Romans 3:8

Romans 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
• New Living Translation (NLT)And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.

Context of Romans 3:8

6Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just! 9What 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. 10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;

Romans 3:8 word by word

καὶ μὴ καθὼς βλασφημούμεθα καὶ καθώς φασίν τινες ἡμᾶς λέγειν ὅτι ποιήσωμεν τὰ κακὰ ἵνα ἔλθῃ τὰ ἀγαθά; ὧν τὸ κρίμα ἔνδικόν ἐστιν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• notμήmē · notG3361
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• we be slanderously reportedβλασφημέωblasphēmeō · to blasphemeG987
• someτιςtis · oneG5100
• affirm thatφημίphēmi · to assertG5346
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• Let us doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• may comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• whoseὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• damnationκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• justἔνδικοςendikos · justG1738

Cross-references for Romans 3:8

• Matthew 5:11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
• 1 Peter 3:16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
• Romans 5:20The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
• Romans 6:1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
• Romans 7:7What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
• Jude 1:4For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Commentaries on Romans 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Apostle. And not rather, etc. - And why do you not say, seeing you assume this ground, that in all cases we should do wickedly, because God, by freely pardoning, can so glorify his own grace? This is a most impious sentiment, but it follows from your reasoning; it has, indeed, been most injuriously laid to the charge of us apostles, who preach the doctrine of free pardon, through faith, without the merit of works; but this is so manifest a perversion of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And not rather - This is the answer of the apostle. He meets the objection by showing its tendency if carried out, and if it were made a principle of conduct. The meaning is, “If the glory of God is to be promoted by sin, and if a man is not therefore to be condemned, or held guilty for it; if this fact absolves man from crime, “why not carry the doctrine out, and make it a principle of conduct, and do all the evil we can, in order to promote his glory.”…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8some slanderously claim that we say: Paul is referring to misrepresentations about his teaching on justification by faith. If a person is made right with God by faith alone, through God’s grace and apart from works, it could seem as if the gospel allows Christians to sin because God forgives their sin when they confess it (see 6:1). One of Paul’s purposes is to help the Roman Christians understand that such misunderstandings are without basis.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. For if the truth of God, &c.--A further illustration of the same sentiment: that is, "Such reasoning amounts to this--which indeed we who preach salvation by free grace are slanderously accused of teaching--that the more evil we do, the more glory will redound to God; a damnable principle." (Thus the apostle, instead of refuting this principle, thinks it enough to hold it up to execration, as one that shocks the moral sense). On this brief section…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 3:8

• Accusation, False
• Bigotry
• Boasting
• Slander

In the dictionaries

• Boasting
• Conclude
• Destruction
• Establish
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Justifier
• Overcome
• Sin
• Affirm; Affirmatives

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