All Under Sin and the Righteousness of God Revealed Through Faith in Christ

Paul moves from defending God's faithfulness despite Jewish unfaithfulness, to proving that all humanity is under sin, to silencing every mouth before God, and then to announcing the righteousness of God given through faith in Jesus Christ.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

2 Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.

3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?

4 Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”

5 But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.

6 Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

7 However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?

8 Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

What Τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular then οὖν G3767 Conjunction [is] the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular advantage περισσὸν G4053 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular of τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular [being] a Jew Ἰουδαίου G2453 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular Or G2228 Conjunction what [is] τίς G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular value ὠφέλεια G5622 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of circumcision περιτομῆς G4061 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 2

Original words

Much πολὺ G4183 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular in κατὰ G2596 Preposition every πάντα G3956 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular way τρόπον G5158 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular vvv γὰρ G1063 Conjunction vvv μὲν G3303 Particle First of all πρῶτον G4412 Adverb - Superlative - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they have been entrusted with ἐπιστεύθησαν G4100 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural very words λόγια G3051 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or the oracles
Verse 3

Original words

What Τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular if εἰ G1487 Conjunction - γάρ G1063 Conjunction some τινες G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural did not have faith ἠπίστησάν G569 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural {Will} their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular lack of faith ἀπιστία G570 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb nullify καταργήσει G2673 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God’s Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular faithfulness πίστιν G4102 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 4

Original words

vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb Certainly not γένοιτο G1096 Verb - Aorist Optative Middle - 3rd Person Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular {Let} God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular be γινέσθω G1096 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular true ἀληθής G227 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular and δὲ G1161 Conjunction every πᾶς G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular man ἄνθρωπος G444 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular a liar ψεύστης G5583 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular As καθὼς* G2531 Conjunction it is written γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular - Ὅπως G3704 Conjunction So that ἂν G302 Particle You may be proved right δικαιωθῇς G1344 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Singular when ἐν G1722 Preposition You σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural speak λόγοις G3056 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction victorious νικήσεις G3528 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular when ἐν G1722 Preposition You σε G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular judge κρίνεσθαί G2919 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive

BSB notes

  • Or when You are judged; Psalm 51:4 (see also LXX)
Verse 5

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction if Εἰ G1487 Conjunction our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular unrighteousness ἀδικία G93 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular highlights συνίστησιν G4921 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the righteousness δικαιοσύνην G1343 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular shall we say ἐροῦμεν G2046 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural [That] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular [is] μὴ G3361 Adverb unjust ἄδικος G94 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular to inflict ἐπιφέρων G2018 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [His] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular wrath [on us] ὀργήν G3709 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular I am speaking λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular in κατὰ G2596 Preposition human terms ἄνθρωπον G444 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb Certainly not γένοιτο G1096 Verb - Aorist Optative Middle - 3rd Person Singular In that case ἐπεὶ G1893 Conjunction how πῶς G4459 Adverb - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular {could} God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular judge κρινεῖ G2919 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular world κόσμον G2889 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 7

Original words

However δὲ G1161 Conjunction if εἰ G1487 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular - ἐν G1722 Preposition my ἐμῷ G1699 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Neuter 1st Person Singular - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular falsehood ψεύσματι G5582 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular accentuates ἐπερίσσευσεν G4052 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God’s Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular truthfulness ἀλήθεια G225 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular to the increase εἰς G1519 Preposition of His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular glory δόξαν G1391 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular why τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular {am} I κἀγὼ G2504 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular still ἔτι G2089 Adverb condemned κρίνομαι G2919 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular as ὡς G5613 Adverb a sinner ἁμαρτωλὸς G268 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 8

Original words

[Why] καὶ G2532 Conjunction not [say] μὴ G3361 Adverb as καθὼς G2531 Adverb - καθώς G2531 Adverb some τινες G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural slanderously βλασφημούμεθα G987 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction claim [that] φασίν G5346 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural we ἡμᾶς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural say λέγειν G3004 Verb - Present Infinitive Active - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction Let us do Ποιήσωμεν G4160 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural evil κακὰ G2556 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction - τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural good ἀγαθά G18 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural may result ἔλθῃ G2064 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular Their ὧν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular condemnation κρίμα G2917 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular deserved ἔνδικόν G1738 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.