ROM 3:20 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) No human will be declared guiltless in front of God by their keeping the law, because it’s the law that teaches what sin is.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT because not any flesh will be justified by works of law before him; for full awareness of sin is through law.

UST This is true because God will not make anyone righteous with himself simply because they obey the laws he gave the Jews. This is so because those laws only make people aware of how sinful they are.

BSB Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.

BLB Therefore by works of the Law, not any flesh will be justified before Him; for through the Law is knowledge of sin.

AICNT Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.[fn]

3:20, sin: That is what is error. The word for sin in a general sense means to “miss the mark, error, do wrong” (BDAG, ἁμαρτάνω).

OEB 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.

WEBBE Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

LSV for this reason by works of law will no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.

FBV For no one is made right before God by doing what the law requires. The law only helps us recognize what sin really is.

TCNT For by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.

T4T It is not because people have done the things that God’s laws require that God will ◄erase the record of their sins/declare them no longer guilty for sin►, because no one has done those things completely. In fact, the result of our knowing God’s laws is that we know clearly that we have sinned (OR, are sinful).

LEB For by the works of the law no person will be declared righteous[fn] before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
¶

3:20 Literally “all flesh will not be declared righteous”

BBE 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.

Moff No Moff ROM book available

Wymth 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.

ASV because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

DRA Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

YLT wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.

Drby Wherefore by works of law no flesh shall be justified before him; for by law [is] knowledge of sin.

RV because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

Wbstr 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.

KJB-1769 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.
(Therefore by the deads of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. )

KJB-1611 Therefore by the deedes of the Law, there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne.
(Therefore by the deades of the Law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.)

Bshps Because that by the deedes of the lawe, there shall no flesshe be iustified in his syght. For by the lawe, commeth the knowledge of sinne.
(Because that by the deades of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his syght. For by the law, cometh/comes the knowledge of sin.)

Gnva Therefore by the woorkes of the Lawe shall no flesh be iustified in his sight: for by the Lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne.
(Therefore by the woorkes of the Lawe shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the Lawe cometh/comes the knowledge of sin. )

Cvdl because yt by ye dedes of the lawe no flesh maye be iustified in his sighte. For by the lawe commeth but the knowlege of synne.
(because it by ye/you_all dedes of the law no flesh may be justified in his sighte. For by the law cometh/comes but the knowledge of sin.)

TNT For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of synne.
(For by the law cometh/comes the knowledge of sin. )

Wycl For of the werkis of the lawe ech fleisch schal not be iustified bifor hym; for bi the lawe ther is knowyng of synne.
(For of the works of the law each flesh shall not be justified before him; for by the law there is knowing of sin.)

Luth darum, daß kein Fleisch durch des Gesetzes Werke vor ihm gerecht sein mag; denn durch das Gesetz kommt Erkenntnis der Sünde.
(darum, that kein flesh through the lawes Werke before/in_front_of him gerecht his mag; because through the law comes Erkenntnis the/of_the Sünde.)

ClVg quia ex operibus legis non justificabitur omnis caro coram illo. Per legem enim cognitio peccati.[fn]
(because from operibus legis not/no justificabitur everyone caro before illo. Per legem because cognitio peccati. )

3.20 Quia ex operibus. Sicut abstulit gloriam de circumcisione, ita et de cæteris operibus legis vult facere. Et est nova sententia, quamvis jungatur præcedentibus per: Quia ex operibus legis, etc. Opera legis dicuntur quæ in lege instituta et terminata sunt, ut erant cæremonialia et figurativa, quæ nunquam valuerunt conscientiam mundare, etiamsi cum charitate et devotione fierent, quia non fuerunt instituta in justificationem, sed in futurorum significationem et peccati infirmitatis ostensionem, quia lex non venit peccata tollere, sed ostendere et punire. Non justificabitur omnis caro, etc. Secundum cæremonialia intellige, non moralia, quæ utique justificant et in Evangelio consummantur. Coram illo. Qui intima videt, scilicet utrum ex amore justitiæ quid agatur, vel timore pœnæ, quod non vident homines. Per legem enim. Hic incipit de lege, ut ostendat justitiam non esse ex ea. Per legem enim cognitio peccati. Hoc dicit, non quod prius peccata nescirentur, sed quod omnia non impune futura essent apud Deum cognita sunt per legem. Quædam peccata ante legem cognoscebantur, ut cum apud Pharaonem Joseph accusatus de crimine adulterii missus fuit in carcerem. Et fratres ejus dixerunt: Merito hæc patimur, quia peccavimus in fratrem nostrum Gen. 39.. Quædam autem cognita sunt per legem quæ ante ignorabantur, ut concupiscentia et originale peccatum. Quædam etiam graviora per legem cognita sunt quam ante putabantur.

3.20 Because from operibus. Sicut abstook gloriam about circumcisione, ita and about cæteris operibus legis vult facere. And it_is nova sententia, quamvis yungatur præcedentibus per: Because from operibus legis, etc. Opera legis dicuntur which in lege instituta and terminata are, as they_were cæremonialia and figurativa, which nunquam valuerunt conscientiam mundare, etiamsi when/with charitate and devotione fierent, because not/no fuerunt instituta in justificationem, but in futurorum significationem and peccati infirmitatis ostensionem, because lex not/no he_came sins tollere, but ostendere and punire. Non justificabitur everyone caro, etc. After/Second cæremonialia intellige, not/no moralia, which utique justificant and in Evangelio consummantur. Coram illo. Who intima videt, scilicet utrum from amore justitiæ quid agatur, or timore pœnæ, that not/no vident homines. Per legem because. Hic incipit about lege, as ostendat justitiam not/no esse from ea. Per legem because cognitio peccati. This dicit, not/no that first/before sins nescirentur, but that everything not/no impune futura they_would_be apud God cognita are through legem. Quædam sins before legem cognoscebantur, as when/with apud Pharaonem Yoseph accusatus about crimine adulterii missus fuit in carcerem. And brothers his dixerunt: Merito these_things patimur, because peccavimus in brother nostrum Gen. 39.. Quædam however cognita are through legem which before ignorabantur, as concupiscentia and originale peccatum. Quædam also graviora through legem cognita are how before putabantur.

UGNT διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ; διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας.
(dioti ex ergōn nomou, ou dikaiōthaʸsetai pasa sarx enōpion autou; dia gar nomou epignōsis hamartias.)

SBL-GNT διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας.
(dioti ex ergōn nomou ou dikaiōthaʸsetai pasa sarx enōpion autou, dia gar nomou epignōsis hamartias.)

TC-GNT διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ· διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας.
(dioti ex ergōn nomou ou dikaiōthaʸsetai pasa sarx enōpion autou; dia gar nomou epignōsis hamartias. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διότι

because

Here. because introduces a reason clause. Paul is stating the reason why all humanity is “accountable to God,” as stated in the previous verse. Use a natural way in your language to indicate a reason clause. You may need to begin a new sentence, as in the UST. Alternate translation: [The reason for this is that] or [As a result,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ

not /will_be_being/_justified any flesh

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who will do the action, Paul implies that “God” will do it. Alternate translation: [God will not justify any flesh] or [God will not make any flesh righteous]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

σὰρξ

flesh

Paul uses flesh figuratively to refer to a human being, who is made of flesh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [human being]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ἐξ ἔργων νόμου & διὰ & νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας

by works ˱of˲_law & through & /the/_law_‹is› /the/_knowledge ˱of˲_sin

In this verse Paul speaks of the law as if it were a person who could justify someone or give them full awareness. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [by doing what God requires in his law … God gives full awareness of sin through his law]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐξ ἔργων νόμου

by works ˱of˲_law

See how you translated a similar phrase in 2:15.

Note 6 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

νόμου & νόμου

˱of˲_law & /the/_law_‹is›

In this verse law is a singular noun that refers to a group of laws that God gave Israel by dictating them to Moses. It does not refer to the entire Old Testament, as in the previous verse. See how you translated this use of law in 2:12.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ

before him

Here, before him is an idiom meaning “in his presence.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent idiom or use plain language. Alternate translation: [in his presence]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας

/the/_knowledge ˱of˲_sin

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of full awareness and sin, you could express the same ideas in a different way. Alternate translation: [fully aware of being sinful]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας

/the/_knowledge ˱of˲_sin

Paul is using the possessive form to describe full awareness about the sin a person has committed. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [full knowledge about sin]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

διὰ & νόμου

through & /the/_law_‹is›

Here, through law indicates the means by which a person becomes fully aware of sin. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [by means of law]

Parallel ROM 3:20