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

18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19Now 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 may be held accountable to God. For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – 22namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,

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 3:28For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.
• Romans 2:13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.
• Romans 4:13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
• Romans 9:32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
• Acts 13:39and by this one everyone who believes is justified from everything from which the law of Moses could not justify you.
• Galatians 2:16yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
• Galatians 3:10For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.”
• Galatians 5:4You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!
• Ephesians 2:8For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;
• James 2:9But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators.
• Job 25:4How then can a human being be righteous before God? How can one born of a woman be pure?
• Psalms 130:3If you, O Lord, were to keep track of sins, O Lord, who could stand before you?
• Psalms 143:2Do not sit in judgment on your servant, for no one alive is innocent before you.
• James 2:20But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?
• Job 15:15If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
• Job 25:5If even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure as far as he is concerned,

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