Romans 3:5

Romans 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
• New International Version (NIV)But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)But 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.)
• New King James Version (NKJV)But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)

Context of Romans 3:5

3What if some of them were unfaithful? Can their unfaithfulness cancel God’s faithfulness? 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.” But if what we do wrong shows that God is fair, what should we say? Is God unfair when he vents his anger on us? (I’m arguing the way humans would.) 6That’s unthinkable! Otherwise, how would God be able to judge the world? 7If my lie increases the glory that God receives by showing that God is truthful, why am I still judged as a sinner?

Romans 3:5 word by word

Εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀδικία ἡμῶν θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην συνίστησιν, τί ἐροῦμεν; μὴ ἄδικος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἐπιφέρων τὴν ὀργήν; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• unrighteousnessἀδικίαadikia · unrighteousnessG93
• commendσυνίστημι, συνιστάωsunistaō sunistanō sunistēmi · to commendG4921
• the righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• shall we sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• unrighteousἄδικοςadikos · unjustG94
• who takethἐπιφέρωepipherō · to inflictG2018
• vengeanceὀργήorgē · wrathG3709
• I speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• asκατάkata · according toG2596
• a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Romans 3:5

• Romans 3:7If my lie increases the glory that God receives by showing that God is truthful, why am I still judged as a sinner?
• Romans 8:20Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the hope
• Romans 4:1What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham?
• Romans 6:1What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God’s kindness will increase?
• Romans 7:7What should we say, then? Are the laws in Moses’ Teachings sinful? That’s unthinkable! In fact, I wouldn’t have recognized sin if those laws hadn’t shown it to me. For example, I wouldn’t have known that some desires are sinful if Moses’ Teachings hadn’t said, “Never have wrong desires.”
• Romans 9:13The Scriptures say, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”
• Romans 2:5Since you are stubborn and don’t want to change the way you think and act, you are adding to the anger that God will have against you on that day when God vents his anger. At that time God will reveal that his decisions are fair.
• Romans 3:19We 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.
• Romans 9:18Therefore, if God wants to be kind to anyone, he will be. If he wants to make someone stubborn, he will.
• Romans 12:19Don’t take revenge, dear friends. Instead, let God’s anger take care of it. After all, Scripture says, “I alone have the right to take revenge. I will pay back, says the Lord.”
• Deuteronomy 32:39See, I am the only God. There are no others. I kill, and I make alive. I wound, and I heal, and no one can rescue you from my power.
• Psalms 58:10Righteous people will rejoice when they see ⌞God⌟ take revenge. They will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.
• Psalms 94:1O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, appear!
• Nahum 1:2God does not tolerate rivals. The Lord takes revenge. The Lord takes revenge and is full of anger. The Lord takes revenge against his enemies and holds a grudge against his foes.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:6Certainly, it is right for God to give suffering to those who cause you to suffer.
• Revelation 15:3and singing the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the lamb. They sang, “The things you do are spectacular and amazing, Lord God Almighty. The way you do them is fair and true, King of the Nations.

Commentaries on Romans 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Jew. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God - May we not suppose that our unrighteousness may serve to commend and illustrate the mercy of God in keeping and fulfilling to us the promise which he made to our forefathers? The more wicked we are, the more his faithfulness to his ancient promise is to be admired. And if so, would not God appear unjust in taking vengeance and casting us off? I speak as a man - I feel for the situation…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5But if our unrighteousness - If our sin. The particular sin which had been specified Romans 3:3 was “unbelief.” But the apostle here gives the objection a general form. This is to be regarded as an objection which a Jew might make. The force of it is this: (1)It had been conceded that some had not believed; that is, had sinned. (2)but God was true to his promises. Notwithstanding their sin, God‘s character was the same. Nay, (3)In the very midst of sin…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. 5-65-6. But if, &c.--Another objection: "It would appear, then, that the more faithless we are, so much the more illustrious will the fidelity of God appear; and in that case, for Him to take vengeance on us for our unfaithfulness would be (to speak as men profanely do) unrighteousness in God." Answer:Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 3:5

• Bigotry
• Boasting
• God Continued...
• Infidelity

In the dictionaries

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

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