Romans 3:7

Romans 3:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
• New International Version (NIV)Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

Context of Romans 3:7

5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God is not wrong to inflict His wrath [on us], is He? (I am speaking in purely human terms.) 6Certainly not! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? But [as you might say] if through my lie God’s truth was magnified and abounded to His glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner? 8And why not say, (as some slanderously report and claim that we teach) “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? Their condemnation [by God] is just. 9Well then, are we [Jews] better off than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) are under the control of sin and subject to its power.

Romans 3:7 word by word

εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ ψεύσματι ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, τί ἔτι κἀγὼ ὡς ἁμαρτωλὸς κρίνομαι;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hath more aboundedπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
• throughἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• lieψεῦσμαpseusma · falsehoodG5582
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• am I alsoκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
• judgedκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268

Cross-references for Romans 3:7

• Genesis 37:8His brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Are you really going to rule and govern us as your subjects?” So they hated him even more for [telling them about] his dreams and for his [arrogant] words.
• Genesis 44:1And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s [grain] money in the mouth of the sack.
• Genesis 50:18Then his brothers went and fell down before him [in confession]; then they said, “Behold, we are your servants (slaves).”
• Exodus 3:19But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless [he is forced] by a strong hand.
• Exodus 14:5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said, “What is this that we have done? We have let Israel go from serving us!”
• 1 Kings 13:17For I was told by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor shall you return by going the way that you came.’ ”
• 2 Kings 8:10And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You will certainly recover,’ but the Lord has shown me that he will certainly die.”
• Matthew 26:34Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this night, before a rooster crows, you will [completely] deny Me three times.”
• Romans 9:19You will say to me then, “Why does He still blame me [for sinning]? For who [including myself] has [ever] resisted His will and purpose?”
• Isaiah 10:6I send Assyria against a godless nation And commission it against the people of My wrath To take the spoil and to seize the plunder, And to trample them down like mud in the streets.
• Acts 2:23this Man, when handed over [to the Roman authorities] according to the predetermined decision and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross and put to death by the hands of lawless and godless men.
• Acts 13:27For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, who failed to recognize or understand both Jesus and the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled these [very prophecies] by condemning Him.

Commentaries on Romans 3:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Jew. For if the truth of God, etc. - But to resume my reasoning ( Romans 3:5;): If the faithfulness of God in keeping his promise made to our fathers is, through our unfaithfulness, made far more glorious than it otherwise would have been, why should we then be blamed for that which must redound so much to the honor of God?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For if … - This is an objection similar to the former. It is indeed but another form of the same. The truth of God - His truth or faithfulness in adhering to his threatenings. God threatened to punish the guilty. By their guilt he will take occasion to show his own truth; or their crime will furnish occasion for such an exhibition. Hath more abounded - Has been more striking, or more manifest. His “truth” will be shown by the fulfillment of all his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-7how could God judge the world?: Abraham asked a similar question: “Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25). God punishes all sin and maintains absolute righteousness while doing so. Even when God makes use of human sin for his own ends, that sin still deserves to be, and will be, punished (see Romans 9:10–24).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. For if the truth of God, &c.--A further illustration of the same sentiment: that is, "Such reasoning amounts to this--which indeed we who preach salvation by free grace are slanderously accused of teaching--that the more evil we do, the more glory will redound to God; a damnable principle." (Thus the apostle, instead of refuting this principle, thinks it enough to hold it up to execration, as one that shocks the moral sense). On this brief section…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 3:7

• Bigotry
• Boasting

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Boasting
• Conclude
• Destruction
• Establish
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Justifier
• Overcome

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