Romans 3:7

Romans 3:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
• New International Version (NIV)Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

Context of Romans 3:7

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.) 6Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” 8And 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. 9Well 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.

Romans 3:7 word by word

εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ ψεύσματι ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, τί ἔτι κἀγὼ ὡς ἁμαρτωλὸς κρίνομαι;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hath more aboundedπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
• throughἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• myἐμόςemos · mineG1699
• lieψεῦσμαpseusma · falsehoodG5582
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
• am I alsoκἀγώkagō kamoi kame · and IG2504
• judgedκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a sinnerἁμαρτωλόςhamartōlos · sinfulG268

Cross-references for Romans 3:7

• Genesis 37:8His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.
• Genesis 44:1When his brothers were ready to leave, Joseph gave these instructions to his palace manager: “Fill each of their sacks with as much grain as they can carry, and put each man’s money back into his sack.
• Genesis 50:18Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said.
• Exodus 3:19“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him.
• Exodus 14:5When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked.
• 1 Kings 13:17For the Lord gave me this command: ‘You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.’”
• 2 Kings 8:10And Elisha replied, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover.’ But actually the Lord has shown me that he will surely die!”
• Matthew 26:34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
• Romans 9:19Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”
• Isaiah 10:6I am sending Assyria against a godless nation, against a people with whom I am angry. Assyria will plunder them, trampling them like dirt beneath its feet.
• Acts 2:23But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.
• Acts 13:27The people in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about. Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets’ words that are read every Sabbath.

Commentaries on Romans 3:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Jew. For if the truth of God, etc. - But to resume my reasoning ( Romans 3:5;): If the faithfulness of God in keeping his promise made to our fathers is, through our unfaithfulness, made far more glorious than it otherwise would have been, why should we then be blamed for that which must redound so much to the honor of God?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For if … - This is an objection similar to the former. It is indeed but another form of the same. The truth of God - His truth or faithfulness in adhering to his threatenings. God threatened to punish the guilty. By their guilt he will take occasion to show his own truth; or their crime will furnish occasion for such an exhibition. Hath more abounded - Has been more striking, or more manifest. His “truth” will be shown by the fulfillment of all his…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. 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 3:7

• Bigotry
• Boasting

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Boasting
• Conclude
• Destruction
• Establish
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Justifier
• Overcome

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