the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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King James Version
Romans 3:9
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So are we Jews better than other people? No, we have already said that those who are Jews, as well as those who are not Jews, are the same. They are all guilty of sin.
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all; for I have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin,
What saye we then? Are we better then they? No in no wyse. For we have all ready proved how that both Iewes and Gentils are all vnder synne
What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously charged both Yehudim and Yevanim, that they are all under sin.
What, then, does this mean?does this mean">[fn] Are we JewsJews">[fn] any better off? Not at all! For we have already accused everyone, both Jews and Greeks, of being under the power ofthe power of">[fn] sin.Romans 3:23; Galatians 3:22;">[xr]
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
So are we Jews better than others? No! We have already said that Jews and those who are not Jews are all guilty of sin.
What then? are we better than they? No, in no way: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;
What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.
What then? Are we better than they? In no wise: for we have before proved all, both Jews and Gentiles, to be under sin.
What then? Are we Jews more highly estimated than they? Not in the least; for we have already charged all Jews and Gentiles alike with being in thraldom to sin.
What thanne? Passen we hem? Nay; for we han schewid bi skile, that alle bothe Jewis and Grekis ben vndur synne,
What then? are we in worse case than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;
What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
What does all this mean? Does it mean that we Jews are better off than the Gentiles? No, it doesn't! Jews, as well as Gentiles, are ruled by sin, just as I have said.
Well then, are we [Jews] better off than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) are under the control of sin and subject to its power.
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;
What then? are we worse off than they? In no way: because we have before made it clear that Jews as well as Greeks are all under the power of sin;
So are we Jews better off? Not entirely; for I have already made the charge that all people, Jews and Gentiles alike, are controlled by sin.
What then? are we better? No, in no wise: for we have before charged both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin:
What then, have we attained excellence ? (No.) For before we decided of the Jihudoyee and of the Aramoyee that they are all under sin;
What then, have WE the superiority, when we have before decided as to both Jews and Gentiles, that all of them are under sin?
What then? are wee better then they? No in no wise: for we haue before proued both Iewes, and Gentiles, that they are all vnder sinne,
Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
What about it then? Are we Jews better than the people who are not Jews? Not at all! I have already said that Jews and the people who are not Jews are all sinners.
What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin,
What then? are we more excellent? No, in no wise: for we haue alreadie prooued, that all, both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne,
What then do we uphold that is superior? We have already decided concerning both Jews and Syrians, for they are all under sin.
What then? do we screen ourselves? Not at all! For we have before accused both Jews and Greeks of being, all under sin;
What then? Do we excel them? No, not so. For we have charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin.
What then? Are we better [then they?] No, in no wise. For we haue alredy proued, howe that both Iewes and Gentiles are all vnder sinne.
Well then, are we Jews in any better condition than the Gentiles? Not at all! I have already shown that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.
What then? Are we any better off? Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin,
What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin,
What then? Do we excel? Not at all! For we have charged both Jews and Greeks before, all with being under sin;
What, then? are we better? not at all! for we did before charge both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin,
What saye we then? Are we better then they? No, in no wyse: for we haue proued afore, yt both the Iewes and Grekes are all vnder synne.
"how then are we better than they?" why, not at all: for we have already convicted both Jews and Gentiles, of being all under the guilt of sin.
So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it: There's nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They've all taken the wrong turn; they've all wandered down blind alleys. No one's living right; I can't find a single one. Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mudslides. Every word they speak is tinged with poison. They open their mouths and pollute the air. They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year, litter the land with heartbreak and ruin, Don't know the first thing about living with others. They never give God the time of day. This makes it clear, doesn't it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it's clear enough, isn't it, that we're sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else's sin.
What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin,
Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-4">[xr] What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
Is it safe to say the Jews are better off than everyone else? Nope! Jews and outsiders (those who were not born Jews) are all under the power of sin.
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
What then? Are we better? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
what then: Romans 3:5, Romans 6:15, Romans 11:7, 1 Corinthians 10:19, 1 Corinthians 14:15, Philippians 1:18
are we: Romans 3:22, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 65:5, Luke 7:39, Luke 18:9-14, 1 Corinthians 4:7
proved: Gr. charged, Romans 1:28-32, Romans 2:1-16
that they: Galatians 3:10, Galatians 3:22
Reciprocal: Genesis 6:5 - God Genesis 19:13 - Lord hath 1 Kings 19:4 - better Job 15:16 - abominable Psalms 36:2 - until Ecclesiastes 7:10 - wisely Ecclesiastes 7:29 - they Ezekiel 16:51 - Samaria Matthew 7:11 - being Matthew 7:13 - for Luke 1:6 - righteous John 3:7 - Ye Acts 15:9 - put Romans 3:19 - and all the Romans 11:32 - God Galatians 2:15 - sinners Galatians 6:13 - keep Ephesians 2:3 - we Titus 3:3 - we 1 John 5:19 - and the
Cross-References
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
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.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
What then? are we better than they?.... The apostle returns to what he was treating of in the beginning of the chapter, and suggests, that though the Jew has the advantage of the Gentile, with respect to some external privileges, yet not with regard to their state and condition God-ward, and as in his sight; "are we [Jews] better than they [Gentiles]?"
no, in no wise; upon no consideration whatever, neither as men, nor as Jews; which is directly opposite to a notion that people have of themselves:
"in mankind (they say r) there are high degrees, one higher than another, and the Israelites למעלה מכל מין אדם, "are above all mankind"; they are the head, and the nations of the world are the tail, and are like to a serpent, for they come from the filth of the old serpent.''
Again, they say s,
"worthy are the Israelites, for the holy blessed God hath given to them holy souls, from an holy place, "above all the rest of the people", that they may do the commandments, and delight in the law.''
And elsewhere t it is observed on those words, Genesis 1:24, "the living creature", or "the soul of the living creature", by R. Aba:
"these are the Israelites, for they are the children of the holy blessed God, and their holy souls come from him; the souls of the rest of the people, from what place are they? says R. Eleazar, from the side of the left hand, which is defiled; for they have polluted souls, and therefore they are all defiled, and defile whoever comes nigh them:''
but they are no better, especially with regard to their estate by nature:
for we have before proved; in the preceding chapters, by full instances to a demonstration; and if that cannot be thought sufficient, he goes on to give more proof in the following "verses":
that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin; under the power and guilt of sin, and a sentence of condemnation for it; which is equally true of the Jews, who were no better than the Gentiles, for being Abraham's seed, for being circumcised, for having the ceremonial law, and other outward privileges; for they were equally born in sin, and by practice sinners, as the Gentiles: and this is true of God's elect in all nations, who are no better by nature, by birth, than others; as deserving of the wrath of God as the rest; no better in their tempers and, dispositions, or in the endowments of their minds, or outward circumstances of life; nor better qualified to receive and improve the grace of God bestowed on them, than others.
r Tzeror Hammor, fol. 103. 2. Vid. Nishmat Chayim, orat. 2. c. 7. fol. 61. 1. s Zohar in Lev. fol 28. 2. t Zohar in Gen. fol. 31. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
What then? - This is another remark supposed to be made by a Jewish objector. “What follows? or are we to infer that we are better than others?
Are we better than they? - Are we Jews better than the Gentiles? Or rather, have we any preference, or advantage as to character and prospects, over the Gentiles? These questions refer only to the great point in debate, to wit, about justification before God. The apostle had admitted Romans 3:2 that the Jews had important advantages in some respects, but he now affirms that those advantages did not make a difference between them and the Gentiles about justification.
No, in no wise - Not at all. That is, the Jews have no preference or advantage over the Gentiles in regard to the subject of justification before God. They have failed to keep the Law; they are sinners; and if they are justified, it must be in the same way as the rest of the world.
We have before proved ... - Romans 1:21-32; Romans 2:0.
Under sin - Sinners. Under the power and dominion of sin.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Romans 3:9. JEW. What then? — After all, have not we Jews a better claim to the privileges of the kingdom of God than the Gentiles have?
APOSTLE. No, in no wise — For I have already proved that both Jews and Gentiles are under the guilt of sin; that they are equally unworthy of the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom; and that they must both, equally, owe their salvation to the mere mercy of God. From this, to the end of the 26th verse, the apostle proceeds to prove his assertion, that both Jews and Gentiles were all under sin; and, that he might enforce the conviction upon the heart of the Jew, he quotes his own Scriptures, which he acknowledged had been given by the inspiration of GOD, and consequently true.
