English Standard Version
Romans 3:7
7But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
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?”
- 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?
- New Living Translation (NLT)“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”
Context of Romans 3:7
5But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. 9What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
Read all of Romans 3Romans 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 indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
- Genesis 44:1Then he commanded the steward of his house, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack,
- Genesis 50:18His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."
- Exodus 3:19But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.
- Exodus 14:5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"
- 1 Kings 13:17for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.'"
- 2 Kings 8:10And Elisha said to him, "Go, say to him, 'You shall certainly recover,' but the Lord has shown me that he shall certainly die."
- Matthew 26:34Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."
- Romans 9:19You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"
- Isaiah 10:6Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
- Acts 2:23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
- Acts 13:27For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them 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
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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