Romans 3:20

Romans 3:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Context of Romans 3:20

18They are not terrified of God.” 19We 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. Not 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. 22Everyone who believes has God’s approval through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no difference between people.

Romans 3:20 word by word

διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ· διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·πᾶςpas · allG3956
• Thereforeδιότιdioti · becauseG1360
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the deedsἔργονergon · workG2041
• of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• there shallδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
• noοὐou · noG3756
• fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• inἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the knowledgeἐπίγνωσιςepignōsis · knowledgeG1922
• of sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266

Cross-references for Romans 3:20

• Romans 3:28We conclude that a person has God’s approval by faith, not by his own efforts.
• Romans 2:13People who merely listen to the laws in Moses’ Teachings don’t have God’s approval. Rather, people who do what those laws demand will have God’s approval.
• Romans 4:13So it was not by obeying the laws in Moses’ Teachings that Abraham or his descendants received the promise that he would inherit the world. Rather, he received this promise through God’s approval that comes by faith.
• Romans 9:32Why? They didn’t rely on faith to gain God’s approval, but they relied on their own efforts. They stumbled over the rock that trips people.
• Acts 13:39However, everyone who believes in Jesus receives God’s approval.
• Galatians 2:16Yet, we know that people don’t receive God’s approval by any effort to follow the laws in the Scriptures, but only by believing in Jesus Christ. So we also believed in Jesus Christ in order to receive God’s approval by faith in Christ and not by our own efforts. People won’t receive God’s approval by their own efforts.
• Galatians 3:10Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.”
• Galatians 5:4Those of you who try to earn God’s approval by obeying his laws have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen out of God’s favor.
• Ephesians 2:8God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God.
• James 2:9If you favor one person over another, you’re sinning, and this law convicts you of being disobedient.
• Job 25:4How can a person be righteous to God? How can anyone born of a woman be pure?
• Psalms 130:3O Lord, who would be able to stand if you kept a record of sins?
• Psalms 143:2Do not take me to court for judgment, because there is no one alive who is righteous in your presence.
• James 2:20You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless?
• Job 15:15If God doesn’t trust his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight,
• Job 25:5Even the moon isn’t bright, and the stars aren’t pure in his sight.

Commentaries on Romans 3:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Therefore, by the deeds of the law - On the score of obedience to this moral law, there shall no flesh, , no human being, be justified; none can be accepted in the sight of God. And why? Because by the law is the knowledge of sin: it is that which ascertains what sin is; shows how men have deviated from its righteous demands; and sentences them to death because they have broken it. Thus the law is properly considered as the rule of right; and, unless God…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20By the deeds of the law - By works; or by such deeds as the Law requires. The word “Law” has, in the Scriptures, a great variety of significations. Its strict and proper meaning is, a rule of conduct prescribed by superior authority. The course of reasoning in these chapters shows the sense in which the apostle uses it here. He intends evidently to apply it to those rules or laws by which the Jews and Gentiles pretended to frame their lives; and to affirm…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. 20by works of the law: This means obeying the rules given by Moses, the prophet and leader of Israel. While this phrase refers to Jews, the principle extends to all people. If Jews cannot be put in right relationship with God by obeying the law God gave them, certainly other people cannot establish such a relationship through good deeds.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Therefore by the deeds of--obedience to the law there shall no flesh be justified--that is, be held and treated as righteous; as is plain from the whole scope and strain of the argument. in his sight--at His bar (Psa 143:2). for by the law is the knowledge of sin--(See on Ro 4:15; Ro 7:7; and 1Jo 3:4). Note, How broad and deep does the apostle in this section lay the foundations of his great doctrine of Justification by free grace--in the disorder of…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 3:20

• Bigotry
• Boasting
• Catholicity
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Boasting
• Conclude
• Destruction
• Establish
• Faith
• Justifier
• Overcome
• Sin
• Bible, the
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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