Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Verse

Romans 3:22

ESV the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
NIV This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
NASB but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction,
CSB The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction.
NLT We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
KJV 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:
NKJV even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

What does Romans 3:22 mean?

Paul has thoroughly and completely eliminated the possibility that anyone can be made right with God by following the law. Simply put, absolutely nobody seeks God sufficiently to earn the label "righteous" (Romans 3:10). That means all people, Jew and Gentile, deserve the wrath of God for sin. Having said that, and making it clear that no person has any hope of heaven by their own efforts, Paul has suddenly thrown open the door to another way to be made righteous. To be made righteous before God is the only way to be saved from God's wrath.

Paul sums up very clearly that the righteousness of God is available to humans through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. How is this possible? Paul will go on to show that only Jesus ever kept the law perfectly. He then died for the sins of all of us lawbreakers. When we place our faith in Jesus, God gives us credit for His righteousness and receives Jesus' payment of His own death for our sin.

The verse ends with the beginning of a new thought: "There is no distinction." Paul means that there is no difference between any groups of human beings. He will say in the next verse that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. This includes every kind of people group: Jews, Gentiles, men, women, the oppressed, the oppressors, those who do good works and those who do not. Everyone sins, and none of us earn God's glory.
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: