Where then is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Parallel translations
- WEB Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
- KJV Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
- BSB Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of works? No, but on that of faith.
- NKJV Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
- NLT Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.
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
Because salvation is by faith, all human boasting is excluded. We have nothing to brag about before God.
Overview
Paul draws out a consequence of justification by faith: it leaves no room for pride. Salvation is not by 'a law of works' that we could accomplish, but by 'a law of faith' that simply receives God's gift. This guards the gospel against self-congratulation and gives all glory to God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 24
- Rom 4:2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.
- Rom 2:23You who glory in the law, through your disobedience of the law do you dishonor God?
- 1 Cor 1:29–31that no flesh should boast before God.
- Rom 2:17Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God,
- Eph 2:8–10for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
- Gal 3:22But the Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
- Rom 7:21I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
- Zeph 3:11In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings, in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be haughty in my holy mountain.
- 1 Jn 5:11–12The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
- Rom 7:25I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law.
- Rom 11:6And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
- Luke 18:9–14He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.
- John 3:36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Rom 3:19Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
- Mark 16:16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.
- Rom 8:2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
- Ezek 16:62–63I will establish my covenant with you; and you will know that I am Yahweh;
- 1 Cor 4:7For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn’t receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
- Rom 7:23but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
- Rom 9:11For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,
- Rom 9:32Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;
- Gal 2:16yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.
- Ezek 36:31–32Then you shall remember your evil ways, and your doings that were not good; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
- Rom 10:5For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.”
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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 3:27 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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