Romans 3:10-31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:15

Their feet are swift to shed blood. The sins of the heart and mouth are before described, and now the sins of action are taken notice of; for "the feet" are the instruments of motion and action: and when these are said to be "swift to shed blood", it denotes the readiness and eagerness of men, to murder innocent creatures; which shows the dreadful malice and hatred that is in them. The words are cited from Isaiah 59:7 , and seem to point at the times of Manasseh, who shed so much innocent... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:16

Destruction and misery are in their ways. This passage also is to be found in Isaiah 59:7 , and may be understood either actively thus: all the ways they take, and methods they pursue, are to make their fellow creatures miserable, to ruin and destroy them; or passively, that by their sinful ways and vicious course of life, they themselves are brought to destruction and misery: the way they are walking in is, "the broad way, that leadeth to destruction", Matthew 7:13 ; the end of it, what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:17

And the way of peace have they not known. This is a citation front Isaiah 59:8 , and expresses the ignorance of mankind, with regard to true peace, and the way unto it: men are naturally ignorant of the way of peace with God; of the first step which God took towards it; of the council and covenant of peace, in which the scheme of it was drawn, and the method fixed; of Christ the peacemaker, and of the way in which he has made it; and of the Gospel, which reveals and publishes it. They are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:18

There is no fear of God before their eyes. The place referred to is Psalm 36:1 , by the "fear of God", is not meant a fear of God's wrath, of hell and damnation; nor a fearful distrust of his presence, power, providence, and grace; much less an hypocritical fear; but a reverential affection for God, and which is peculiar to the children of God, which springs from a sense of divine goodness, is attended with holiness of heart and life, is consistent with faith, even full assurance of it,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:19

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:20

Therefore by the deeds of the law ,.... Hence it most clearly appears, that there can be no justification before God by the law, since it stops the mouths of men, and pronounces them guilty: by "the deeds of the law" are meant, works done in obedience to it, as performed by sinful men, which are very imperfect; not as performed by Adam in innocence or by Christ in our nature whose works were perfect; but as performed by sinful men and of themselves, and not as performed in and by Christ for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:21

But now the righteousness of God ,.... The apostle having proved that all men are unrighteous, and that no man can be justified in the sight of God by his obedience, either to the law of nature or of Moses, proceeds to give an account of that righteousness, which does justify before God; and so returns to his former subject, Romans 1:17 , concerning "the righteousness of God", the revelation of which he makes to be peculiar to the Gospel, as he does here; since he says, that it without... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:22

Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ ,.... A further account is given of this righteousness: why it is called "the righteousness of God", and in what sense revealed and manifested; see Gill on Romans 1:17 ; Here it is said to be "by faith of Jesus Christ"; not by that faith which Christ himself had as man, but by that faith, of which he the author and object: the Alexandrian copy reads, "by faith in Jesus Christ"; and not by that as the cause of justification;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:23

For all have sinned ,.... This is the general character of all mankind; all have sinned in Adam, are guilty by his sin, polluted with it, and condemned for it; all are sinners in themselves, and by their own actual transgressions; this is the case of the whole world, and of all the men in it; not only of the Gentiles, but of the Jews, and the more righteous among them: hence there is no difference in the state and condition of men by nature; nor is there any reason from and in themselves,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace ,.... The matter of justification is before expressed, and the persons that share in this blessing are described; here the several causes of it are mentioned. The moving cause of it is the free grace of God; for by "the grace of God" here, is not meant the Gospel, or what some men call the terms of the Gospel, and the constitution of it; nor the grace of God infused into the heart; but the free love and favour of God, as it is in his heart; which is... read more

Group of Brands