New Living Translation
Romans 3:5
5“But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.)
Romans 3:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
- New International Version (NIV)But 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.)
- English Standard Version (ESV)But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
- New King James Version (NKJV)But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
Context of Romans 3:5
3True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? 4Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) 6Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? 7“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”
Read all of Romans 3Romans 3:5 word by word
Εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀδικία ἡμῶν θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην συνίστησιν, τί ἐροῦμεν; μὴ ἄδικος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἐπιφέρων τὴν ὀργήν; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- unrighteousnessἀδικίαadikia · unrighteousnessG93
- commendσυνίστημι, συνιστάωsunistaō sunistanō sunistēmi · to commendG4921
- the righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- shall we sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
- unrighteousἄδικοςadikos · unjustG94
- who takethἐπιφέρωepipherō · to inflictG2018
- vengeanceὀργήorgē · wrathG3709
- I speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- asκατάkata · according toG2596
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
Cross-references for Romans 3:5
- Romans 3:7“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”
- Romans 8:20Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope,
- Romans 4:1Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?
- Romans 6:1Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?
- Romans 7:7Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”
- Romans 9:13In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”
- Romans 2:5But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Romans 3:19Obviously, 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.
- Romans 9:18So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
- Romans 12:19Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 32:39Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!
- Psalms 58:10The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Psalms 94:1O Lord, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth!
- Nahum 1:2The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies!
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.
- Revelation 15:3And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.
Commentaries on Romans 3:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Jew. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God - May we not suppose that our unrighteousness may serve to commend and illustrate the mercy of God in keeping and fulfilling to us the promise which he made to our forefathers? The more wicked we are, the more his faithfulness to his ancient promise is to be admired. And if so, would not God appear unjust in taking vengeance and casting us off? I speak as a man - I feel for the situation…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5But if our unrighteousness - If our sin. The particular sin which had been specified Romans 3:3 was “unbelief.” But the apostle here gives the objection a general form. This is to be regarded as an objection which a Jew might make. The force of it is this: (1)It had been conceded that some had not believed; that is, had sinned. (2)but God was true to his promises. Notwithstanding their sin, God‘s character was the same. Nay, (3)In the very midst of sin…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-7how could God judge the world?: Abraham asked a similar question: “Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25). God punishes all sin and maintains absolute righteousness while doing so. Even when God makes use of human sin for his own ends, that sin still deserves to be, and will be, punished (see Romans 9:10–24).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-65-6. But if, &c.--Another objection: "It would appear, then, that the more faithless we are, so much the more illustrious will the fidelity of God appear; and in that case, for Him to take vengeance on us for our unfaithfulness would be (to speak as men profanely do) unrighteousness in God." Answer:Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 3:5
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
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