New English Translation
Romans 3:5
5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.)
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 then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? 4Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.” But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world? 7For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner?
Read all of Romans 3Romans 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 3:7For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner?
- Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of God who subjected it – in hope
- Romans 4:1What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has discovered regarding this matter?
- Romans 6:1What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase?
- Romans 7:7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
- Romans 9:13just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
- Romans 2:5But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!
- Romans 3:19Now 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.
- Romans 9:18So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.
- Romans 12:19Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 32:39“See now that I, indeed I, am he!” says the Lord, “and there is no other god besides me. I kill and give life, I smash and I heal, and none can resist my power.
- Psalms 58:10The godly will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Psalms 94:1O Lord, the God who avenges! O God who avenges, reveal your splendor!
- Nahum 1:2The Lord is a zealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and very angry. The Lord takes vengeance against his foes; he sustains his rage against his enemies.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6For it is right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
- Revelation 15:3They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and astounding are your deeds, Lord God, the All-Powerful! Just and true are your ways, King over 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
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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