Romans 10:3

Romans 10:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
• New International Version (NIV)Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

Context of Romans 10:3

1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation. 2For I testify about them that they have a certain enthusiasm for God, but not in accordance with [correct and vital] knowledge [about Him and His purposes]. For not knowing about God’s righteousness [which is based on faith], and seeking to establish their own [righteousness based on works], they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior]. 5For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law [with all its intricate demands] shall live by it.

Romans 10:3 word by word

ἀγνοοῦντες γὰρ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν δικαιοσύνην ζητοῦντες στῆσαι τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐχ ὑπετάγησαν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• being ignorant ofἀγνοέωagnoeō · be ignorantG50
• God’sθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• going aboutζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
• to establishἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• their ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
• haveὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Romans 10:3

• Romans 1:17For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.”
• Romans 3:22This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s Son]. There is no distinction,
• Romans 5:19For just as through one man’s disobedience [his failure to hear, his carelessness] the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one Man the many will be made righteous and acceptable to God and brought into right standing with Him.
• Romans 9:30What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness [who did not seek salvation and a right relationship with God, nevertheless] obtained righteousness, that is, the righteousness which is produced by faith;
• Psalms 71:15My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And of Your [deeds of] salvation all day long, For their number is more than I know.
• Isaiah 51:6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, Then look to the earth beneath; For the heavens will be torn to pieces and vanish like smoke, And the earth will wear out like a garment And its inhabitants will die in like manner. But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness (justice) [and faithfully fulfilled promise] will not be broken.
• Isaiah 56:1This is what the Lord says, “Maintain justice and do righteousness, For My salvation is soon to come, And My righteousness and justice is soon to be revealed.
• Jeremiah 23:5“Behold (listen closely), the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as King and act wisely And will do [those things that accomplish] justice and righteousness in the land.
• Daniel 9:24“Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] have been decreed for your people and for your holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make atonement (reconciliation) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness (right-standing with God), to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
• John 16:9about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message];
• 2 Corinthians 5:21He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].
• 2 Peter 1:1Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ, To those who have received and possess [by God’s will] a precious faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
• Romans 9:31whereas Israel, [though always] pursuing the law of righteousness, did not succeed in fulfilling the law.
• Isaiah 57:12I will declare your [hypocritical] righteousness and your deeds, But they will not benefit you.
• Isaiah 64:6For we all have become like one who is [ceremonially] unclean [like a leper], And all our deeds of righteousness are like filthy rags; We all wither and decay like a leaf, And our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing], like the wind, takes us away [carrying us far from God’s favor, toward destruction].
• Luke 10:29But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Commentaries on Romans 10:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3For - being ignorant of God's righteousness - Not knowing God's method of saving sinners, which is the only proper and efficient method: and going about to establish their own righteousness - seeking to procure their salvation by means of their own contriving; they have not submitted - they have not bowed to the determinations of the Most High, relative to his mode of saving mankind, viz. through faith in Jesus Christ, as the only available sacrifice for…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For they being ignorant - The ignorance of the Jews was voluntarily, and therefore criminal. The apostle does not affirm that they could not have known what the plan of God was; for he says Romans 10:18-21 that they had full opportunity of knowing. An attentive study of their own Scriptures would have led them to the true knowledge of the Messiah and his righteousness; see John 5:39; compare Isaiah 53:1-12, etc. Yet the fact that they were ignorant…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3God’s righteousness: See 1:17; 3:21–26. Paul uses this phrase to explain Israel’s failure using the core message of the gospel. God showed his righteousness through the work of Jesus Christ. However, most Jews did not understand what God was doing. This was partly because they were focused on keeping the law as a way to establish their own righteousness, rather than trusting what God had done through Christ.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness--that is, for the justification of the guilty (see on Ro 1:17). and going about--"seeking" to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God--The apostle views the general rejection of Christ by the nation as one act.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 10:3

• Bigotry
• Justification
• Religion
• Salvation
• Self-Righteousness
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Confession
• Difference
• Establish
• Faith
• Justification
• Provoke
• Rich
• Zeal

Commentaries on Romans 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings