Romans 3:21

Amplified Bible

But now the righteousness of God has been clearly revealed [independently and completely] apart from the Law, though it is [actually] confirmed by the Law and the [words and writings of the] Prophets.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But God has a way to make people right, and it has nothing to do with the law. He has now shown us that new way, which the law and the prophets told us about.

Revised Standard Version
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Now verely is ye rigtewesnes that cometh of God declared without the fulfillinge of ye lawe havinge witnes yet of ye lawe and of the Prophetes.

Hebrew Names Version
But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;

International Standard Version
But now, apart from the law, God's righteousness is revealed and is attested by the Law and the ProphetsJohn 5:46; Acts 15:11; 26:22; Romans 1:2,17; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 11:4; 1 Peter 1:10;">[xr] -

New American Standard Bible
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

New Century Version
But God has a way to make people right with him without the law, and he has now shown us that way which the law and the prophets told us about.

Update Bible Version
But now apart from the law a righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Webster's Bible Translation
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being testified by the law and the prophets;

English Standard Version
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

World English Bible
But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But the righteousness of God without the law is now manifested, being attested by the law and the prophets,

Weymouth's New Testament
But now a righteousness coming from God has been brought to light apart from any Law, both Law and Prophets bearing witness to it--

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But now with outen the lawe the riytwisnesse of God is schewid, that is witnessid of the lawe and the profetis.

English Revised Version
But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Berean Standard Bible
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

Contemporary English Version
Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses.

American Standard Version
But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Bible in Basic English
But now without the law there is a revelation of the righteousness of God, to which witness is given by the law and the prophets;

Complete Jewish Bible
But now, quite apart from Torah, God's way of making people righteous in his sight has been made clear — although the Torah and the Prophets give their witness to it as well —

Darby Translation
But now without law righteousness of God is manifested, borne witness to by the law and the prophets;

Etheridge Translation
But now, without the law the righteousness of Aloha is revealed, and the law and the prophets (themselves) testify of it.

Murdock Translation
But now, the righteousness of God without the law, is manifested; and the law and the prophets testify of it:

King James Version (1611)
But nowe the righteousnesse of God without the Lawe is manifested, being witnessed by the Lawe and the Prophets.

New Living Translation
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.

New Life Bible
But now God has made another way to make men right with Himself. It is not by the Law. The Law and the early preachers tell about it.

New Revised Standard
But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets,

Geneva Bible (1587)
But nowe is the righteousnesse, of God made manifest without the Lawe, hauing witnes of the Lawe and of the Prophets,

George Lamsa Translation
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, and the very law and prophets testify to it;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But now, apart from law, a righteousness of God hath been manifested, borne witness to by the law and the prophets, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
But now, without the law, the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But nowe is the righteousnes of God declared without the lawe, beyng witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and of the prophetes.

Good News Translation
But now God's way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it.

Christian Standard Bible®
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets.

King James Version
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Lexham English Bible
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets—

Literal Translation
But now a righteousness of God has been revealed apart from Law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Young's Literal Translation
And now apart from law hath the righteousness of God been manifested, testified to by the law and the prophets,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But now without addinge to of ye lawe is the righteousnes which avayleth before God, declared, hauynge witnesse of ye lawe and the prophetes:

Mace New Testament (1729)
but the divine justification certified by the law and the prophets, is now clearly proposed independently of the law:

THE MESSAGE
But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.

New English Translation
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed—

New King James Version
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Simplified Cowboy Version
But God hasn't shunned us. He showed us a way to be right with him that wasn't keeping the requirements of the Code.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Legacy Standard Bible
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Contextual Overview

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the Law [of Moses] says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that [the excuses of] every mouth may be silenced [from protesting] and that all the world may be held accountable to God [and subject to His judgment]. ²⁰For no person will be justified [freed of guilt and declared righteous] in His sight by [trying to do] the works of the Law. For through the Law we become conscious of sin [and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance, but provides no remedy for sin]. ²¹But now the righteousness of God has been clearly revealed [independently and completely] apart from the Law, though it is [actually] confirmed by the Law and the [words and writings of the] Prophets.²²This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God's Son]. There is no distinction, ²³since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus' crucifixion]. ²⁶It was to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus [and rely confidently on Him as Savior]. ²⁷Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith. ²⁸For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

righteousness: Romans 1:17, Romans 5:19, Romans 5:21, Romans 10:3, Romans 10:4, Genesis 15:6, Isaiah 45:24, Isaiah 45:25, Isaiah 46:13, Isaiah 51:8, Isaiah 54:17, Isaiah 61:10, Jeremiah 23:5, Jeremiah 23:6, Jeremiah 33:16, Daniel 9:24, Acts 15:11, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 5:5, Philippians 3:9, Hebrews 11:4-40, 2 Peter 1:1

being: Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Luke 24:44, John 1:45, John 3:14, John 3:15, John 5:46, John 5:47, Acts 26:22, Hebrews 10:1-14

and the: Romans 1:2, Romans 16:26, Acts 3:21-25, Acts 10:43, Acts 28:23, Galatians 3:8, 1 Peter 1:10

Reciprocal: Psalms 22:31 - his righteousness Psalms 71:16 - thy righteousness Psalms 89:16 - righteousness Psalms 98:2 - righteousness Psalms 103:17 - his righteousness Matthew 6:33 - his Matthew 11:13 - General Luke 9:30 - which John 1:17 - grace John 16:10 - righteousness Acts 3:24 - and all Acts 24:14 - in the law Romans 4:6 - without Romans 5:18 - the righteousness 2 Corinthians 3:9 - the ministration of righteousness Galatians 2:16 - but Galatians 3:21 - righteousness Hebrews 3:5 - for Hebrews 7:19 - the law Revelation 19:10 - for the

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden,

Genesis 3:3
except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, 'You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.'"

Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of the two of them were opened [that is, their awareness increased], and they knew that they were naked; and they fastened fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom puts on a turban, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Romans 3:22
This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God's Son]. There is no distinction,

2 Corinthians 5:21
He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But now the righteousness of God,.... The apostle having proved that all men are unrighteous, and that no man can be justified in the sight of God by his obedience, either to the law of nature or of Moses, proceeds to give an account of that righteousness, which does justify before God; and so returns to his former subject, Romans 1:17, concerning "the righteousness of God", the revelation of which he makes to be peculiar to the Gospel, as he does here; since he says, that it

without the law is manifested: meaning, either that this righteousness is without the law, and the deeds of it, as performed by sinful men; or that the manifestation of it is without the law, either of nature or of Moses; for the law discovers sin, but not a righteousness which justifies from sin; it shows what righteousness is, but does not direct the sinner where there is one to be had, that will make him righteous in the sight of God: this is made known without the law, and only in the Gospel:

being witnessed by the law and the prophets; a testimony is borne to the justifying righteousness of Christ both "by the law", particularly in the five books of Moses; which testify of Christ, of his obedience, sufferings, and death, by which he brought in life and righteousness; see Genesis 3:15, compared with Daniel 9:24; and

Genesis 15:6 with Romans 4:9; and Genesis 22:18 with Galatians 3:8; and Deuteronomy 30:11 with Romans 10:5. And the prophets; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and others; see Isaiah 42:21.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But now - The apostle, having shown the entire failure of all attempts to be justified by the “Law,” whether among Jews or Gentiles, proceeds to state fully the plan of justification by Jesus Christ in the gospel. To do this, was the main design of the Epistle, Romans 1:17. He makes, therefore, in the close of this chapter, an explicit statement of the nature of the doctrine; and in the following parts of the Epistle he fully proves it, and illustrates its effects.

The righteousness of God - God’s plan of justifying people; see the note at Romans 1:17.

Without the law - In a way different from personal obedience to the Law. It does not mean that God abandoned his Law; or that Jesus Christ did not regard the Law, for he came to “magnify” it Isaiah 42:21; or that sinners after they are justified have no regard to the Law; but it means simply what the apostle had been endeavoring to show, that justification could not be accomplished by personal obedience to any law of Jew or Gentile, and that it must be accomplished in some other way.

Being witnessed - Being borne witness to. It was not a new doctrine; it was found in the Old Testament. The apostle makes this observation with special reference to the Jews. He does not declare any new thing, but that which was rally declared in their own sacred writings.

By the law - This expression here evidently denotes, as it did commonly among the Jews, the five books of Moses. And the apostle means to say that this doctrine was found in those books; not that it was in the Ten Commandments, or in the Law, strictly so called. It is not a part of “law” to declare justification except by strict and perfect obedience. That it was found “in” those books; the apostle shows by the case of Abraham; Romans 4:0; see also his reasoning on Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 30:12-14, in Romans 10:5-11; compare Exodus 34:6-7.

And the prophets - Generally, the remainder of the Old Testament. The phrase “the Law and the prophets” comprehended the whole of the Old Testament; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 11:13; Matthew 22:40; Acts 13:15; Acts 28:23. That this doctrine was contained in the prophets, the apostle showed by the passage quoted from Habakkuk 2:4, in Romans 1:17, “The just shall live by faith.” The same thing he showed in Romans 10:11, from Isaiah 28:16; Isaiah 49:23; Romans 4:6-8, from Psalms 32:1-11. The same thing is fully taught in Isaiah 53:11; Daniel 9:24. Indeed, the general tenor of the Old Testament - the appointment of sacrifices, etc. taught that man was a sinner, and that he could not be justified by obedience to the moral law.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 21. But now the righteousness of God — God's method of saving sinners is now shown, by the Gospel, to be through his own mere mercy, by Christ Jesus; without the law-without any right or claim which might result from obedience to the law; and is evidently that which was intended by God from the beginning; for it is witnessed by the law and the prophets-the rites and ceremonies of the one, and the preachings and predictions of the others, all bearing testimony to the great design of God, and to the absolute necessity there was for the sacrifice and salvation which God has provided.