Parallel Verses
An Understandable Version
This is because no human being can be considered right with God by [obeying] the requirements of a law. [Note: It is difficult to determine the exact sense in which "law" is used in these verses. It may be law generally, or the law of Moses specifically. See Bruce, pages 52-58]. For the knowledge of what sin is comes from the law of Moses.
New American Standard Bible
because
King James Version
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.
Holman Bible
For no one will be justified
International Standard Version
Therefore, God will not justify any human being by means of the actions prescribed by the Law, for through the Law comes the full knowledge of sin.
A Conservative Version
Because from works of law no flesh will be made right before him, for through law is knowledge of sin.
American Standard Version
because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.
Amplified
For no
Anderson New Testament
Wherefore, by works of law, no flesh shall be justified in his sight; for by law is the knowledge of sin.
Bible in Basic English
Because by the works of the law no man is able to have righteousness in his eyes, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
Common New Testament
Therefore no flesh will be justified in his sight by works of the law, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Daniel Mace New Testament
for by the observation of the law no one shall be justified in his sight, since it is the law that takes cognizance of sin.
Darby Translation
Wherefore by works of law no flesh shall be justified before him; for by law is knowledge of sin.
Godbey New Testament
Therefore no flesh shall be justified by works of law: for through law there is a perfect knowledge of sin.
Goodspeed New Testament
For no human being can be made upright in the sight of God by observing the Law. All that the Law can do is to make man conscious of sin.
John Wesley New Testament
Therefore no flesh shall be justified in his sight by the works of the law; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Julia Smith Translation
Therefore from the works of the law shall no flesh be justified before him: for by the law the knowledge of sin.
King James 2000
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.
Lexham Expanded Bible
For by the works of the law {no person will be declared righteous} before him, for through the law [comes] knowledge of sin.
Modern King James verseion
because by the works of the Law none of all flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law is the knowledge of sin.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
because that by the deeds of the law, shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God. For by the law cometh the knowledge of sin.
Moffatt New Testament
for no person will be acquitted in his sight on the score of obedience to law. What the Law imparts is the consciousness of sin.
Montgomery New Testament
For no man will be justified in God's sight by works of the Law; for through the Law comes the consciousness of sin.
NET Bible
For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
New Heart English Bible
Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
Noyes New Testament
Because by works of the Law no flesh shall be accepted as righteous: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.
Sawyer New Testament
Wherefore by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified is his sight, for by the law there is an acknowledgment of sin.
The Emphasized Bible
Inasmuch as, by works of law, shall no flesh be declared righteous before him, - through law, in fact, is discovery of sin.
Thomas Haweis New Testament
Wherefore by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified before God: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Twentieth Century New Testament
For 'no human being will be pronounced righteous before God' as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is.
Webster
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.
Weymouth New Testament
For on the ground of obedience to Law no man living will be declared righteous before Him. Law simply brings a sure knowledge of sin.
Williams New Testament
Because no human creature can be brought into right standing with God by observing the law. For all the law can do is to make men conscious of sin.
World English Bible
Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
Worrell New Testament
because, by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the law is the knowledge of sin.
Worsley New Testament
Wherefore by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before Him: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Youngs Literal Translation
wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.
Themes
Bigotry » Paul's argument against
Good » Works encouraged » Insufficient to secure salvation
Justification » Of self, impossible
Justification » What you are not justified by
Justification before God » Under the law » Man cannot attain to
The law of God » Man cannot be justified by
The law of God » Gives the knowledge of sin
Righteousness » No justification by works of
Sin » The law » Gives knowledge of
religious Work » Examples of » Insufficient to secure salvation
Topics
Interlinear
Ek
διά
Dia
by, through, with, for, for ... sake, therefore , for this cause , because,
Usage: 527
Enopion
Enopion
References
American
Easton
Fausets
Hastings
Word Count of 37 Translations in Romans 3:20
Images Romans 3:20
Prayers for Romans 3:20
Verse Info
Context Readings
The Entire World Guilty Of Sin
19 Now we [all] know that everything the law says applies to those who are under [obligation to obey] that law, [Note: Here "the law" appears to refer to the Old Testament Scriptures generally, since Psalms and Isaiah are quoted. See verses 10-18]. This is so that the mouth of every objector may be stopped [i.e., from making excuses for his sin], and thereby bring the entire world under God's judgment [i.e., both Jews and Gentiles]. 20 This is because no human being can be considered right with God by [obeying] the requirements of a law. [Note: It is difficult to determine the exact sense in which "law" is used in these verses. It may be law generally, or the law of Moses specifically. See Bruce, pages 52-58]. For the knowledge of what sin is comes from the law of Moses. 21 But now [i.e., under the Gospel age], a way of being considered right with God apart from [any] law has been made known. [The writings of] the law [i.e., the Pentateuch] and the prophets bear witness to this.
Phrases
Cross References
Acts 13:39
and [it is] by Him that every believer is made right with God in every way that he could not have been made right by [observing the requirements of] the law of Moses.
Galatians 2:16
still we know that a person is not justified [i.e., made right with God] by [perfect obedience to] the law of Moses, but rather through faith in [the person and work of] Christ. [Knowing this] we have trusted in Christ Jesus [to save us], so that we might be made right with God by trusting in Him and not by [our compliance with] the requirements of the law of Moses. Because by such law-compliance no one can be made right with God.
Galatians 2:19
For it was by means of [this system of] law-keeping that I [realized I] was dead. This was so I could find life through a relationship with God.
Romans 4:15
For the law brings [God's] wrath [i.e., because of man's failure to obey it perfectly], but where there is no law, there is no [responsibility for] sin.
Romans 2:13
For [it is] not those who hear the law of Moses who are right with God, but [it is] those who obey [the requirements of] that law [perfectly] who will be considered right with God.
Romans 3:28
For we conclude that a person is made right with God by faith [in Christ], apart from [obedience to] the requirements of a law [or, the law of Moses, See verse 20].
Romans 4:13
For it was not through [obedience to] law [See 3:31] that the promise to Abraham or his descendants of inheriting [the best of] the world [was made], but through their being considered righteous because of faith [in God].
Romans 5:13
For even before the law of Moses, sin was [being committed] in the world. But man is not responsible for [his] sin when there is no law.
Romans 5:20
Now the law of Moses was introduced [into the world] in order to cause sin to increase [i.e., it defined many things to be wrong that were previously not regarded as sin]. But with the increase of sin, God's unearned favor increased all the more.
Romans 7:7-9
What shall we say then? Is the law of Moses sinful? Certainly not! For I would not have known what sin was if it had not been for the law. For [example]; I would not have known [what it meant] to covet [i.e., have a strong desire for what belongs to someone else] except that the law said [Ex. 20:17], "You must not covet."
Romans 9:32
Why? Because they did not [attempt to do it] by faith [in Him], but by trying to fulfill all the requirements [of the law]. So, they stumbled over "the stumbling stone," [i.e., the Jews refused to become obedient to Christ. See I Pet. 2:6-8].
Galatians 3:10-13
For all who seek to be right with God by trying to meet all the requirements of the law of Moses are under a curse [from God], because it is written [Deut. 27:26], "Every person is cursed [i.e., cut off from God] who does not continue to obey all of the requirements written in the law of Moses."
Galatians 5:4
Those of you who seek to be right with God by observing the requirements of the law of Moses have severed yourselves from [your relationship with] Christ; you have fallen away from God's unearned favor.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For you have been saved by God's unearned favor, through [your] faith, and that [salvation] was not the result of your own doing; it was the gift from God.
Titus 3:5-7
He saved us, not because of any good deeds we ourselves had done, but because of His mercy. [He saved us] through the washing of new birth [Note: This refers to our immersion in water] and the renewing [work] of the Holy Spirit,
James 2:9-10
But if you show favoritism toward [certain] persons, you are committing a sin and are convicted by the law [of God] as lawbreakers.
James 2:20-26
But will you acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without [good] deeds is useless?