Romans 3:7
in Romans 3However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
KJV
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
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This verse in Romans 3
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For if ... - This is an objection similar to the former. It is indeed but another form of the same. The truth of God - His truth or faithfulness in adhering to his threatenings. God threatened to punish the guilty. By their guilt he will take occasion to show his own truth; or their crime will furnish occasion for such an exhibition. Hath more abounded - Has been more striking, or more manifest. His “truth” will be shown by the fulfillment of all his promises to his people, and of all his predictions.
This site's exposition
why am I still condemned as a sinner
on Romans 3:7-8
Verse 7 puts the same objection in the first person, where it becomes an excuse any sinner could offer. Verse 8 shows the slander already in circulation, that Paul taught men to do evil so good would come. He pronounces sentence on it, and their condemnation is deserved.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto His glory: why yet am I also judged as a sinner?" For if God, he means is shown to be a Lover of man, and righteous, and good, by your acts of disobedience, you ought not only to be exempt from punishment but even to have good done unto you. But if so, that absurdity will be found to result, which is in circulation with so many, that good comes of evil, and that evil is the cause of good; and one of the two is necessary, either that He be clearly unjust in punishing, or that if He punish not, it is from our vices that He hath the victory. And both of these are absurd to a degree.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
After this let us now see how it was said: "For if the truth of God has abounded in my lie unto His glory."
The Medieval Church2 voices
Again he repeats what was said before, in order to clarify it. If through my transgression God appeared righteous and faithful, then why, after all, condemn me, who has rendered a service to the glory of God? In that case I deserve not condemnation, but …
Then when he says for if the truth, he shows the same on the part of human judgment. He does three things: first, he presents the false understanding of the above words; second, he shows the unfittingness that follows, at why am I also yet …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Daring sinners take occasion to boast in mischief, because the goodness of God endures continually, Ps. lii. Let us do evil that good may come is oftener in the heart than in the mouth of sinners, so justifying themselves in their wicked ways.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But, may the objector reply, if the truth of God hath abounded - Has been more abundantly shown. Through my lie - If my lie, that is, practice contrary to truth, conduces to the glory of God, by making his truth shine with superior advantage. Why am I still judged as a sinner - Can this be said to be any sin at all?
For if the truth of God,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Jew. For if the truth of God, etc. - But to resume my reasoning (Rom 3:5): If the faithfulness of God in keeping his promise made to our fathers is, through our unfaithfulness, made far more glorious than it otherwise would have been, why should we then be blamed for that which must redound so much to the honor of God?
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀλήθεια | aletheia | truth | G225 → | 109 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐμῷ | emo | my | G1473 → | 839 times |
| ψεύσματι | pseusmati | lie | G5582 → | |
| ἐπερίσσευσεν | eperisseusen | abounded | G4052 → | 39 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δόξαν | doxan | glory | G1391 → | 165 times |
| αὐτοῦ, | autou | of Him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τί | ti | why | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἔτι | eti | still | G2089 → | 140 times |
| κἀγὼ | kago | also I myself | G1473 →G2532 → | 839 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἁμαρτωλὸς | hamartolos | a sinner | G268 → | 47 times |
| κρίνομαι; | krinomai | am judged? | G2919 → | 114 times |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἀλήθειαtruth
aletheiaG225 →109 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ἐμῷmy
emoG1473 →839 times
ψεύσματιlie
pseusmatiG5582 →
ἐπερίσσευσενabounded
eperisseusenG4052 →39 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δόξανglory
doxanG1391 →165 times
αὐτοῦ,of Him,
autouG846 →5565 times
τίwhy
tiG5101 →563 times
ἔτιstill
etiG2089 →140 times
κἀγὼalso I myself
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
ἁμαρτωλὸςa sinner
hamartolosG268 →47 times
κρίνομαι;am judged?
krinomaiG2919 →114 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Romans 3:4Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
it leads to
- Psalms 51:4
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.
- Psalms 116:11
In my alarm I said, “All men are liars!”
- Galatians 2:17
But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!
- Hebrews 6:18
Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
- Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.
- Psalms 51:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
On this verse
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About Romans
This page draws on 10 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); John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.