The Meaning of Romans 3:19 Explained

Romans 3:19

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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;

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Romans 3:19 Mean?

Study Notes

become
be brought under the judgment of God.

Context Summary

Romans 3:9-20 - All Justly Under Judgment
A number of quotations are advanced-mostly from the Septuagint or Greek version of the Old Testament-establishing the hopeless evil of man's condition. These apply, in the first place, to God's peculiar people, the Jews; but if true of them, how terrible must be the condition of the great heathen world! Every mouth will be stopped and all the world brought in guilty before God, Romans 3:19. Various organs of the body are enumerated, and in each ease some terrible affirmation is made of inbred depravity. What need for salvation! What can atone for such sin, or cleanse such hearts, save the redeeming grace of God?
Law here is obviously employed in the wide sense of conscience as well as Scripture. It is God's ideal held up before our faces, to show us from what we have fallen. The looking-glass is intended, not to wash the face, but to show how much it needs washing. You may commend your soap, and no one will use it; but if you reveal the discoloring filth, people will be only too glad to avail themselves of the cleansing power which otherwise they would neglect and despise. The way to fill the inquiry room is to hold up the divine standard before men's consciences. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 3

1  The Jews prerogative;
3  which they have not lost;
9  howbeit the law convinces them also of sin;
20  therefore no one is justified by the law;
28  but all, without difference, by faith, only;
31  and yet the law is not abolished

Greek Commentary for Romans 3:19

That every mouth may be stopped [ινα παν στομα πραγηι]
Purpose clause with ινα — hina and second aorist passive subjunctive of πρασσω — phrassō old verb to fence in, to block up. See note on 2 Corinthians 11:10. Stopping mouths is a difficult business. See note on Titus 1:11 where Paul uses επιστομιζειν — epistomizein (to stop up the mouth) for the same idea. Paul seems here to be speaking directly to Jews (τοις εν τωι νομωι — tois en tōi nomōi), the hardest to convince. With the previous proof on that point he covers the whole ground for he made the case against the Gentiles in Romans 1:18-32. [source]
May be brought under the judgement of God [υποδικος γενηται τωι τεωι]
“That all the world (Jew as well as Gentile) may become (γενηται — genētai) answerable (υποδικος — hupodikos old forensic word, here only in N.T.) to God (dative case τωι τεωι — tōi theōi).” Every one is “liable to God,” in God‘s court. [source]
We know []
Often in Paul, of a thing generally conceded. [source]
Saith - speaketh [λέγει - λαλεῖ]
See on Matthew 28:18. The former contemplates the substance, the latter the expression of the law. [source]
May be stopped [φραγῇ]
Lit., fenced up. The effect of overwhelming evidence upon an accused party in court. [source]
May become guilty before God [ὑπόδικος γένηται τῷ Θεῷ]
Rev., brought under the judgment of God. Ὑπόδικος underjudgment, occurs only here. In classical Greek it signifies brought to trial or liable to be tried. So Plato, “Laws,” 846, of a magistrate imposing unjust penalties. “Let him be liable to pay double to the injured party.” Id., 879, “The freeman who conspired with the slave shall be liable to be made a slave.” The rendering brought under judgment regards God as the judge; but He is rather to be regarded as the injured party. Not God's judgments, but His rights are referred to. The better rendering is liable to pay penalty to God. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 3:19

Luke 14:23 Hedges []
is fenced in places from πρασσω — phrassō to fence in (Romans 3:19).Compel (αναγκασον — anagkason). First aorist active imperative of αναγκαζω — anagkazō from αναγκη — anagkē (Luke 14:18). By persuasion of course. There is no thought of compulsory salvation. “Not to use force, but to constrain them against the reluctance which such poor creatures would feel at accepting the invitation of a great lord” (Vincent). As examples of such “constraint” in this verb, see note on Matthew 14:22; Acts 26:11; Galatians 6:12.That my house may be filled First aorist passive subjunctive of γεμιζω — gemizō to fill full, old verb from γεμω — gemō to be full. Effective aorist. Subjunctive with ινα — hina in final clause. The Gentiles are to take the place that the Jews might have had (Romans 11:25). Bengel says: Nec natura nec gratia patitur vacuum. [source]
John 10:34 Law [νόμῳ]
The word is sometimes used in the New Testament of other scriptures. See John 12:34; John 15:25; Romans 3:19; 1 Corinthians 14:21. [source]
John 10:34 Is it not written? [ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενον]
Periphrastic perfect passive indicative of γραπω — graphō (as in John 2:17) in place of the usual γεγραπται — gegraptai “Does it not stand written?” In your law From Psalm 82:6. The term νομος — nomos (law) applying here to the entire O.T. as in John 12:34; John 15:25; Romans 3:19; 1 Corinthians 14:21. Aleph D Syr-sin. omit υμων — humōn but needlessly. We have it already so from Jesus in John 8:17. They posed as the special custodians of the O.T. I said Recitative οτι — hoti before a direct quotation like our quotation marks. Ειπα — Eipa is a late second aorist form of indicative with -α — a instead of -ον — on Ye are gods Another direct quotation after ειπα — eipa but without οτι — hoti The judges of Israel abused their office and God is represented in Psalm 82:6 as calling them “gods” (τεοι — theoi elohim) because they were God‘s representatives. See the same use of elohim in Exodus 21:6; Exodus 22:9, Exodus 22:28. Jesus meets the rabbis on their own ground in a thoroughly Jewish way. [source]
Acts 17:24 The world [τὸν κόσμον]
Originally, order, and hence the order of the world; the ordered universe. So in classical Greek. In the Septuagint, never the world, but the ordered total of the heavenly bodies; the host of heaven (17:3; Isaiah 24:21; 40:26). Compare, also, Proverbs href="/desk/?q=pr+17:6&sr=1">Proverbs 17:6, and see note on James 3:6. In the apocryphal books, of the universe, and mainly in the relation between God and it arising out of the creation. Thus, the king of the world (2 Maccabees 7:9); the creator or founder of the world (2 Maccabees 12:15). In the New Testament: 1. In the classical and physical sense, the universe (John href="/desk/?q=joh+17:5&sr=1">John 17:5; John 21:25.; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 1:4, etc.). 2. As the order of things of which man is the centre (Matthew 13:38; Mark 16:15; Luke 9:25; John 16:21; Ephesians 2:12; 1 Timothy 6:7). 3. Humanity as it manifests itself in and through this order (Matthew 18:7; 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:6; Romans 3:19). Then, as sin has entered and disturbed the order of things, and made a breach between the heavenly and the earthly order, which are one in the divine ideal - 4. The order of things which is alienated from God, as manifested in and by the human race: humanity as alienated from God, and acting in opposition to him (John 1:10; John 12:31; John 15:18, John 15:19; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:15, etc.). The word is used here in the classical sense of the visible creation, which would appeal to the Athenians. Stanley, speaking of the name by which the Deity is known in the patriarchal age, the plural Elohim, notes that Abraham, in perceiving that all the Elohim worshipped by the numerous clans of his race meant one God, anticipated the declaration of Paul in this passage (“Jewish Church,” i., 25). Paul's statement strikes at the belief of the Epicureans, that the world was made by “a fortuitous concourse of atoms,” and of the Stoics, who denied the creation of the world by God, holding either that God animated the world, or that the world itself was God. [source]
2 Corinthians 11:10 No man shall stop me of this boasting [ἡ καύχησις αὕτη οὐ φραγήσεται εἰς ἐμὲ]
Lit., this boasting shall not be blocked up as regards me. The boasting is that of preaching gratuitously. For the verb, compare Romans 3:19; Hebrews 11:33. [source]
Galatians 4:21 The law [τὸν νόμον]
In a different sense, referring to the O.T. For a similar double sense see Romans 3:19. For νόμος as a designation of the O.T. generally, see 1 Corinthians 14:21; John 10:24; John 11:34; John 15:25. [source]
Galatians 4:13 Ye know [οἴδατε δὲ]
The A.V. omits δὲ which is wanting in some Mss. Δὲ not oppositional as commonly explained: “Ye did not injure me, but on the contrary ye know, etc.”; but introducing an explanation of ye did not injure me by reference to the fact that they might easily have been moved to do him wrong by the unfavorable circumstances under which he first preached the gospel to them (through infirmity of the flesh). The formulas οἶδα δὲ , οἴδαμεν δὲ , οἴδατε δὲ , are habitually used by Paul to introduce an explanation of what precedes, from a new point of view. See Romans 2:2; Romans 3:19; Romans 15:29; Philemon 4:15. The general sense therefore is: “Ye did not wrong me at all as you might easily have been moved to do; for ( δὲ ) you know in what an unfavorable light my infirmities placed me when I first came among you.” [source]
Colossians 2:14 Of ordinances [τοῖς δόγμασιν]
See on Luke href="/desk/?q=lu+2:1&sr=1">Luke 2:1. Lit., in ordinances; consisting in, or, as Rev., written in, as suggested by handwriting. As Paul declares this bond to be against us, including both Jews and Gentiles, the reference, while primarily to the Mosaic law, is to be taken in a wider sense, as including the moral law of God in general, which applied to the Gentiles as much as to the Jews. See Romans 3:19. The law is frequently conceived by Paul with this wider reference, as a principle which has its chief representative in the Mosaic law, but the applications of which are much wider. See on Romans 2:12. This law is conceived here as a bond, a bill of debt, standing against those who have not received Christ. As the form of error at Colossae was largely Judaic, insisting on the Jewish ceremonial law, the phrase is probably colored by this fact. Compare Ephesians 2:15. [source]
2 Thessalonians 1:11 All the good pleasure of his goodness [πᾶσαν εὐδοκίαν ἀγαθωσύνης]
Wrong. Paul does not mean all the goodness which God is pleased to bestow, but the delight of the Thessalonians in goodness. He prays that God may perfect their pleasure in goodness. So Weizsäcker, die Freude an allem Guten. The Rev. desire for εὐδοκίαν is infelicitous, and lacks support. Ἁγαθωσύνη goodness(P. see on Romans 3:19) is never predicated of God in N.T. In lxx, see Nehemiah 9:25, Nehemiah 9:35. Ἑυδοκία goodpleasure, delight, is a purely Biblical word. As related to one's self, it means contentment, satisfaction: see Song of Solomon 3:4; 16:12. As related to others, good will, benevolence. Luke href="/desk/?q=lu+10:21&sr=1">Luke 10:21, Ephesians 1:5, Ephesians 1:9; Philemon 1:15; Philemon 2:13; Ps. of Song of Solomon 8:39. [source]
Hebrews 11:33 Stopped [ἔφραξαν]
The verb means to fence in; block up. Rare in N.T. See Romans 3:19; 2 Corinthians 11:10, and comp. φραγμός afence, Matthew 21:33; Ephesians 2:14. Occasionally in lxx, as Job 38:8; Proverbs 21:13; Zechariah 14:5. The reference is no doubt to Daniel, Daniel 6:22; comp. 1 Maccabees 2:60. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 3:19 mean?

We know now that whatever the law says to those under the law it speaks so that every mouth may be stopped and under judgment may be all world - to God
Οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὅσα νόμος λέγει τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς κόσμος τῷ Θεῷ

Οἴδαμεν  We  know 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ὅσα  whatever 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὅσος  
Sense: as great as, as far as, how much, how many, whoever.
νόμος  law 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.
λέγει  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
τοῖς  to  those 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐν  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐν 
Sense: in, by, with etc.
νόμῳ  law 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.
λαλεῖ  it  speaks 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
πᾶν  every 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
στόμα  mouth 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: στόμα  
Sense: the mouth, as part of the body: of man, of animals, of fish, etc.
φραγῇ  may  be  stopped 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φράσσω  
Sense: to fence in, block up, stop up, close up.
ὑπόδικος  under  judgment 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὑπόδικος  
Sense: under judgment, one who lost his suit.
γένηται  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
κόσμος  world 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κόσμος  
Sense: an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεῷ  to  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.