10 as it is written:[a]

There is no one righteous, not even one.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:10 Paul constructs this charge from a chain of OT quotations, mainly from the Psalms.

We’re All in the Same Sinking Boat

9-20 So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it:

There’s nobody living right, not even one,
    nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God.
They’ve all taken the wrong turn;
    they’ve all wandered down blind alleys.
No one’s living right;
    I can’t find a single one.
Their throats are gaping graves,
    their tongues slick as mudslides.
Every word they speak is tinged with poison.
    They open their mouths and pollute the air.
They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year,
    litter the land with heartbreak and ruin,
Don’t know the first thing about living with others.
    They never give God the time of day.

This makes it clear, doesn’t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God’s revelation doesn’t put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else’s sin.

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10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;

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10 as it is written:[a]

There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away;
all alike have become useless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.(A)[b]
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.(B)[c]
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.(C)[d]
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.(D)[e]
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the path of peace they have not known.(E)[f]
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.(F)[g]

19 Now we know that whatever the law says(G) speaks to those who are subject to the law,[h](H) so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.[i](I) 20 For no one will be justified[j] in His sight by the works of the law,(J) because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:10 Paul constructs this charge from a chain of OT quotations, mainly from the Psalms.
  2. Romans 3:12 Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ec 7:20
  3. Romans 3:13 Ps 5:9
  4. Romans 3:13 Ps 140:3
  5. Romans 3:14 Ps 10:7
  6. Romans 3:17 Is 59:7-8
  7. Romans 3:18 Ps 36:1
  8. Romans 3:19 Lit those in the law
  9. Romans 3:19 Or become guilty before God, or may be accountable to God
  10. Romans 3:20 Or will be declared righteous, or will be acquitted

We’re All in the Same Sinking Boat

9-20 So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it:

There’s nobody living right, not even one,
    nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God.
They’ve all taken the wrong turn;
    they’ve all wandered down blind alleys.
No one’s living right;
    I can’t find a single one.
Their throats are gaping graves,
    their tongues slick as mudslides.
Every word they speak is tinged with poison.
    They open their mouths and pollute the air.
They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year,
    litter the land with heartbreak and ruin,
Don’t know the first thing about living with others.
    They never give God the time of day.

This makes it clear, doesn’t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God’s revelation doesn’t put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else’s sin.

Read full chapter

10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[a](A)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[b](B)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c](C)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d](D)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[e](E)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f](F)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(G) it says to those who are under the law,(H) so that every mouth may be silenced(I) and the whole world held accountable to God.(J) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(K) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  2. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  4. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  5. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  6. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1