Devine Scripture

Romans 3:25

What does Romans 3:25 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 3:25 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 3:25 means

God publicly presented Christ as a propitiation—an atoning sacrifice that turns aside wrath—through faith in his blood. This shows God’s righteousness, because in former times he passed over sins in forbearance. The cross reveals that such patience was not indifference; justice would be satisfied in Christ. God’s character is at stake: he must be seen as righteous in how he deals with sin. At Calvary, mercy and justice meet. We do not manipulate this grace; we receive it by faith, trusting that Christ’s blood has secured our pardon. The cross is God’s answer to how he can forgive without compromising holiness.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Whom God has put forward as the sign of his mercy, through faith, by his blood, to make clear his righteousness when, in his pity, God let the sins of earlier times go without punishment;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

whom God did set forth a mercy seat, through the faith in his blood, for the shewing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God--

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

whomGod has set forth a mercy-seat, through faith in his blood, for [the] shewing forth of his righteousness, in respect of the passing by the sins that had taken place before, through the forbearance ofGod;

Context

This verse deepens the explanation of justification (verse 24) by revealing the mechanism: Christ as propitiation in his blood, received by faith. It answers how God’s prior “passing over” of sins aligns with his righteousness—his patience anticipated the cross. Verse 26 will complete the thought, stating that God’s present justification of believers is righteous because of Christ’s work. With this theological center laid, verses 27–31 will turn to the implications for human boasting, the universality of salvation for Jew and Gentile, and the relationship between faith and the law. The argument moves from God’s act in Christ to our posture before him.

v.24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

v.25This passage

v.26for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Hebrews 11:14

    For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.

  • Acts 17:30

    The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:

  • Romans 5:11

    and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

  • Romans 2:4

    Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

  • Revelation 13:8

    And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.

  • Psalms 22:31

    They shall come and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done it.

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