The big picture
Romans 3 opens in verse 1 with “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?”, reaches its middle movement near verse 16 with “Destruction and misery are in their ways:”, and closes in verse 31 with “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Repeated or prominent terms include faith, righteousness, justified, forbid, Gentiles. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Romans · King James Version · 31Romans 3:1-8
1–8: What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of…
Romans 3:1–8 opens with “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?” and reaches “And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 3 develops its own movement around faith, righteousness, justified, forbid, Gentiles, with particular weight carried by forbid, judged, mightest.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 6 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Romans 3:1-8
King James Version1What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
3For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
4God 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 judged.
5But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
6God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
7For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
8And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
Romans 3:9-16
9–16: What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before…
Romans 3:9–16 opens with “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and…” and reaches “Destruction and misery are in their ways:” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 3 develops its own movement around faith, righteousness, justified, forbid, Gentiles, with particular weight carried by asps, become, better.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Romans 3:9-16
King James Version9What 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;
10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16Destruction and misery are in their ways:
Romans 3:17-24
17–24: The way of peace have they not known:
Romans 3:17–24 opens with “And the way of peace have they not known:” and reaches “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 3 develops its own movement around faith, righteousness, justified, forbid, Gentiles, with particular weight carried by Christ, Jesus, justified.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the way of peace have they not known:” The line’s distinctive content terms include known, peace. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Romans 3:17-24
King James Version17And the way of peace have they not known:
18There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19Now 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.
20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Romans 3:25-31
25–31: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood…
Romans 3:25–31 opens with “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his…” and reaches “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Romans 3 develops its own movement around faith, righteousness, justified, forbid, Gentiles, with particular weight carried by faith, declare, Gentiles.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Romans 3:25-31
King James Version25Whom 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;
26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Romans 3:1 begins with “What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?”
Where the chapter turns
Romans 3:19 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Romans 3:31 leaves the reader with “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words faith, righteousness, justified, forbid, Gentiles, Jesus help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does blame move through the conversation?
The man points to the woman and indirectly to God; the woman points to the serpent. Neither response repairs trust.
Where does mercy appear?
Continued life, the promise involving offspring, and clothing accompany the expulsion.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.