Romans 3:19

Romans 3:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
• New International Version (NIV)Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now 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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Context of Romans 3:19

17They have not learned to live in peace. 18They are not terrified of God.” We know that whatever the Scriptures say applies to everyone under their influence, and no one can say a thing. The whole world is brought under the judgment of God. 20Not one person can have God’s approval by any effort to follow the laws in the Scriptures. These laws show what sin is. 21Now, the way to receive God’s approval has been made plain in a way other than the laws in the Scriptures. Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets tell us this.

Romans 3:19 word by word

οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ, ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ, καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ θεῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• what things soeverὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
• the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• it saithλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• underἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• may be stoppedφράσσωphrassō · to stopG5420
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• may becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• guiltyὑπόδικοςhupodikos · accountableG5267
• before Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Romans 3:19

• Romans 3:2There are all kinds of advantages. First of all, God entrusted them with his word.
• Romans 2:12Here’s the reason: Whoever sins without having the laws in Moses’ Teachings will still be condemned to destruction. And whoever has these laws from God and sins will still be judged by them.
• John 10:34Jesus said to them, “Don’t your Scriptures say, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’?
• John 15:25In this way what is written in their Scriptures has come true: ‘They hate me for no reason.’
• 1 Corinthians 9:20I became Jewish for Jewish people. I became subject to the laws in Moses’ Teachings for those who are subject to those laws. I did this to win them even though I’m not subject to Moses’ Teachings.
• Galatians 3:23We were kept under control by Moses’ laws until this faith came. We were under their control until this faith which was about to come would be revealed.
• Galatians 4:5God sent him to pay for the freedom of those who were controlled by these laws so that we would be adopted as his children.
• Galatians 5:18If your spiritual nature is your guide, you are not subject to Moses’ laws.
• Romans 3:4That would be unthinkable! God is honest, and everyone else is a liar, as Scripture says, “So you hand down justice when you speak, and you win your case in court.”
• Romans 1:20From the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly observed in what he made. As a result, people have no excuse.
• Romans 2:1No matter who you are, if you judge anyone, you have no excuse. When you judge another person, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.
• 1 Samuel 2:9He safeguards the steps of his faithful ones, but wicked people are silenced in darkness because humans cannot succeed by their own strength.
• Job 5:16Then the poor have hope while wrongdoing shuts its mouth.
• Job 9:2“Yes, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be declared righteous to God?
• Psalms 107:42Decent people will see this and rejoice, but all the wicked people will shut their mouths.
• Ezekiel 16:63You will remember and be ashamed. You will never again open your mouth because of your disgrace when I forgive you for everything you did, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”

Commentaries on Romans 3:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19What things soever the law saith - That the word law, here, does not mean the pentateuch, is evident from the preceding quotations, not one of which is taken from that work. Either the term law must here mean the Jewish writings in general, or that rule of moral conduct which God had given to both Jews and Gentiles: to the former in their own Scriptures; to the latter in that law written in their hearts by his own Spirit, and acknowledged in their written…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Now we know - We all admit. It is a conceded plain point. What things soever - Whether given as precepts, or recorded as historical facts. Whatever things are found in the Law. “The law saith.” This means here evidently the Old Testament. From that the apostle had been drawing his arguments, and his train of thought requires us here to understand the whole of the Old Testament by this. The same principle applies, however, to all law, that it speaks only…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-20Verses 19-20 It is in vain to seek for justification by the works of the law. All must plead guilty. Guilty before God, is a dreadful word; but no man can be justified by a law which condemns him for breaking it. The corruption in our nature, will for ever stop any justification by our own works.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19Paul refers to the entire Old Testament as the law (see also 1 Corinthians 9:8, 9; 14:21, 34; Galatians 4:21). The Jews, who received the Scriptures, were those to whom God gave the law (literally, those in the law). How can Paul conclude that the whole world [is] held accountable to God based on Old Testament evidence that Jews are sinful? He uses a common Jewish technique of argument, reasoning from the greater idea to the lesser. The law shows that the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Now we know that what ... the law--that is, the Scriptures, considered as a law of duty. saith, it saith to them that are under the law--of course, therefore, to the Jews. that every mouth--opened in self-justification. may be stopped, and all the world may become--that is, be seen to be, and own itself. guilty--and so condemned before God.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 3:19

• Bigotry
• Boasting
• Depravity of Man

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