Romans 3:19
in Romans 3Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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:
KJV
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.
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This verse in Romans 3
Commentary
15 notes on this verse“But we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are in the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be made subject to God. Therefore from the works of the law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God. For through the law is the knowledge of sin.” We stated beforehand at the outset that the Apostle in this Epistle would treat of several laws, and that unless their discernment and distinction be maintained in each several passage, it will be able to confound the sense of the reader.
This site's exposition
every mouth may be silenced
on Romans 3:19-20
The law speaks to those under it, so silencing those who held the law silences every mouth and holds the whole world accountable to God. Verse 20 gives the law's work: it brings awareness of sin.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
Whose grace, if not of that God from whom also came the law? Unless it be, forsooth, that the Creator intercalated His law for the mere purpose of producing some employment for the grace of a rival god, an enemy to Himself (I had almost said, a god unknown to Him), "that as sin had" in His own dispensation "reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto (eternal) life by Jesus Christ," His own antagonist! For this (I suppose it was, that) the law of the Creator had "concluded all under sin," and had brought in "all the world as guilty (before God)," and had "stopped every mouth," so that none could glory through it, in order that grace might be maintained to the glory of the Christ, not of the Creator, but of Marcion! I may here anticipate a remark about the substance of Christ, in the prospect of a question which will now turn up.
"Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law." This then is why, next to Isaiah, who confessedly aimed at them, he brought in David; that he might show that these things also belonged to the same subject. For what need was there, he means, that a prophet who was sent for your correction should accuse other people. For neither was the Law given to any else than you. And for what reason did he not say, we know that what things soever the prophet saith, but what things soever the Law saith? It is because Paul uses to call the whole Old Testament the Law. And in another place he says, "Do ye not hear the Law, that Abraham had two sons?" (Gal. iv. 21, 22.) And here he calls the Psalm the Law when he says, "We know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law." Next he shows that neither are these things he said merely for accusation's sake, but that he may again be paving the way for faith. So close is the relationship of the Old Testament with the New, since even the accusations and reproofs were entirely with a view to this, that the door of faith might open brightly upon them that hear it.
It is clear that the law censures those who did not believe first of all their leader Moses nor their ancestors the prophets, whom they killed, nor the apostles who were their kinsmen according to the flesh, whose blood they spilled. They were always ungodly …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says now we know that what things soever, he explains the text he quoted in three ways: first, by expounding its sense; second, its intention, at that every mouth; third, he gives the reason for his words, at because by the works …
Lest the Jews be able to object: this is not spoken to us, he declares: "the law, if it says anything, speaks to those who are under the law." What need, he says, is there to speak to others, when the law was given to …
8 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices
When all the world was corrupt, God had his eye upon one righteous Noah. Even those who through grace are justified and sanctified were none of them righteous by nature. No righteousness is born with us.
9 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; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Now we know that what things soever the law saith,....
They must all plead guilty; those that stand most upon their own justification will certainly be cast. Guilty before God is a dreadful word, before an all-seeing God, that is not, nor can be, deceived in his judgment--before a just and righteous judge, who will by no means clear the guilty.
The sin has never the less of malignity and demerit in it though God bring glory to himself out of it. It is only accidentally that sin commends God's righteousness.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Now we know - We all admit. It is a conceded plain point. What things soever - Whether given as precepts, or recorded as historical facts. Whatever things are found in the Law. “The law saith.” This means here evidently the Old Testament. From that the apostle had been drawing his arguments, and his train of thought requires us here to understand the whole of the Old Testament by this. The same principle applies, however, to all law, that it speaks only to those to whom it is expressly given.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Now we know that what . . . the law--that is, the Scriptures, considered as a law of duty. saith, it saith to them that are under the law--of course, therefore, to the Jews. that every mouth--opened in self-justification. may be stopped, and all the world may become--that is, be seen to be, and own itself. guilty--and so condemned before God.
What things soever the law saith - That the word law, here, does not mean the pentateuch, is evident from the preceding quotations, not one of which is taken from that work. Either the term law must here mean the Jewish writings in general, or that rule of moral conduct which God had given to both Jews and Gentiles: to the former in their own Scriptures; to the latter in that law written in their hearts by his own Spirit, and acknowledged in their written codes, and in their pleadings in every civil case. Now, according to this great law, this rule of moral conduct, whether given in a written revelation, as to the Jews, or by the secret inspiration of his Spirit, as in certain cases to the Gentiles, every mouth must be stopped, and the whole world, πας ο κοσμος, both Jews and Gentiles, stand convicted before God: for all mankind have sinned against this law.
The words behind it
24 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἴδαμεν | oidamen | We know | ||
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὅσα | hosa | as much as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νόμος | nomos | law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| λέγει | legei | says | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| τοῖς | tois | to those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | under | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νόμῳ | nomo | law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| λαλεῖ, | lalei | it speaks, | G2980 → | 294 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| πᾶν | pan | every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| στόμα | stoma | mouth | G4750 → | 78 times |
| φραγῇ, | phragea | may be stopped, | G5420 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑπόδικος | hupodikos | under judgment | G5267 → | |
| γένηται | genetai | may be | G1096 → | 667 times |
| πᾶς | pas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κόσμος | kosmos | world | G2889 → | 185 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ. | theo | to God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
οἴδαμενWe know
oidamen
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὅσαas much as
hosaG3745 →110 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
νόμοςlaw
nomosG3551 →192 times
λέγειsays
legeiG3004 →1325 times
τοῖςto those
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἐνunder
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
νόμῳlaw
nomoG3551 →192 times
λαλεῖ,it speaks,
laleiG2980 →294 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
πᾶνevery
panG3956 →1235 times
στόμαmouth
stomaG4750 →78 times
φραγῇ,may be stopped,
phrageaG5420 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑπόδικοςunder judgment
hupodikosG5267 →
γένηταιmay be
genetaiG1096 →667 times
πᾶςall
pasG3956 →1235 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
κόσμοςworld
kosmosG2889 →185 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷ.to God.
theoG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 3:10All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 27:26
‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- Romans 8:7
because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
- Romans 3:19–20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Deuteronomy 11:26–28
See, today I am setting before you a blessing and a curse—
- James 2:9–11
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
- Deuteronomy 27:26
Through
Galatians 5:18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
it leads to
- Romans 6:14–15
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
- Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
- Romans 6:14–15
Through
Romans 3:9What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:22
But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
- Galatians 3:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies21
On this verse
About Romans
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 7; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Robert Haldane, Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.