Romans 3:5

So if we Jews’ being wicked [PRS] shows that it is right that God does not bless us, what shall we say/conclude? Shall we conclude that it is not right for God to be angry and punish us Jews [MTY]? I should not be saying these things, but I am speaking as ordinary humans speak.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

In Context

4I would reply, “No, it certainly does not mean that! God always does what he has promised, even though people do not. All those who accuse God of not keeping his promises to us Jews are very mistaken.” What King David wrote about God’s justly saying that he would punish him for his sins is also true of those who accuse God of not keeping his promises. What he said to God was, “So everyone must acknowledge that what you (sg) have said about them (OR, their sin) is true, and you will always win the case when you are accused {when people accuse you}.”

6We should certainly not conclude that God should not judge us, because if God did not judge us Jews, ◄it would not possibly be right for him to judge anyone in the world [MTY]!/how could he judge anyone in the world?► [MTY, RHQ]

Read all of Romans 3

Cross References

Psalms 58:10Righteous people will rejoice when they see wicked people being punished as they deserve; they will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.

Nahum 1:2Yahweh our God ◄is jealous/does not want people to worship any other god►. He is very angry with those who worship other gods, and he gets revenge [DOU] on all those who oppose him [DOU].

Romans 2:5But instead, by your stubbornly refusing to turn away from your sinful behavior [DOU], you are causing [MET] God to punish you even more severely. He will do that at the time when he shows that he is angry and judges people fairly.

Romans 3:19Furthermore, we know that it is to Jewish people, who are required to obey God’s laws, that Moses wrote those laws [PRS]. We can infer from this that there are no Jews or non-Jews [SYN] who are able to say anything in reply to God’s saying that he will punish them for having sinned. God has declared everyone in the world [MTY] guilty!

Romans 4:1Abraham is the revered ancestor of us Jews. So think about what we can conclude from what happened to Abraham about how God can erase the record of our sins. [RHQ]

Romans 6:19I am illustrating what I say by talking about slavery because your human nature prevents you from understanding spiritual truth easily. In the past you willingly did the immoral and unlawful things that your minds compelled your bodies to do [MET], just like slaves do what their masters compel them to do. As a result, you did even more unlawful things. Now, you need to willingly allow your minds to compel your bodies to act righteously [MET], in order that you will behave in a holy/pure way.

Matthew Henry on Romans 3:2-19

The Advantages of the Jews; Objections Answered; The Depravity of Jews and Gentiles. ( a. d. 58.) 1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. 3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Romans 3:5