Parallel Verses

Williams New Testament

But if our wrongdoing brings to light the uprightness of God, what shall we infer? Is it wrong (I am using everyday human terms) for God to inflict punishment?

New American Standard Bible

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.)

King James Version

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

Holman Bible

But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I use a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath?

International Standard Version

But if our unrighteousness serves to confirm God's righteousness, what can we say? God is not unrighteous when he vents his wrath on us, is he? (I am talking in human terms.)

A Conservative Version

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous inflicting wrath? (I speak according to a man.)

American Standard Version

But if our righteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.)

Amplified

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God is not wrong to inflict His wrath [on us], is He? (I am speaking in purely human terms.)

An Understandable Version

Now if our wrongdoing serves to emphasize more clearly that God does what is right, what should we say about that? Is God being unjust for sending [His] wrath [on the world]? (I am raising a human objection).

Anderson New Testament

But if our unrighteousness causes God's plan of justifying men to be better known, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, who inflicts punishment? I speak as a man.

Bible in Basic English

But if the righteousness of God is supported by our wrongdoing what is to be said? is it wrong for God to be angry (as men may say)?

Common New Testament

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)

Daniel Mace New Testament

but say you, "if our unfaithfulness displays the veracity of God, what shall we say? is it not injustice in God to inflict punishment?"

Darby Translation

But if our unrighteousness commend God's righteousness, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak according to man.

Godbey New Testament

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust administering wrath? I speak according to a man.

Goodspeed New Testament

But if our wrongdoing brings out the uprightness of God, what are we to say? Is it wrong in God (I am putting it in ordinary human terms) to inflict punishment?

John Wesley New Testament

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is not God unjust, who taketh vengeance?

Julia Smith Translation

And if our injustice shall recommend the justice of God, what shall we say God not unjust bringing in anger? (I speak as man)

King James 2000

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance? (I speak as a man)

Lexham Expanded Bible

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, [is] not unjust, [is he]? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.)

Modern King James verseion

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who lays on wrath? (I speak as a man.)

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

If our unrighteousness make the righteousness of God more excellent: what shall we say? Is God unrighteous which taketh vengeance? I speak after the manner of men.

Moffatt New Testament

But if our iniquity thus serves to bring out the justice of God, what are we to infer? That it is unfair of God to inflict his anger on us? (I speak in a merely human way.)

Montgomery New Testament

But if our unrighteousness thus brings out God's righteousness, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous?? speak after the manner of men??hen he inflicts his anger on us?

NET Bible

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.)

New Heart English Bible

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

Noyes New Testament

But if our unrighteousness serve to display the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicteth punishment? (I am speaking as men do.)

Sawyer New Testament

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak as a man;??6 by no means;??ince [if he was] how shall God judge the world?

The Emphasized Bible

But, if, our unrighteousness, commendeth, God's righteousness, what shall we say? Surely, not unrighteous, is God who visiteth with his anger? After the manner of men, I am speaking, -

Thomas Haweis New Testament

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is not God unrighteous in inflicting wrath? (I speak humanly).

Twentieth Century New Testament

But what if our wrong-doing makes God's righteousness all the clearer? Will God be wrong in inflicting punishment? (I can but speak as a man.) Heaven forbid!

Webster

But if our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man.)

Weymouth New Testament

But if our unrighteousness sets God's righteousness in a clearer light, what shall we say? (Is God unrighteous--I speak in our everyday language-- when He inflicts punishment?

World English Bible

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

Worrell New Testament

But, if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, Who visits with wrath? (I speak after the manner of a man).

Worsley New Testament

"But if our unrighteousness confirm the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is not God unrighteous, who inflicteth his wrath?" (I speak as a man) God forbid:

Youngs Literal Translation

And, if our unrighteousness God's righteousness doth establish, what shall we say? is God unrighteous who is inflicting the wrath? (after the manner of a man I speak)

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
But
δέ 
De 
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184

if
εἰ 
Ei 
if, whether, that, not tr,
Usage: 218

our
ἡμῶν 
hemon 
our, us, we, not tr,
Usage: 388

G93
ἀδικία 
Adikia 
Usage: 20

συνιστάω συνιστάνω συνίστημι 
sunistao 
Usage: 16

δικαιοσύνη 
Dikaiosune 
Usage: 83

of God
θεός 
theos 
Usage: 1151

τίς 
Tis 
Usage: 344

shall we say
ἐρέω 
Ereo 
Usage: 41

Is God
θεός 
theos 
Usage: 1151

G94
ἄδικος 
Adikos 
Usage: 7

ἐπιφέρω 
Epiphero 
Usage: 5

ὀργή 
Orge 
Usage: 35

I speak
λέγω 
Lego 
Usage: 1045

as
κατά 
Kata 
according to, after, against, in, by, daily , as,
Usage: 428

Context Readings

Jews Still Have An Advantage

4 Not at all. Let God prove true, though every man be false! As the Scripture says, "That you may prove yourself upright in words you speak, and win your case when you go into court." 5 But if our wrongdoing brings to light the uprightness of God, what shall we infer? Is it wrong (I am using everyday human terms) for God to inflict punishment? 6 Not at all! If that were so, how could He judge the world?

Cross References

Romans 6:19

I am speaking in familiar human terms because of the frailty of your nature. For just as you formerly offered the parts of your bodies in slavery to impurity and to ever increasing lawlessness, so now you must once for all offer them in slavery to right-doing, which leads to consecration.

Galatians 3:15

Brothers, I am going to use a human illustration: Even a human contract, once it has been ratified, no one can annul or change.

1 Corinthians 9:8

I am not saying this only by way of human illustrations, am I? Does not the law say so too?

Romans 2:5

But in your stubbornness and impenitence of heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when the justice of God's judgments will be uncovered.

Romans 4:1

Then what are we to say about our forefather Abraham?

Romans 7:7

What are we then to conclude? Is the law sin? Of course not! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have learned what sin was, for I should not have known what an evil desire was, if the law had not said, "You must not have an evil desire."

Romans 3:7

But, as you say, if the truthfulness of God has redounded to His glory because of my falsehood, why am I still condemned as a sinner?

Romans 3:19

Now we know that everything the law says is spoken to those who are under its authority, that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world be held responsible to God.

Romans 3:25-26

For God once publicly offered Him in His death as a sacrifice of reconciliation through faith, to demonstrate His own justice (for in His forbearance God had passed over men's former sins);

Romans 6:1

What is our conclusion then? Are we to continue to sin for His unmerited favor to multiply?

Romans 8:20-21

For nature did not of its own accord give up to failure; it was for the sake of Him who let it thus be given up, in the hope

Romans 9:13-14

As the Scripture says, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated."

Romans 9:18-20

So He has mercy on any man that He chooses to, and He hardens any man that He chooses to harden.

Romans 12:19

Stop taking revenge on one another, beloved, but leave a place for God's anger, for the Scripture says, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back, says the Lord."

1 Corinthians 15:32

If from merely human motives I have fought wild beasts here in Ephesus, what profit will it be to me? If the dead are never raised at all, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall be dead."

2 Thessalonians 1:6-9

indeed, it is right for God to repay with crushing sorrows those who cause you these crushing sorrows,

Revelation 15:3

And they were singing the song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God, Almighty One; upright and true your ways, O King of the ages.

Revelation 16:5-7

Then I heard the angel of the waters say: "You are just in passing such a sentence, you who are and were, you the Holy One.

Revelation 18:20

Celebrate over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets too, because God has taken vengeance on her for you."

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain