Amplified Bible
Romans 3:1
1Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
Romans 3:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
- New International Version (NIV)What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
- New King James Version (NKJV)What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
Context of Romans 3:1
Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2Great in every respect. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God [His very words]. 3What then? If some did not believe or were unfaithful [to God], their lack of belief will not nullify and make invalid the faithfulness of God and His word, will it?
Read all of Romans 3Romans 3:1 word by word
Τί οὖν τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου, ἢ τίς ἡ ὠφέλεια τῆς περιτομῆς;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Romans 3:1
- Romans 2:25Circumcision [the sign of the covenant of Abraham] is indeed of value if you practice the Law; but if you habitually break the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision [it is meaningless in God’s sight].
- Genesis 25:32Esau said, “Look, I am about to die [if I do not eat soon]; so of what use is this birthright to me?”
- Ecclesiastes 6:8For what advantage has the wise man over the fool [for being worldly-wise is not the secret to happiness]? What advantage has the poor man who has learned how to walk [publicly] among the living [with men’s eyes on him; for being poor is not the secret to happiness either]?
- Isaiah 1:11“What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me [without your repentance]?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of [your] burnt offerings of rams And the fat of well-fed cattle [without your obedience]; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls or lambs or goats [offered without repentance].
- Malachi 3:14You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. What profit is it if we keep His ordinances, and walk around like mourners before the Lord of hosts?
- 1 Corinthians 15:32What good has it done me if, [merely] from a human point of view, I fought with wild animals at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised [at all], let us eat and drink [enjoying ourselves now], for tomorrow we die.
- Hebrews 13:9Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and strengthened by grace and not by foods [rules of diet and ritualistic meals], which bring no benefit or spiritual growth to those who observe them.
Commentaries on Romans 3:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Jew. What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision? - As if he had said: You lately allowed, ( Romans 2:25;), that circumcision verily profited; but if circumcision, or our being in covenant with God, raises us no higher in the Divine favor than the Gentiles; if the virtuous among them are as acceptable as any of us; nay, and condemn our nation too, as no longer deserving the Divine regards; pray tell me, wherein lies the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1What advantage - The design of the first part of this chapter is to answer some of the objections which might be offered by a Jew to the statements in the last chapter. The first objection is stated in this verse. A Jew would naturally ask, if the view which the apostle had given were correct, what special benefit could the Jew derive from his religion? The objection would arise particularly from the position advanced Romans 2:25-26, that if a pagan…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Objections answered. (1-8) All mankind are sinners. (9-18) Both Jews and Gentiles cannot be justified by their own deeds. (19-20) It is owing to the free grace of God, through faith in the righteousness of Christ, yet the law is not done away. (21-31) Verses 1-8 The law could not save in or from sins, yet it gave the Jews advantages for obtaining salvation. Their stated ordinances, education in the knowledge of the true God and his service, and many…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew?: Paul advances his argument by asking questions. After preaching the gospel (the good news about Jesus) for over twenty years, he knew what questions people would ask when they heard a specific teaching. His focus on the equality of Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) before God (chapter 2) naturally invited people to ask if he was removing all Jewish privileges. The question-and-answer style follows the pattern of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-81-2. What advantage then hath the Jew?--that is, "If the final judgment will turn solely on the state of the heart, and this may be as good in the Gentile without, as in the Jew within, the sacred enclosure of God's covenant, what better are we Jews for all our advantages?" Answer:Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 3:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 3
- 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
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