New King James Version
Romans 8:3
3For 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,
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:
- New International Version (NIV)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,
- 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 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
1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 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, 4that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
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 by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
- Romans 7:5For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
- Acts 13:39and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
- Galatians 3:21Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
- Hebrews 7:18For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness,
- Hebrews 10:1For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
- Romans 8:32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
- John 3:14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
- Galatians 4:4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
- 1 John 4:10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
- Romans 9:3For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,
- Mark 15:27With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left.
- John 9:24So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:21For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- Galatians 3:13Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
- Romans 6:6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries