God’s Word Translation
Romans 3:9
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,
Romans 3:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
- New International Version (NIV)What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.
- English Standard Version (ESV)What 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,
- New King James Version (NKJV)What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
Context of Romans 3:9
7If my lie increases the glory that God receives by showing that God is truthful, why am I still judged as a sinner? 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. What, 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. 11No one understands. No one searches for God.
Read all of Romans 3Romans 3:9 word by word
Τί οὖν; προεχόμεθα; οὐ πάντως· προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφ᾽ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναιRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- are we betterπροέχωproechomai · to excelG4284
- Noοὐou · noG3756
- in no wiseπάντωςpantōs · surelyG3843
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- we have before provedπροαιτιάομαιproaitiaomai · to accuseG4256
- bothκαίkai · andG2532
- JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- andτεte · and/bothG5037
- GentilesἝλλην=ἝλληνHellēn · Greek, GentileG1672
- that they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- underὑπόhupo · by/under: underG5259
- sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
Cross-references for Romans 3:9
- Romans 3:5But 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.)
- Romans 6:15Then what is the implication? Should we sin because we are not controlled by God’s laws but by God’s favor? That’s unthinkable!
- Romans 11:7So what does all this mean? It means that Israel has never achieved what it has been striving for. However, those whom God has chosen have achieved it. The minds of the rest of Israel were closed,
- 1 Corinthians 10:19Do I mean that an offering made to a false god is anything, or that a false god itself is anything?
- 1 Corinthians 14:15So what does this mean? It means that I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, and I will sing psalms with my mind.
- Philippians 1:18But what does it matter? Nothing matters except that, in one way or another, people are told the message about Christ, whether with honest or dishonest motives, and I’m happy about that. Yes, I will continue to be happy
- Romans 3:22Everyone who believes has God’s approval through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no difference between people.
- Isaiah 65:5They said, “Stay away! Don’t touch me! I’m holier than you are.” They have become like smoke in my nose, like a smoldering fire all day long.
- Luke 7:39The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and thought, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what sort of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner.”
- Luke 18:9Jesus also used this illustration with some who were sure that God approved of them while they looked down on everyone else.
- 1 Corinthians 4:7Who says that you are any better than other people? What do you have that wasn’t given to you? If you were given what you have, why are you bragging as if it weren’t a gift?
- Romans 1:28And because they thought it was worthless to acknowledge God, God allowed their own immoral minds to control them. So they do these indecent things.
- 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.
- 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.”
Commentaries on Romans 3:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Jew. What then? - After all, have not we Jews a better claim to the privileges of the kingdom of God than the Gentiles have? Apostle. No, in no wise - For I have already proved that both Jews and Gentiles are under the guilt of sin; that they are equally unworthy of the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom; and that they must both, equally, owe their salvation to the mere mercy of God. From this, to the end of the 26th verse, the apostle proceeds to prove…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9What then? - This is another remark supposed to be made by a Jewish objector. “What follows? or are we to infer that we are better than others? Are we better than they? - Are we Jews better than the Gentiles? Or rather, have we any preference, or advantage as to character and prospects, over the Gentiles? These questions refer only to the great point in debate, to wit, about justification before God. The apostle had admitted Romans 3:2 that the Jews had…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 Here again is shown that all mankind are under the guilt of sin, as a burden; and under the government and dominion of sin, as enslaved to it, to work wickedness. This is made plain by several passages of Scripture from the Old Testament, which describe the corrupt and depraved state of all men, till grace restrain or change them. Great as our advantages are, these texts describe multitudes who call themselves Christians. Their principles and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Not at all: Paul's strong response does not contradict his earlier statement in 3:1–2 that Jews have an advantage. However, this advantage has not benefited them because they did not obey God's commands and encountered God's punishment. Jews, like Gentiles (here, Greeks), have sinned against the revelation of God and stand condemned. under sin: Being "under" something means it controls a person. The main problem for humans is not only that they have sin…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-209. are we better than they?--"do we excel them?" No, in no wise--Better off the Jews certainly were, for having the oracles of God to teach them better; but as they were no better, that only aggravated their guilt.Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 3:9
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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