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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
- BSB Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
- NKJV Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
- NASB because by the works of the Law none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes knowledge of sin.
- NLT For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
No one is justified by keeping the law; instead the law reveals our sin. It shows the law cannot save, only diagnose.
Overview
Paul states a central truth of the gospel: human effort to keep the law cannot make anyone right with God. Rather, the law's role is to bring 'the knowledge of sin,' exposing our guilt. This closes off works-righteousness and opens the way for the justifying righteousness of God revealed in the verses that follow.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Gal 2:16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
- Acts 13:39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
- Rom 3:28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
- Gal 2:19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
- Rom 4:15Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
- Rom 4:13For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
- Rom 5:20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
- Rom 9:32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
- Gal 3:10–13For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
- Rom 7:7–9What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
- Ps 143:2And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
- Eph 2:8–9For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
- Gal 5:4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
- Titus 3:5–7Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
- Ps 130:3If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
- Job 25:4–5How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
- Rom 5:13(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
- Jas 2:20–26But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
- Jas 2:9–10But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
- Rom 2:13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
- Job 15:15Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 3:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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