Romans 3:9

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

7For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner? 8And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!) What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, 10just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one, 11there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God.

Romans 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 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 6:15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!
• Romans 11:7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The rest were hardened,
• 1 Corinthians 10:19Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything?
• 1 Corinthians 14:15What should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind.
• Philippians 1:18What is the result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
• Romans 3:22namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,
• Isaiah 65:5They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long.
• Luke 7:39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
• Luke 18:9Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.
• 1 Corinthians 4:7For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?
• Romans 1:28And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.
• Romans 2:1Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.
• 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.”

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

• Bigotry
• Boasting
• Depravity of Man
• Greece

In the dictionaries

• Boasting
• Conclude
• Destruction
• Establish
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Justifier
• Overcome
• Sin
• Atonement

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