Romans 10:3
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Romans 10:3 in other translations
| BSB | Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. |
|---|---|
| WEB | For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. |
| ASV | For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. |
| YLT | for not knowing the righteousness of God, and their own righteousness seeking to establish, to the righteousness of God they did not submit. |
| DARBY | For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. |
| BBE | Because, not having knowledge of God's righteousness, and desiring to give effect to their righteousness, they have not put themselves under the righteousness of God. |
| Webster | For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. |
What does Romans 10:3 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Of God's righteousness. Not of the personal holiness of God, but of God's plan of justifying men, or of declaring them righteous by faith in his Son. Acts 1:17. Here God's plan stands opposed to their efforts to make themselves righteous by their own works.
And seeking to establish, etc. Endeavouring to confirm or make valid their own righteousness; to render it such as to constitute a ground of justification before God; or to make good their own claims to eternal life by their merits. This stands opposed to the justification by grace, or to God's plan. And they must ever be opposed. This was the constant effort of the Jews; and in this they supposed they had succeeded. See Paul's experience in Php 3:4-6; Acts 26:5. Instances of their belief on this subject occur in all the gospels, where our Saviour combats their notions of their own righteousness. See particularly their views and evasions exposed in Mt 23. Comp. Mt 5:20, etc.; Mt 6:2-5. It was this which mainly opposed the Lord Jesus and his apostles; and it is this confidence in their own righteousness which still stands in the way of the progress of the gospel among men.
Have not submitted themselves. Confident in their own righteousness, they have not yielded their hearts to a plan which requires them to come confessing that they have no merit, and to be saved by the merit of another. No obstacle to salvation by grace is so great as the self-righteousness of the sinner.
Righteousness of God. His plan or scheme of justifying men.
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 10:1-4
The Jews built on a false foundation, and refused to come to Christ for free salvation by faith, and numbers in every age do the same in various ways. The strictness of the law showed men their need of salvation by grace, through faith. And the ceremonies shadowed forth Christ as fulfilling the righteousness, and bearing the curse of the law. So that even under the law, all who were justified before God, obtained…
Romans 10:3 in the original Greek
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Romans 10:3
- Luke 16:15
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
- Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
- Revelation 3:17-18
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
- Romans 5:19
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
- Luke 18:9-12
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
- Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
- Romans 3:22
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
- Isaiah 57:12
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
- Isaiah 51:8
For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.
- Isaiah 56:1
Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
- Nehemiah 9:33
Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:17; 3:22,26; 5:19; 9:30; Ps 71:15,16,19; Isa 51:6,8; 56:1
Jer 23:5,6; Da 9:24; Joh 16:9,10; 2Co 5:21; 2Pe 1:1
to establish.
9:31,32; Isa 57:12; 64:6; Lu 10:29; 16:15; 18:9-12; Ga 5:3,4; Php 3:9
Re 3:17,18
submitted.
Le 26:41; Ne 9:33; Job 33:27; La 3:22; Da 9:6-9; Lu 15:17-21
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Romans 10:2
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
- Romans 10:3
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
- Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Romans 10:3 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Porque ignorando la justicia de Dios, y procurando establecer la suya propia, no se han sujetado á la justicia de Dios. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Car, ignorant la justice de Dieu et cherchant à établir leur propre justice, ils ne se sont pas soumis à la justice de Dieu. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Denn da sie Gottes Gerechtigkeit nicht erkannten und ihre eigene Gerechtigkeit aufzurichten trachteten, haben sie sich der Gerechtigkeit Gottes nicht unterworfen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Ignorantes enim justitiam Dei, et suam quærentes statuere, justitiæ Dei non sunt subjecti. |