English Standard Version
Romans 3:21
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
Romans 3:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
- New International Version (NIV)But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
- New Living Translation (NLT)But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
Context of Romans 3:21
19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Read all of Romans 3Romans 3:21 word by word
νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- nowνυνίnuni · nowG3570
- the righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- withoutχωρίςchōris · withoutG5565
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- is manifestedφανερόωphaneroō · to revealG5319
- being witnessedμαρτυρέωmartureō · to testifyG3140
- byὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- the prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
Cross-references for Romans 3:21
- Romans 1:17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."
- Romans 5:19For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
- Romans 10:3For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
- Genesis 15:6And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
- Isaiah 45:24"Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him.
- Isaiah 46:13I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory."
- Isaiah 51:8For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations."
- Isaiah 54:17no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord."
- Isaiah 61:10I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Jeremiah 23:5"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
- Jeremiah 33:16In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: 'The Lord is our righteousness.'
- Daniel 9:24"Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
- Acts 15:11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."
- 1 Corinthians 1:30And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
- 2 Corinthians 5:21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Galatians 5:5For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
Commentaries on Romans 3:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21But now the righteousness of God - God's method of saving sinners is now shown, by the Gospel, to be through his own mere mercy, by Christ Jesus; without the law - without any right or claim which might result from obedience to the law; and is evidently that which was intended by God from the beginning; for it is witnessed by the law and the prophets - the rites and ceremonies of the one, and the preachings and predictions of the others, all bearing…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21But now - The apostle, having shown the entire failure of all attempts to be justified by the “Law,” whether among Jews or Gentiles, proceeds to state fully the plan of justification by Jesus Christ in the gospel. To do this, was the main design of the Epistle, Romans 1:17. He makes, therefore, in the close of this chapter, an explicit statement of the nature of the doctrine; and in the following parts of the Epistle he fully proves it, and illustrates…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-26Verses 21-26 Must guilty man remain under wrath? Is the wound for ever incurable? No; blessed be God, there is another way laid open for us. This is the righteousness of God; righteousness of his ordaining, and providing, and accepting. It is by that faith which has Jesus Christ for its object; an anointed Saviour, so Jesus Christ signifies. Justifying faith respects Christ as a Saviour, in all his three anointed offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-22After a long discussion about the power of sin (1:18–3:20), Paul returns to the main idea in 1:17, which is how to be in a right relationship with God (literally the righteousness of God). In 1:17, “the righteousness of God” is the way that God puts people in right relationship with himself. apart from the law: The old covenant looked ahead to God’s righteousness being revealed in his Son, Jesus Christ. Through Christ, God fulfilled the law for us…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2621-23. But now the righteousness of God--(See on Ro 1:17). without the law--that is, a righteousness to which our obedience to the law contributes nothing whatever (Ro 3:28; Ga 2:16). is manifested, being witnessed--attested. by the law and the prophets--the Old Testament Scriptures. Thus this justifying righteousness, though new, as only now fully disclosed, is an old righteousness, predicted and foreshadowed in the Old Testament.Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 3:21
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries