Devine Scripture

Romans 3:7

What does Romans 3:7 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 3:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 3:7 means

Paul continues the reductio: if God’s truth is made clearer by my lie, why am I condemned as a sinner? The argument suggests that increased divine glory should cancel human guilt. But this trades on a false premise—that outcomes alone determine morality. Scripture teaches that God can overrule evil for his purposes without ever endorsing the evil. We remain responsible for our choices. God’s glory does not depend on our sin; it shines despite it. Thus a lie is still a lie, and it merits judgment. This verse strips away the illusion that good results can sanctify corrupt motives or actions before a holy God.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But if, because I am untrue, God being seen to be true gets more glory, why am I to be judged as a sinner?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for if the truth of God in my falsehood did more abound to His glory, why yet am I also as a sinner judged?

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie, unto his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For if the truth ofGod, in my lie, has more abounded to his glory, why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

Context

Having denied that God is unjust to judge, Paul now addresses a cunning evasion: if sin magnifies God’s truth, why judge the sinner? Verse 7 presents the question to unveil its moral confusion. Verse 8 discloses that some slander Paul as if he taught, “Let us do evil that good may come,” and he condemns that view. With such objections shown to be baseless, Paul returns in verse 9 to his main thesis that all are under sin. He then supports it with a carefully selected series of Old Testament quotations (verses 10–18), before concluding that the law silences every mouth and cannot justify (verses 19–20).

v.6God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

v.7This passage

v.8and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just.

Cross references

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

  • Matthew 26:34

    Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

  • Romans 3:4

    God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.

  • Isaiah 10:6

    I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

  • Matthew 26:69

    Now Peter was sitting without in the court: and a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilæan.

  • Acts 13:27

    For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

  • 2 Kings 8:10

    And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou shalt surely recover; howbeit Jehovah hath showed me that he shall surely die.

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