Romans 3:19

Romans 3:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.

Context of Romans 3:19

17and the way of peace they do not know.” 18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now 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 held accountable to God. 20Therefore 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. 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

Romans 3:19 word by word

οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ, ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ, καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ θεῷ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• what things soeverὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
• the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• it saithλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• underἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• may be stoppedφράσσωphrassō · to stopG5420
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• may becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• guiltyὑπόδικοςhupodikos · accountableG5267
• before Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Romans 3:19

• Romans 3:2Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
• Romans 2:12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
• John 10:34Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’?
• John 15:25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
• 1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.
• Galatians 3:23Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.
• Galatians 4:5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
• Galatians 5:18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
• Romans 3:4Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”
• Romans 1:20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
• Romans 2:1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
• 1 Samuel 2:9He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails;
• Job 5:16So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
• Job 9:2“Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
• Psalms 107:42The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.
• Ezekiel 16:63Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”

Commentaries on Romans 3:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19What things soever the law saith - That the word law, here, does not mean the pentateuch, is evident from the preceding quotations, not one of which is taken from that work. Either the term law must here mean the Jewish writings in general, or that rule of moral conduct which God had given to both Jews and Gentiles: to the former in their own Scriptures; to the latter in that law written in their hearts by his own Spirit, and acknowledged in their written…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Now we know - We all admit. It is a conceded plain point. What things soever - Whether given as precepts, or recorded as historical facts. Whatever things are found in the Law. “The law saith.” This means here evidently the Old Testament. From that the apostle had been drawing his arguments, and his train of thought requires us here to understand the whole of the Old Testament by this. The same principle applies, however, to all law, that it speaks only…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. 19Paul refers to the entire Old Testament as the law (see also 1 Corinthians 9:8, 9; 14:21, 34; Galatians 4:21). The Jews, who received the Scriptures, were those to whom God gave the law (literally, those in the law). How can Paul conclude that the whole world [is] held accountable to God based on Old Testament evidence that Jews are sinful? He uses a common Jewish technique of argument, reasoning from the greater idea to the lesser. The law shows that the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Now we know that what ... the law--that is, the Scriptures, considered as a law of duty. saith, it saith to them that are under the law--of course, therefore, to the Jews. that every mouth--opened in self-justification. may be stopped, and all the world may become--that is, be seen to be, and own itself. guilty--and so condemned before God.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 3:19

• Bigotry
• Boasting
• Depravity of Man

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Boasting
• Conclude
• Destruction
• Establish
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Justifier
• Overcome

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