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Romans 3:9-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Romans 3:9-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Whole World Guilty before God
9 What then? Are we any better?[a] Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jews(A) and Gentiles[b](B) are all under sin,[c](C) 10 as it is written:[d]
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.(D)[e]
13 Their throat is an open grave;
they deceive with their tongues.(E)[f]
Vipers’ venom is under their lips.(F)[g]
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.(G)[h]
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.(H)[i]
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.(I)[j]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says(J) speaks to those who are subject to the law,[k](K) so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.[l](L) 20 For no one will be justified[m] in His sight by the works of the law,(M) because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.(N)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Romans 3:9 Are we Jews any better than the Gentiles?
- Romans 3:9 Lit Greeks
- Romans 3:9 Under sin’s power or dominion
- Romans 3:10 Paul constructs this charge from a chain of OT quotations, mainly from the Psalms.
- Romans 3:12 Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ec 7:20
- Romans 3:13 Ps 5:9
- Romans 3:13 Ps 140:3
- Romans 3:14 Ps 10:7
- Romans 3:17 Is 59:7-8
- Romans 3:18 Ps 36:1
- Romans 3:19 Lit those in the law
- Romans 3:19 Or become guilty before God, or may be accountable to God
- Romans 3:20 Or will be declared righteous, or will be acquitted
Romans 3:9-20
New International Version
Romans 3:9-20
New International Version
No One Is Righteous
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?(A) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.(B) 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](C)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”[b](D)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c](E)
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d](F)
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](G)
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f](H)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(I) it says to those who are under the law,(J) so that every mouth may be silenced(K) and the whole world held accountable to God.(L) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(M) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(N)
Footnotes
- Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
- Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
- Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
- Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
- Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
- Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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