New International Version
Romans 8:3
3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
Romans 8:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
- English Standard Version (ESV)For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
- New King James Version (NKJV)For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
- New Living Translation (NLT)The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
Context of Romans 8:3
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Read all of Romans 8Romans 8:3 word by word
τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου, ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- could not doἀδύνατοςadunatos · unableG102
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- it was weakἀσθενέωastheneō · be weak: weakG770
- throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- sendingπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
- his ownἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- the likenessὁμοίωμαhomoiōma · likenessG3667
- of sinfulἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- forπερίperi · aboutG4012
- condemnedκατακρίνωkatakrinō · to condemnG2632
Cross-references for Romans 8:3
- Romans 3:20Therefore 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.
- Romans 7:5For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.
- Acts 13:39Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.
- Galatians 3:21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.
- Hebrews 7:18The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless
- Hebrews 10:1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
- Romans 8:32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
- John 3:14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
- Galatians 4:4But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
- 1 John 4:10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
- Romans 9:3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race,
- Mark 15:27They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left.
- John 9:24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”
- Romans 6:6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
Commentaries on Romans 8:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3For what the law could not do - The law could not pardon; the law could not sanctify; the law could not dispense with its own requisitions; it is the rule of righteousness, and therefore must condemn unrighteousness. This is its unalterable nature. Had there been perfect obedience to its dictates, instead of condemning, it would have applauded and rewarded; but as the flesh, the carnal and rebellious principle, had prevailed, and transgression had taken…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For what the law could not do - The Law of God, the moral law. It could not free from sin and condemnation. This the apostle had fully shown in Romans 7:12, but it was owing to the strength of the natural passions and the sinfulness of the unrenewed heart; see Romans 7:7-11, where this influence is fully explained. God, sending his own Son - That is, God did, or accomplished, that, by sending his Son, which the Law could not do. The word did, or…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3the flesh: See study note on 6:19. in the likeness of sinful man: Jesus fully shared human flesh and life in a world ruled by sin. He identified with sinful people so that he could act as their representative. At the same time, he did not himself commit sin. an offering for sin: In the Greek Old Testament, this phrase frequently describes a sin offering, and three of the eight New Testament occurrences also have this meaning (Hebrews 10:6, 8; 13:11)…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. For what the law could not do, &c.--a difficult and much controverted verse. But it is clearly, we think, the law's inability to free us from the dominion of sin that the apostle has in view; as has partly appeared already (see on Ro 8:2), and will more fully appear presently. The law could irritate our sinful nature into more virulent action, as we have seen in Ro 7:5, but it could not secure its own fulfilment. How that is accomplished comes now to…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 8:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 8
- 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
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- 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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