Romans 3:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

NIV: What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.

NASB: What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;

CSB: What then? Are we any better off? Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin,

NLT: Well 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.

KJV: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

NKJV: What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

Paul seems to repeat the question from the beginning of this chapter when he asked, "What is the advantage of being a Jew?" There he said there was much advantage in every way. After all, God had given to the Jews His own words in the law.

Now, though, Paul responds to the question, "Are we Jews better off?" much differently. He says they are not. Paul points out once more that every person is "under sin," whether Jewish or Gentile. In other words, the Jewish people do have an advantage on a national level. They are God's chosen people and the receivers of great promises from Him. God remains faithful to His covenants with them. And, as members of God's chosen people, they have particularly close access to God's words and revelations.

However, on a personal level, there is no extra advantage to being Jewish when it comes to being judged by God for sin. Jewish or Gentile, God will hold every person accountable for their actions.

The following verses will show that by the standards of that judgment, every last human being ought to be deemed unrighteous before God for our sinfulness.

Romans 3:9–20 contains a string of quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures. Paul uses these to demonstrate that both Jews and Greeks alike are under sin. After establishing that ''there is none who does good'' from Psalm 14:1, Paul uses quotes from Psalms and Isaiah to show ways we have always used our bodies—throats, tongues, lips, feet, and eyes—to express our sinfulness. He concludes the section with his strongest statement, yet, that no human being will be justified in God's sight by following the works of the law. The law can only show us our sin, not save us from it.

Romans 3 begins with a question-and-answer scheme. These are responses one might expect from someone opposed to what Paul wrote in Romans 2. Next, Paul quotes from a series of Old Testament passages. These Scriptures show that those writers also agreed that nobody, not one person, deserves to be called righteous. Paul declares emphatically that no one will be justified by following the works of the law. Finally, though, he arrives at the good news: righteousness before God is available apart from the law through faith in Christ's death for our sin on the cross.

The prior chapter explained that God's judgment on sin will come to all men, whether or not they understand the literal law. Faith in God, in the heart, matters more to God than rote obedience. At the start of this chapter, Paul answers a series of questions from an imagined objector to those teachings. Next, he quotes a series of Old Testament passages which support His teaching that human beings are by nature sinful. Each of us turns away from God. Nobody can be justified by the law, Paul insists. Fortunately, it is possible to attain God's righteousness: but only by His grace, through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice for our sin on the cross. We must come to this by faith, and it is available to Jews and Gentiles alike.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.