New International Version
Romans 3:9
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.
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;
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
Context of Romans 3:9
7Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” 8Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just! 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. 10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
Read all of Romans 3Romans 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 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.)
- Romans 6:15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!
- Romans 11:7What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,
- 1 Corinthians 10:19Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
- 1 Corinthians 14:15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
- Philippians 1:18But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
- Romans 3:22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
- Isaiah 65:5who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.
- Luke 7:39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
- Luke 18:9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
- 1 Corinthians 4:7For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
- Romans 1:28Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
- 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.
- Galatians 3:10For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do 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
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
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries