ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Romans 3.21-26

Book: Romans · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV

19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God: 20. because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

21. But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22. even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction; 23. for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25. whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; 26. for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.

  1. Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith. 28. We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. (Romans 3:19-28, ASV)
WEB

19. Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. 20. Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

21. But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; 22. even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, 23. for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; 25. whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance; 26. to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

  1. Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28. We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. (Romans 3:19-28, WEB)
KJV

19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. guilty: or, subject to the judgment of God 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; set forth: or, foreordained remission: or, passing over 26. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

  1. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:19-28, KJV)
YLT

19. And we have known that as many things as the law saith, to those in the law it doth speak, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgment to God; 20. wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.

21. And now apart from law hath the righteousness of God been manifested, testified to by the law and the prophets, 22. and the righteousness of God [is] through the faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all those believing,, for there is no difference, 23. for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God 24. being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that [is] in Christ Jesus, 25. whom God did set forth a mercy seat, through the faith in his blood, for the shewing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God 26. for the shewing forth of His righteousness in the present time, for His being righteous, and declaring him righteous who [is] of the faith of Jesus.

  1. Where then [is] the boasting? it was excluded; by what law? of works? no, but by a law of faith: 28. therefore do we reckon a man to be declared righteous by faith, apart from works of law. (Romans 3:19-28, YLT)

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Setting

  • Speaker: Paul the Apostle
  • Audience: the Roman house churches (mixed Jewish-Gentile), whom Paul had not yet met
  • Location: Corinth, near the close of the third missionary journey
  • Time period: c. AD 56-57

Theological reading

The theological centre of the letter, and by wide consent one of the most concentrated paragraphs in the New Testament. Nyni de, "but now," marks the turn from three chapters of indictment to the remedy.

Chōris nomou, apart from law, a righteousness of God has been manifested, "being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets." Paul makes both claims at once: the righteousness is not obtained through Torah, and it is not foreign to Torah's own testimony. The letter's argument depends on holding these together.

Verse 24 supplies the manner, dōrean tē autou chariti, freely by his grace, through the apolytrōsis in Christ Jesus, a redemption word drawn from the release of a slave or captive by payment. Verse 25 supplies the means, God set him forth as a hilastērion. That noun is the Septuagint's word for the mercy seat, the atonement cover of the ark where blood was applied on the Day of Atonement, and the choice is the crux of the paragraph. Whether it should be rendered "propitiation," turning away wrath, or "expiation," cleansing sin, is one of the long-running disputes in atonement theology; the wrath language of Romans 1:18 onward is the main argument for the former.

The paragraph's climax is verse 26, and it is a claim about God rather than about the believer: God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, so that he might be dikaion kai dikaiounta, just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. The problem the cross solves is not only how sinners can be forgiven but how a righteous God can forgive them and remain righteous. See Atonement and Justification by Faith.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

Quoted in

Arguments and defeaters:

Concepts:

People:

Lexicon:

Passages:

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.