God’s Word Translation
Romans 3:8
8Or can we say, “Let’s do evil so that good will come from it”? Some slander us and claim that this is what we say. They are condemned, and that’s what they deserve.
Romans 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
- New International Version (NIV)Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
- English Standard Version (ESV)And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
Context of Romans 3:8
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? Or can we say, “Let’s do evil so that good will come from it”? Some slander us and claim that this is what we say. They are condemned, and that’s what they deserve. 9What, then, is the situation? Do we have any advantage? Not at all. We have already accused everyone (both Jews and Greeks) of being under the power of sin, 10as Scripture says, “Not one person has God’s approval.
Read all of Romans 3Romans 3:8 word by word
καὶ μὴ καθὼς βλασφημούμεθα καὶ καθώς φασίν τινες ἡμᾶς λέγειν ὅτι ποιήσωμεν τὰ κακὰ ἵνα ἔλθῃ τὰ ἀγαθά; ὧν τὸ κρίμα ἔνδικόν ἐστιν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- notμήmē · notG3361
- asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
- we be slanderously reportedβλασφημέωblasphēmeō · to blasphemeG987
- someτιςtis · oneG5100
- affirm thatφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
- weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- Let us doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- may comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- damnationκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- justἔνδικοςendikos · justG1738
Cross-references for Romans 3:8
- Matthew 5:11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me.
- 1 Peter 3:16Keep your conscience clear. Then those who treat the good Christian life you live with contempt will feel ashamed that they have ridiculed you.
- Romans 5:20The laws in Moses’ Teachings were added to increase the failure. But where sin increased, God’s kindness increased even more.
- 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.”
- Jude 1:4Some people have slipped in among you unnoticed. Not long ago they were condemned in writing for the following reason: They are people to whom God means nothing. They use God’s kindness as an excuse for sexual freedom and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Commentaries on Romans 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Apostle. And not rather, etc. - And why do you not say, seeing you assume this ground, that in all cases we should do wickedly, because God, by freely pardoning, can so glorify his own grace? This is a most impious sentiment, but it follows from your reasoning; it has, indeed, been most injuriously laid to the charge of us apostles, who preach the doctrine of free pardon, through faith, without the merit of works; but this is so manifest a perversion of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And not rather - This is the answer of the apostle. He meets the objection by showing its tendency if carried out, and if it were made a principle of conduct. The meaning is, “If the glory of God is to be promoted by sin, and if a man is not therefore to be condemned, or held guilty for it; if this fact absolves man from crime, “why not carry the doctrine out, and make it a principle of conduct, and do all the evil we can, in order to promote his glory.”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8some slanderously claim that we say: Paul is referring to misrepresentations about his teaching on justification by faith. If a person is made right with God by faith alone, through God’s grace and apart from works, it could seem as if the gospel allows Christians to sin because God forgives their sin when they confess it (see 6:1). One of Paul’s purposes is to help the Roman Christians understand that such misunderstandings are without basis.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 3:8
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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