Romans 3 27

Romans 3:27 kjv

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Romans 3:27 nkjv

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

Romans 3:27 niv

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith.

Romans 3:27 esv

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.

Romans 3:27 nlt

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.

Romans 3 verses

Romans 3 27 Meaning

Romans 3:27 asserts that all human boasting or self-glory is completely eliminated or shut out, because salvation and righteousness before God are not achieved through adherence to works of the Law, but rather through the principle of faith. This verse underscores that there is no room for human merit or pride in the process of justification, as it is solely God's gracious provision through faith in Christ Jesus.

Romans 3 27 Context

Romans 3:27 is a pivotal summary and conclusion drawn from Paul's preceding argument in the Epistle to the Romans. Having meticulously established the universal sinfulness of both Jews and Gentiles (Rom 1:18-3:18) and affirmed that "by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight" (Rom 3:20), Paul then reveals God's ultimate solution: a righteousness from God apart from the law, through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21-26). Verse 27, therefore, logically follows this grand theological declaration of justification by grace through faith. It poses a rhetorical question concerning the practical consequence of such a mode of salvation: if salvation is by faith, what happens to human pride and boasting, particularly for those who relied on the Law as a basis for their standing before God? The historical context is significant, as many Jews, though not all, understood their covenant status and future salvation as intimately tied to their meticulous observance of the Mosaic Law. Paul is directly challenging this deeply ingrained perspective, showing that the new way of justification through faith in Christ removes any basis for ethnic or individual boasting.

Romans 3 27 Word analysis

• Where then is boasting? (Ποῦ οὖν ἡ καύχησις;)

  • Where (Ποῦ, Pou): An interrogative adverb meaning "in what place" or "by what means." It strongly emphasizes the absence or exclusion of something. It's not just "is it gone?" but "where can it even be found?".
  • then (οὖν, oun): A particle that indicates a logical inference or conclusion. "Therefore" or "consequently." Paul is drawing a direct deduction from the preceding explanation of justification by faith (Rom 3:21-26).
  • boasting (ἡ καύχησις, hē kauchēsis): Refers to the act of glorying, boasting, or the ground for boasting. In this context, it speaks to self-glorying in one's own achievements, especially the fulfillment of religious duties or ethnic identity (like Jewish covenant status through the Law). Paul consistently rejects human boasting as being contrary to God's sole glory (1 Cor 1:29-31, Eph 2:9).
    • This kauchēsis was often based on the privileges of being God's chosen people, the possession of the Law, and meticulous adherence to it.

• It is excluded. (ἐξεκλείσθη.)

  • is excluded (ἐξεκλείσθη, exekleisthē): The Greek verb is strong: "to shut out," "to preclude," "to lock out completely," "to close up." The aorist passive indicative tense suggests a definite and completed action, the effect of which remains. Boasting has been definitively and thoroughly shut out, not just reduced or limited.
    • The implication is that the nature of God's redemptive work is such that it by definition excludes any ground for human self-merit.

• By what kind of law? Of works? (Διὰ ποίου νόμου; Τῶν ἔργων;)

  • By what kind of law? (Διὰ ποίου νόμου; Dia poiou nomou?): Paul presents a rhetorical question.
    • Law (νόμου, nomou): This word can refer to the Mosaic Law specifically, or more generally to a principle, rule, or sphere of operation. Here, Paul uses it to distinguish between two overarching principles by which one might seek to be righteous.
    • kind of (ποίου, poiou): "Of what kind" or "by what sort of rule." It emphasizes the character or nature of the law/principle in question.
  • Of works? (Τῶν ἔργων; Tōn ergōn?): "Of deeds" or "of actions." Refers to human performance or efforts to earn righteousness or merit before God, often particularly linked to the meticulous observance of the Mosaic Law and its commands (e.g., circumcision, dietary laws, sabbath observance) which formed the core of Jewish religious practice for some.
    • This concept implies that righteousness is earned through human activity.

• No, but by the law of faith. (Οὐχί, ἀλλὰ διὰ νόμου πίστεως.)

  • No (Οὐχί, Ouchi): A very strong negative, equivalent to "no indeed" or "absolutely not." It completely rejects the previous suggestion.
  • but (ἀλλὰ, alla): A strong adversative conjunction, meaning "on the contrary," or "rather." It introduces a sharp contrast to the previous point.
  • by the law of faith (διὰ νόμου πίστεως, dia nomou pisteōs):
    • Law of faith: This phrase does not signify a new set of regulations or a different "Mosaic Law" that demands faith. Rather, "law" here refers to a principle or sphere of operation. It is the ruling principle by which God now deals with humanity for justification.
    • It signifies the realm or system where faith, not works, is the foundational and active principle for acquiring righteousness. It is a contrast between earning a relationship with God through merit and receiving it through trust in His provision. It’s a "system" where faith is the exclusive criterion.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Where then is boasting? It is excluded.": This sets up the central argument. Paul states a definitive consequence of God's plan of salvation by faith. The rhetorical question drives home the point: if salvation is truly by grace through faith, human pride finds no ground.
  • "By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.": This section highlights the radical theological shift from human-centered religious performance to a God-centered reliance on divine grace. It defines the mechanism by which boasting is excluded—not by a principle of human effort, but by the entirely different principle of trusting in God. It implicitly critiques the contemporary Jewish understanding that their Law-observance offered a unique path to justification, replacing it with the universal principle of faith.

Romans 3 27 Bonus section

The "law of faith" in this verse is not a legalistic code requiring a specific quantity of faith, but rather describes the operating principle of God's salvific work post-Christ. It redefines the entire framework of interaction between God and humanity regarding righteousness. This understanding counters any attempt to turn faith itself into a work that earns merit. Faith, in this context, is the hand that receives God's gift, not the merit that earns it. This passage lays critical groundwork for understanding the inclusion of Gentiles alongside Jews in God's salvation plan (Rom 3:29-30), as neither group can boast based on works or heritage. All stand equally condemned by sin and equally saved by faith.

Romans 3 27 Commentary

Romans 3:27 stands as a foundational statement regarding the implications of justification by faith alone. Having declared that righteousness is now received apart from the Law through faith in Christ, Paul naturally poses the question about the place of human boasting. The answer is categorical: it is utterly excluded. The exclusion of boasting is crucial because it ensures that all glory goes to God for salvation, rather than being shared with human effort. This refutes any notion of earning salvation or having superior merit based on personal obedience or heritage. The contrast between "the law of works" and "the law of faith" clarifies the two mutually exclusive principles by which humanity might seek to stand before God. One is based on human achievement, leading to pride; the other is based on trusting God's provision in Christ, leading to humility and praise. True humility and dependence on God are natural outcomes when one recognizes that salvation is a pure gift, leaving no room for self-righteousness.