Romans 3 · Verse 23

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:23, King James Version

Romans 3:23 in other translations

BSBfor all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
WEBfor all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
ASVfor all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
YLTfor all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God--
DARBYfor all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
BBEFor all have done wrong and are far from the glory of God;
WebsterFor all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

What does Romans 3:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 3:21-23

Ro 3:21-26. God's Justifying Righteousness through Faith in Jesus Christ, Alike Adapted to Our Necessities and Worthy of Himself. 21-23. But now the righteousness of God--(See on Ro 1:17). without the law--that is, a righteousness to which our obedience to the law contributes nothing whatever (Ro 3:28; Ga 2:16). is manifested, being witnessed--attested. by the law and the prophets--the Old Testament Scriptures. Thus…

Read the full comment on Romans 3:21-23 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. For all have sinned. This was the point which he had fully established in the discussion in these chapters.

And come short. Greek, Are deficient in regard to; are wanting, etc. Here it means, that they had failed to obtain, or were destitute of.

The glory of God. The praise or approbation of God. They had sought to be justified, or approved, by God; but all had failed. Their works of the law had not secured his approbation; and they were therefore under condemnation. The word glory--δοξα--is often used in the sense of praise, or approbation. Jn 5:41,44; Jn 7:18; 8:50,54, 12:43.

(b) "all have sinned" Eccl 7:20

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 For all have sinned : - And consequently are equally helpless and guilty; and, as God is no respecter of persons, all human creatures being equally his offspring, and there being no reason why one should be preferred before another, therefore his endless mercy has embraced All. And come short of the glory of God - και υστερουνται της δοξης του θεου These words have been variously translated. Failed of attaining the glory of God: Have not been able to bring glory to God: Stand in need of the glory, that is, the mercy of God. The simple meaning seems to be this: that all have sinned, and none can enjoy God's glory but they that are holy; consequently both Jews and Gentiles have failed in their endeavors to attain it, as, by the works of any law, no human being can be justified.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 3:21-26

Must guilty man remain under wrath? Is the wound for ever incurable? No; blessed be God, there is another way laid open for us. This is the righteousness of God; righteousness of his ordaining, and providing, and accepting. It is by that faith which has Jesus Christ for its object; an anointed Saviour, so Jesus Christ signifies. Justifying faith respects Christ as a Saviour, in all his three anointed offices, as…

Read the full comment on Romans 3:21-26 →

Romans 3:23 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.

πάντεςpantesAllG3956
γὰρgarforG1063
ἥμαρτονhēmartonhave sinnedG264
καὶkaiandG2532
ὑστεροῦνταιhusterountaithey fall shortG5302
τῆςtēsof theG3588
δόξηςdoxēsgloryG1391
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦtheouof GodG2316

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

Cross references for Romans 3:23

  • Ecclesiastes 7:20

    For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

  • 1 John 1:8-10

    If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

  • Romans 3:9

    What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

  • Galatians 3:22

    But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

  • Romans 11:32

    For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

  • Romans 3:19

    Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

  • 1 Thessalonians 2:12

    That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:14

    Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • 1 Peter 4:13

    But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

  • Romans 5:2

    By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

  • Romans 1:28-2:16

    And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: …

  • 1 Peter 5:10

    But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
all have.
9,19; 1:28-32; 2:1-16; 11:32; Ec 7:20; Ga 3:22; 1Jo 1:8-10
come.
Heb 4:1
of.
5:2; 1Th 2:12; 2Th 2:14; 1Pe 4:13; 5:1,10

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

Context

  • 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:

  • Romans 3:23

    For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

  • Romans 3:24

    Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Read all of Romans 3

Romans 3:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Por cuanto todos pecaron, y están destituídos de la gloria de Dios;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		car tous ont péché et n’atteignent pas à la gloire de Dieu,
German
Elberfelder 1871		denn alle haben gesündigt und erreichen nicht die Herrlichkeit Gottes,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		omnes enim peccaverunt, et egent gloria Dei.