Romans 3:19

King James Version

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
What the law says is for those who are under the law. It stops anyone from making excuses. And it brings the whole world under God's judgment,

Revised Standard Version
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ye and we knowe that whatsoever ye lawe sayth he sayth it to them which are vnder the lawe. That all mouthes maye be stopped and all the worlde be subdued to god

Hebrew Names Version
Now 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.

International Standard Version
Now we know that whatever the law says applies to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.Job 1:5:16; Psalm 107:42; Ezekiel 16:63; John 10:34; 15:25; Romans 1:20;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;

New Century Version
We know that the law's commands are for those who have the law. This stops all excuses and brings the whole world under God's judgment,

Update Bible Version
Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:

Webster's Bible Translation
Now we know that whatever things the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

English Standard Version
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

World English Bible
Now 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.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now we know that whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be found guilty before God.

Weymouth's New Testament
But it cannot be denied that all that the Law says is addressed to those who are living under the Law, in order that every mouth may be stopped, and that the whole world may await sentence from God.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And we witen, that what euere thingis the lawe spekith, it spekith to hem that ben in the lawe, that ech mouth be stoppid, and ech world be maad suget to God.

English Revised Version
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:

Berean Standard Bible
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Contemporary English Version
We know that everything in the Law was written for those who are under its power. The Law says these things to stop anyone from making excuses and to let God show that the whole world is guilty.

Amplified Bible
Now 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].

American Standard Version
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:

Bible in Basic English
Now, we have knowledge that what the law says is for those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and all men may be judged by God:

Complete Jewish Bible
Moreover, we know that whatever the Torah says, it says to those living within the framework of the Torah, in order that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world be shown to deserve God's adverse judgment.

Darby Translation
Now we know that whatever the things the law says, it speaks to those under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be under judgment to God.

Etheridge Translation
BUT we know that whatever the law saith, to them who are under the law it saith: that every mouth may be shut, and all the world be guilty unto Aloha.

Murdock Translation
Now we know, that whatever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be guilty before God.

King James Version (1611)
Now we know that what things soeuer the Law saith, it saith to them who are vnder the Law: that euery mouth may bee stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

New Living Translation
Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.

New Life Bible
Now we know that the Law speaks to those who live under the Law. No one can say that he does not know what sin is. Yes, every person in the world stands guilty before God.

New Revised Standard
Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Now we know that whatsoeuer ye Lawe saieth, it saieth it to them which are vnder ye Law, that euery mouth may bee stopped, and all the world be subiect to the iudgement of God.

George Lamsa Translation
Now we know that whatever the law says, it is said to those who are under the law: so that every mouth may be shut, and all the world may become guilty before God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now we know that, whatsoever things the law saith, to them who are within the law, it speaketh, in order that, every mouth, may be stopped and all the world come, under penal sentence, unto God.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now we know that what things soever the law speaketh, it speaketh to them that are in the law: that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may be made subject to God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe we knowe that what thynges so euer the lawe saith, it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe: That all mouthes maye be stopped, and that al ye world may be indaungered to God.

Good News Translation
Now we know that everything in the Law applies to those who live under the Law, in order to stop all human excuses and bring the whole world under God's judgment.

Christian Standard Bible®
Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.

Lexham English Bible
Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God.

Literal Translation
But we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those within the Law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be under judgment to God.

Young's Literal Translation
And we have known that as many things as the law saith, to those in the law it doth speak, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgment to God;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But we knowe, yt, what soeuer the lawe sayeth, it sayeth it vnto them which are vnder the lawe, yt euery mouthe maye be stopped, & yt all the worlde maye be detter vnto God,

Mace New Testament (1729)
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law: that every one may be silenc'd, and all the world plead guilty before God.

New English Translation
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

New King James Version
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
The Code was given in the Good Book, not for others, but us. The Code doesn't tell us how to be perfect, it shows us that we are not and cannot be.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God;

Legacy Standard Bible
Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are in the Law, so that every mouth may be shut and all the world may become accountable to God;

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ 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. ²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; ²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: ²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; ²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ²⁷ Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. ²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

what things: Romans 3:2, Romans 2:12-18, John 10:34, John 10:35, John 15:25, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 1 Corinthians 9:21, Galatians 3:23, Galatians 4:5, Galatians 4:21, Galatians 5:18

that: Romans 3:4, Romans 1:20, Romans 2:1, 1 Samuel 2:9, Job 5:16, Job 9:2, Job 9:3, Psalms 107:42, Ezekiel 16:63, Matthew 22:12, Matthew 22:13, John 8:9, 1 Corinthians 1:29

and all the: Romans 3:9, Romans 3:23, Romans 2:1, Romans 2:2, Galatians 3:10, Galatians 3:22

guilty before God: or, subject to the judgment of God

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:17 - Because Genesis 6:11 - before Genesis 18:15 - Nay Genesis 38:26 - She hath Exodus 9:27 - the Lord Exodus 34:7 - that will by no means clear the guilty Leviticus 12:3 - General Leviticus 13:3 - shall look Deuteronomy 27:26 - confirmeth Deuteronomy 31:26 - a witness 1 Samuel 15:14 - What meaneth 2 Samuel 1:16 - mouth 2 Samuel 14:32 - if there 1 Kings 8:46 - there is no man 1 Kings 18:21 - answered Ezra 9:10 - what shall we say Ezra 9:15 - we cannot Nehemiah 5:8 - held Job 14:3 - bringest Job 23:7 - so should Job 25:4 - How then Job 31:14 - what shall Job 40:5 - but I will not Psalms 5:10 - Destroy Psalms 51:15 - O Lord Psalms 63:11 - the mouth Psalms 102:10 - Because Psalms 109:7 - be condemned Proverbs 10:6 - violence Proverbs 30:32 - lay Isaiah 59:12 - our sins Jeremiah 2:23 - How canst Jeremiah 2:29 - ye all have Jeremiah 40:3 - because Lamentations 1:18 - Lord Lamentations 3:29 - putteth Ezekiel 18:3 - General Micah 6:3 - testify Micah 7:16 - lay Zephaniah 1:7 - thy Zechariah 2:13 - Be Matthew 7:11 - being Matthew 12:27 - they Matthew 15:27 - Truth Matthew 18:32 - O thou Matthew 19:20 - All Matthew 20:14 - thine Matthew 21:31 - The first Matthew 22:40 - General Matthew 25:27 - oughtest Matthew 27:4 - I have sinned Mark 12:34 - And no Mark 14:40 - neither Luke 10:26 - General Luke 10:28 - this Luke 11:19 - shall Luke 15:32 - was meet Luke 19:22 - Out Luke 20:26 - and they marvelled John 1:17 - the law John 5:45 - there John 12:34 - the law John 16:9 - General Acts 5:9 - How Acts 13:39 - from which Acts 24:25 - Felix Romans 3:5 - Is God Romans 3:27 - Where Romans 4:15 - Because Romans 5:18 - upon Romans 5:20 - the law Romans 6:14 - for ye Romans 7:9 - but 1 Corinthians 4:4 - yet 1 Corinthians 11:32 - condemned 1 Corinthians 14:21 - the law 1 Corinthians 15:56 - the strength Galatians 2:16 - that Galatians 2:19 - through Galatians 3:19 - It was added Philippians 3:9 - which is of the Titus 1:11 - mouths Titus 3:11 - being Hebrews 12:20 - For they

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:16
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Genesis 3:21
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Genesis 3:22
And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord , which am but dust and ashes:

Genesis 23:4
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

Job 1:21
And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord .

Job 19:26
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job 21:26
They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now we know that what things soever the law saith,.... By "the law" is meant, not the law of nature, nor the civil law of nations, nor the ceremonial law of the Jews, nor barely the five books of Moses, nor the book of Psalms, of the Prophets, or the writings of the whole Old Testament; but the moral law, as it appears in the whole word of God, which every man is bound to observe, of which all are transgressors, by which is the knowledge of sin, which no man can be justified by, and which Christ was made under, and came to fulfil. This law is represented as a person speaking, and saying many things, some of which are here mentioned; so, אמרה תורה, "the law says" so and so, is an usual phrase with Jewish writers y. The persons it speaks to, are

them that are under the law; the Jews were in a peculiar sense under it, as it was given to them by Moses; all mankind are under it, as to the matter of it; they are under obligation to obedience to it, and, through disobedience, come under its sentence of condemnation. The elect of God themselves were, and are in some sense under it; not indeed as a covenant of works, or as in the hands of Moses, nor as a yoke of bondage; nor are they obliged to seek for justification by it, and are entirely delivered from the curse and condemnation of it by Christ. They were under it, and that as a covenant of works, as in Adam, the federal head and representative of all mankind; and came under its sentence of condemnation and death, for his sin, and their own actual transgressions; which is consistent with the everlasting love of God to them in Christ, the covenant of grace made with them in him, as their head and surety, and their justification by him: and they are now under it, as in the hands of Christ; and look upon themselves as obliged, by the love of Christ, to yield a cheerful obedience to it: here it means such as are transgressors of the law, and so under obligation to punishment, without any regard to Jew or Gentile, or any distinction God has made in his own breast: and the things it says to such are, it charges them with sin, and convicts them of it, both of its pollution and guilt: so

that every mouth may be stopped; and have nothing to say of the purity of their nature, which appears to be so sadly stained; nor of their works of righteousness, which are so few, and so very imperfect. The law makes such a representation of things to them, that their mouths are stopped from glorying in themselves, and in their works, which are far from being adequate to the demands of the law; and from complaining against the righteous judgment of God, should he proceed against them in the most rigorous manner:

and all the world may become guilty before God; Jews and Gentiles; all the individuals of mankind are guilty before God, and will be found to be so, sooner or later: some read it, "subject to God", and understand it of a subjection to his grace, being brought to see their need of it, and of salvation by it; but this is not the case of all the world, rather υποδικος, signifies a subjection to that justice, vengeance, and wrath of God, to which all men are liable in their own persons; since they are all found guilty by the law, and will appear to be so, and therefore can never be justified by their obedience to it; which is what the apostle is aiming at in all he here says, as appears from what follows; all which "we know" to be true, and are fully assured of, who know the nature and spirituality of the law, and to whom it has come with light and power.

y T. Bab. Roshhashanah, fol. 16. 1. Taanith, fol. 21. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now we know - We all admit. It is a conceded plain point.

What things soever - Whether given as precepts, or recorded as historical facts. Whatever things are found in the Law. “The law saith.” This means here evidently the Old Testament. From that the apostle had been drawing his arguments, and his train of thought requires us here to understand the whole of the Old Testament by this. The same principle applies, however, to all law, that it speaks only to those to whom it is expressly given.

It saith to them ... - It speaks to them for whom it was expressly intended; to them for whom the Law was made. The apostle makes this remark in order to prevent the Jew from evading the force of his conclusion. He had brought proofs from their own acknowledged laws, from writings given expressly for them, and which recorded their own history, and which they admitted to be divinely inspired. These proofs, therefore, they could not evade.

That every mouth may be stopped - This is perhaps, a proverbial expression, Job 5:15; Psalms 107:42. It denotes that they would be thoroughly convinced; that the argument would be so conclusive as that they would have nothing to reply; that all objections would be silenced. Here it denotes that the argument for the depravity of the Jews from the Old Testament was so clear and satisfactory, that nothing could be alleged in reply. This may be regarded as the conclusion of his whole argument, and the expressions may refer not to the Jews only, but to all the world. Its meaning may, perhaps, be thus expressed, “The Gentiles are proved guilty by their own deeds, and by a violation of the laws of nature. They sin against their own conscience; and have thus been shown to be guilty before God Romans 1:0. The Jews have also been shown to be guilty; all their objections have been silenced by an independent train of remark; by appeals to their own Law; by arguments drawn from the authority which they admit. Thus, the mouths of both are stopped. Thus, the whole world becomes guilty before God.” I regard, therefore, the word “that” here ἵνα hina as referring, not particularly to the argument from the Law of the Jews, but to the whole previous train of argument, embracing both Jews and Gentiles. His conclusion is thus general or universal, drawn from arguments adapted to the two great divisions of mankind.

And all the world - Both Jews and Gentiles, for so the strain of the argument shows. That is, all by nature; all who are out of Christ; all who are not pardoned. All are guilty where there is not some scheme contemplating forgiveness, and which is not applied to purify them. The apostle in all this argument speaks of what man is, and ever would be, without some plan of justification appointed by God.

May become - May “be.” They are not made guilty by the Law; but the argument from the Law, and from fact, proves that they are guilty.

Guilty before God - ὑπόδικος τῷ Θεῷ hupodikos tō Theō. Margin, “subject to the judgment of God.” The phrase is taken from courts of justice. It is applied to a man who has not vindicated or defended himself; against whom therefore the charge or the indictment is found true; and who is in consequence subject to punishment. The idea is that of subjection to punishment; but always because the man personally deserves it, and because being unable to vindicate himself, he ought to be punished. It is never used to denote simply an obligation to punishment, but with reference to the fact that the punishment is personally deserved.” This word, rendered “guilty,” is not used elsewhere in the New Testament, nor is it found in the Septuagint. The argument of the apostle here shows,

1. That in order to guilt, there must be a law, either that of nature or by revelation Romans 1:0; Romans 2:0; Romans 3:0; and,
2. That in order to guilt, there must be a violation of that law which may be charged on them as individuals, and for which they are to be held personally responsible.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 19. What things soever the law saith — That the word law, here, does not mean the pentateuch, is evident from the preceding quotations, not one of which is taken from that work. Either the term law must here mean the Jewish writings in general, or that rule of moral conduct which God had given to both Jews and Gentiles: to the former in their own Scriptures; to the latter in that law written in their hearts by his own Spirit, and acknowledged in their written codes, and in their pleadings in every civil case. Now, according to this great law, this rule of moral conduct, whether given in a written revelation, as to the Jews, or by the secret inspiration of his Spirit, as in certain cases to the Gentiles, every mouth must be stopped, and the whole world, πας ο κοσμος, both Jews and Gentiles, stand convicted before God: for all mankind have sinned against this law.