Romans 4:9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. Truth to Learn We can receive the same blessedness that Abraham enjoyed through faith. Behind the Words “Blessedness” is from makarismos, which we...
Romans 4:8 – Blessed Through Faith
Romans 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the lord shall not impute sin." Truth to Learn God considers those who believe His promises as sinless. As a result, He shows His favor to them. Behind the Words The word translated “Blessed” is makarios. We looked at the verb form...
Romans 4:7 – Thrown-away and Covered
Romans 4:7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Truth to Learn God has separated our sins us from and has covered them with the blood of Christ. Behind the Words The word translated, “lawless deeds” is the Greek word, anomia, which is made...
Romans 4:6 – Righteousness Without Works
Romans 4:6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: Truth to Learn David also talked about those who are blessed due to God’s declaring them righteous without having done good works. Behind the Words “Just as” is translated from...
Romans 4:5 – Gift of Righteousness
Romans 4:5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, Truth to Learn It is our faith that God reckons as righteousness, not our works. Behind the Words The Greek word translated “ungodly” is asebēs. This is...
Romans 4:4 – Unearned Gift
Romans 4:4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. Truth to Learn Abraham did not earn his righteousness and neither can we. Behind the Words The words “who works” are translated from ergodzomai, which means “to work or labor.” “Wages” is from...
Romans 4:3 – Righteous Abraham
Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Truth to Learn Righteousness comes by believing God’s message. Behind the Words The Greek word translated “accounted” is logidzomai, which is an accounting term meaning “to count out as one would...
Romans 4:2 – No Bragging
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. Truth to Learn Abraham was not saved by doing good works. Behind the Words “Boast” is translated from kauchēma, which is derived from the verb kauchaomai, meaning “to brag” or “to...
Romans 4:1 – Righteousness by Faith Demonstrated
Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? Truth to Learn The Old Testament has examples of justification by faith. Behind the Words “What then shall we say” is a rhetorical question that Paul uses often in this letter to the...
Romans 3:31 – Established, Not Nullified
Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. Truth to Learn Living by faith upholds the law, it doesn’t destroy it. Behind the Words The Greek word translated “we make void” is a form of the verb katargeō....
Romans 3:30 – Faith for All
Romans 3:30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Truth to Learn God will justify anyone who comes by faith. Behind the Words The Greek word starting off this verse is different depending on which Greek text is used. Some...
Romans 3:29 – Non-Exclusive God
Romans 3:29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, Truth to Learn No group of people has exclusive rights to God and His truth. Behind the Words “Only” is translated from the Greek word...
Romans 3:28 – Faith Alone
Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Truth to Learn Righteousness comes by faith and faith alone, not by works. Behind the Words “Therefore” is from the Greek word oun, which marks a connection between the current phrase...
Romans 3:27 – No Bragging Rights
Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Truth to Learn Salvation through faith in the blood of Christ is nothing to brag about. Behind the Words “Boasting” is from kauchēsis, which refers to the act of...
Romans 3:26 – His Righteousness
Romans 3:26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Truth to Learn God’s plan of salvation draws attention to His righteousness. Behind the Words The word “demonstrate” if translated from endeixis, which refers...
Romans 3:25 – Covered by The Blood
Romans 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, Truth to Learn God will pass by our sins covered by the blood of Christ. Behind the Words...
Romans 3:24 – Free Righteousness
Romans 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Truth to Learn Through faith in Jesus Christ we are declared to be righteous. Behind the Words “Being justified” is translated from dikaioō. This is based on dikaios, which as we saw in verse...
Romans 3:23 – Sinners All
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Truth to Learn Every one of us has committed sin. As a result, we don’t meet God’s reputation. Behind the Words “All” is translated from a form of the Greek word pas, which means “all, the...
Romans 3:22 – Through Faith
Romans 3:22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; Truth to Learn You can’t earn righteousness, but you can receive it. Behind the Words The word translated “faith” is the Greek word pistis. This is...
Romans 3:21 – Righteousness Without Works
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, Truth to Learn There is a righteousness, which the Old Testament declared, that does not result from obeying all the rules. Behind the Words “Righteousness” is from the...
Romans 3:20 – Good Deeds
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Truth to Learn No one can do enough good deeds to be saved. Behind the Words “Therefore” is translated from the Greek word dioti,...
Romans 3:19 – Guilty!
Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Truth to Learn None of us can live without breaking the rules, no not one. Behind...
Romans 3:18 – Fear God
Romans 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Truth to Learn It is good to fear God. Behind the Words The word translated “fear” is the Greek word “phobos” from which we get the English term “phobia.” It means, as it has been translated, “fear” plain and...
Romans 3:17 – The Peace Path
Romans 3:17 And the way of peace they have not known." Truth to Learn Real peace is only experienced on God’s path. Behind the Words The word translated “peace” is eirēnē, which refers to “the absence of warfare and dissention.” It is also used metaphorically, as in this verse, to...
Romans 3:16 – Pathway Choices
Romans 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways; Truth to Learn The path we take is up to us. The end result is up to God. Behind the Words The word translated “destruction” comes from the Greek word suntrimma, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and a...
Romans 3:15 – Eager Violence
Romans 3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; Truth to Learn Bloodshed and violence are part of human nature. Behind the Words “Swift” is translated from the Greek word oxus. The basic meaning of this word is “to have a sharp, piercing point or a very sharp edge.” But...
Romans 3:14 – Words of Bitterness
Romans 3:14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." Truth to Learn Other people’s words can be hurtful, but ours shouldn’t be so. Behind the Words The word translated “cursing” is ara, which originally meant “a prayer,” but it has come to mean an imprecatory prayer or “a curse.”...
Romans 3:13 – Painful Words
Romans 3:13 "Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "the poison of asps is under their lips"; Truth to Learn Our words can be powerful weapons of pain if not controlled. Behind the Words The word translated “throat” is the Greek word larugx, from...
Romans 3:12 – Wayward and Useless
Romans 3:12 They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." Truth to Learn Doing religious things our own way is useless. Behind the Words The word translated, “turned aside” is ekklinō, which is made up of ek, meaning “out...
Romans 3:11 – I Don’t Understand
Romans 3:11 There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. Truth to Learn We do not seek out God; He draws us to Him. Behind the Words The word translated “understands” is the Greek word suniēmi, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and hiēmi,...
Romans 3:10 – No Not One!
Romans 3:10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; Truth to Learn None of us meets God’s standard of righteousness. Behind the Words The words “it is written” are translated from a single Greek verb, graphō. This word literally means “to engrave,” that is, “to write.”...