Romans 3 31

Romans 3:31 kjv

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Romans 3:31 nkjv

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 3:31 niv

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:31 esv

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:31 nlt

Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Romans 3 verses

Romans 3 31 Meaning

Romans 3:31 emphatically clarifies the relationship between justification by faith and the Mosaic Law. Paul poses a rhetorical question, asking if the teaching that righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from works of the Law, makes the Law invalid or useless. He then delivers a powerful, negative interjection, stating that it absolutely does not. On the contrary, Paul asserts that faith, far from nullifying the Law, actually establishes, upholds, or confirms its true purpose and authority.

Romans 3 31 Context

Romans 3:31 serves as a crucial summary and rebuttal following Paul's profound theological argument regarding justification by faith in Romans 3:21-30. In this preceding section, Paul established that all, both Jews and Gentiles, are under the power of sin (Rom 3:9-20) and therefore cannot be justified by works of the Law. Instead, God's righteousness is now revealed through faith in Jesus Christ, accessible to all who believe, without distinction (Rom 3:21-26). This justification is by God's grace as a gift (Rom 3:24) through the atoning sacrifice of Christ (Rom 3:25-26). He concludes by asserting that boasting is excluded (Rom 3:27), and that God justifies both circumcised and uncircumcised by the same principle of faith (Rom 3:29-30). Given the central role of the Law in Jewish identity and their covenant relationship with God, the immediate implication for a Jewish reader might be that this "new way" of justification abolishes or diminishes the Law's authority. Paul preempts and directly addresses this perceived conflict with an emphatic declaration, reassuring his audience that faith does not destroy the Law but, surprisingly, establishes it.

Romans 3 31 Word analysis

• Μὴ (Mē): "Do... then?", "Not?" This particle introduces a question expecting a negative answer. Paul uses it here to present a perceived logical consequence of his argument, which he immediately and emphatically rejects.
• οὖν (Oun): "Then," "therefore." It connects the question to the preceding argument about justification by faith, signaling that the verse is addressing a direct implication or concern arising from the doctrine just articulated.
• καταργοῦμεν (Katargoumen): From katargeō, meaning "to make inoperative, abolish, annul, render powerless, put out of use." This is a strong verb indicating destruction or cessation of function. Paul's use of this verb highlights the radical nature of the supposed implication he is denying. The question implies that if salvation is by faith alone, the Law becomes null and void.
• τὸν νόμον (Ton nomon): "The law." Refers primarily to the Mosaic Law, the Torah. The definite article "ton" signifies a specific and well-known entity to the Jewish mind, emphasizing the sacred revelation from God.
• διὰ τῆς πίστεως (Dia tēs pisteōs): "Through faith" or "by means of faith." This phrase specifies the instrument or means by which God's righteousness is apprehended. It refers to faith in Jesus Christ, as previously elaborated in Romans 3:21-30.
• μὴ γένοιτο! (Mē genoito!): "By no means! May it never be! God forbid!" This is Paul's strongest expression of abhorrence and absolute rejection, frequently used in Romans (e.g., Rom 3:4, 6, 9, 6:2, 15, 7:7, 13, 9:14, 11:1, 11). It conveys Paul's profound indignation at the false premise or conclusion implied in the question.
• Ἀλλὰ (Alla): "But," "on the contrary." This conjunction introduces a strong counter-statement, directly opposing the idea just dismissed.
• νόμον ἱστάνομεν (Nomon histanomen): "We uphold the law," or "we establish the law."
  • νόμον (Nomos): Here, "law" is used without the definite article ("ton nomon"). While it often refers to the Mosaic Law, its anarthrous use can emphasize its quality or a broader concept of "law" or "God's standard." However, in context with "ton nomon" immediately preceding it, it's generally understood to refer to the Mosaic Law's validation or establishment.
  • ἱστάνομεν (histanomen): From histēmi, meaning "to make to stand, set up, establish, confirm, uphold." This verb is the antithesis of katargeō. Paul asserts that faith does not tear down the Law but rather affirms its rightful place, meaning, and authority within God's plan.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "Do we then overthrow the law by this faith?": This phrase perfectly encapsulates the potential objection arising from Paul's teaching on justification by faith. It highlights the perceived tension between God's prior revelation (Law) and the new understanding of righteousness (Faith).
  • "By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.": This two-part response forms an emphatic declaration. The initial rejection (mē genoito) shuts down the erroneous premise, while the contrasting assertion (alla nomon histanomen) provides the correct, positive understanding. It reveals that faith in Christ is not a radical break from God's established order but the ultimate fulfillment and affirmation of His righteousness. Faith upholds the Law by achieving its true end: demonstrating God's justice, revealing sin's depth, and leading humanity to its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

Romans 3 31 Bonus section

Paul's strong rejection of the idea that faith abolishes the Law is a key feature of his theology, assuring both Jewish and Gentile believers that Christianity is not a radical break from God's covenant purposes but a consistent and culminating outworking of them. The consistent use of "μὴ γένοιτο" throughout Romans signals moments where Paul anticipates objections and swiftly debunks misunderstandings. Here, it addresses the Jewish concern that justification by faith might devalue the sacred Torah. Paul intends to show that the new covenant, far from eliminating the Law, brings it to its ultimate, intended effect, particularly by revealing the perfect standard that only Christ could fulfill, and enabling believers through the Spirit to genuinely reflect the heart of the Law: love for God and neighbor. This verse asserts the moral continuity between the Old and New Testaments while emphasizing the salvific discontinuity concerning the means of justification.

Romans 3 31 Commentary

Romans 3:31 serves as a pivotal summary, demonstrating that Paul’s theology of justification by faith does not undermine God's Law but, paradoxically, upholds it. The "law" here refers primarily to the Mosaic Law, the revealed will and standard of God given to Israel. Faith establishes the Law in several profound ways. Firstly, faith confirms the Law’s purpose in revealing sin, showing humanity's inability to earn salvation, and thereby exposing the universal need for a Savior (Rom 3:20, Gal 3:24). The Law functions as a tutor leading to Christ. Secondly, faith validates the Law’s divine origin and goodness (Rom 7:12). God is faithful and just, and His way of salvation through Christ is consistent with His eternal character and purposes revealed in the Law and Prophets (Rom 3:21). Thirdly, true saving faith, enabled by the Holy Spirit, leads to a transformed life where the moral requirements of the Law are actually fulfilled, not through works-based effort, but through love and obedience that springs from a renewed heart (Rom 8:4, Rom 13:8-10, Gal 5:14). Thus, faith ensures that the Law's demands are not abrogated but properly lived out by those empowered by Christ, proving its ongoing validity and demonstrating God's consistent righteous standard for His people.