Romans 3 · Verse 11

Romans 3:11

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Romans 3:11, King James Version

Romans 3:11 in other translations

BSB	There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
WEB	There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.
ASV	There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;
YLT	There is none who is understanding, there is none who is seeking after God.
DARBY	there is not the man that understands, there is not one that seeks after God.
BBE	Not one who has the knowledge of what is right, not one who is a searcher after God;
Webster	There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh God.

What does Romans 3:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 3:10-12

10-12. As it is written, &c.--(Psa 14:1-3; 53:1-3). These statements of the Psalmist were indeed suggested by particular manifestations of human depravity occurring under his own eye; but as this only showed what man, when unrestrained, is in his present condition, they were quite pertinent to the apostle's purpose.

Read the full comment on Romans 3:10-12 →

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. There is none that understandeth. In the Hebrew, (Ps 14:2), God is represented as looking down from heaven to see, that is, to make investigation, whether there were any that understood or sought after him. This circumstance gives not only high poetic beauty to the passage, but deep solemnity and awfulness. God, the Searcher of hearts, is represented as making investigation on this very point, he looks down from heaven for this very purpose, to ascertain whether there were any righteous. In the Hebrew it is not asserted, though it is clearly and strongly implied, that none such were found. That fact the apostle states. If, as the result of such an investigation, none were found; if God did not specify that there were any such; then it follows that there were none. For none could escape the notice of his eye; and if there had been any, the benevolence of his heart would have led him to record it. To understand is used in the sense of being wise; or of having such a state of moral feeling as to dispose them to serve and obey God. The word is often used in the Bible, not to denote a mere intellectual operation of the mind, but the state of the heart inclining the mind to obey and worship God, Ps 107:43, 119:27,100 Prov 2:5, Isa 6:10: "Lest they should understand with their heart," etc.

That seeketh after God. That endeavours to know and do his will, and to be acquainted with his character. A disposition not to seek after God, that is, to neglect and forget him, is one of the most decided proofs of depravity. A righteous man counts it his highest privilege and honour to know God, and to understand his will. A man can indulge in wickedness only by forgetting God. Hence a disposition not to seek God is full proof of depravity.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 3:9-18

Here again is shown that all mankind are under the guilt of sin, as a burden; and under the government and dominion of sin, as enslaved to it, to work wickedness. This is made plain by several passages of Scripture from the Old Testament, which describe the corrupt and depraved state of all men, till grace restrain or change them. Great as our advantages are, these texts describe multitudes who call themselves…

Read the full comment on Romans 3:9-18 →

Romans 3:11 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.

οὐκouknoneG3756

ἔστινestinthere isG1510

ὁhowhoG3588

συνίων,suniōnis understanding,G4920

οὐκouknoneG3756

ἔστινestinthere isG1510

ὁhowhoG3588

ἐκζητῶνekzētōnis seeking afterG1567

τὸνton<the>G3588

θεόν·theonGod;G2316

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 3:11

Psalms 14:2-4
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.
Psalms 53:2
God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
Titus 3:3
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Romans 8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Hosea 7:10
And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.
Jeremiah 4:22
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
Isaiah 65:1
I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
Isaiah 55:6
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isaiah 31:1
Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!
Proverbs 1:22
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Proverbs 1:29-30
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

none that understandeth.
1:22,28; Ps 14:2-4; 53:2,4; 94:8; Pr 1:7,22,29,30; Isa 27:11
Jer 4:22; Ho 4:6; Mt 13:13,14,19; Tit 3:3; 1Jo 5:20
seeketh.
8:7; Job 21:15,16; Isa 9:13; 31:1; 55:6; 65:1; Ho 7:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Romans 3:11
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Romans 3:12
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Read all of Romans 3

Romans 3:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	No hay quien entienda, no hay quien busque á Dios;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	il n’y a personne qui ait de l’intelligence, il n’y a personne qui recherche Dieu;
German Elberfelder 1871	da ist keiner, der verständig sei; da ist keiner, der Gott suche.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	non est intelligens, non est requirens Deum.