20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
20 For by works of the law no human being
20 Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else's sin.
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.
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
15 A contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect. But if there is no contract in the first place, simply a promise - and God's promise at that - you can't break it.
15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
(Read Romans 4:13-22)
The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points at Christ, and it refers to the promise, Genesis 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showing that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointed it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who were of the like precious faith with Abraham, whether Jews or Gentiles, in all ages. The justification and salvation of sinners, the taking to himself the Gentiles who had not been a people, were a gracious calling of things which are not, as though they were; and this giving a being to things that were not, proves the almighty power of God. The nature and power of Abraham's faith are shown. He believed God's testimony, and looked for the performance of his promise, firmly hoping when the case seemed hopeless. It is weakness of faith, that makes a man lie poring on the difficulties in the way of a promise. Abraham took it not for a point that would admit of argument or debate. Unbelief is at the bottom of all our staggerings at God's promises. The strength of faith appeared in its victory over fears. God honours faith; and great faith honours God. It was imputed to him for righteousness. Faith is a grace that of all others gives glory to God. Faith clearly is the instrument by which we receive the righteousness of God, the redemption which is by Christ; and that which is the instrument whereby we take or receive it, cannot be the thing itself, nor can it be the gift thereby taken and received. Abraham's faith did not justify him by its own merit or value, but as giving him a part in Christ.
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law.
13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.
13 That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses.
13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
(Read Romans 5:12-14)
The design of what follows is plain. It is to exalt our views respecting the blessings Christ has procured for us, by comparing them with the evil which followed upon the fall of our first father; and by showing that these blessings not only extend to the removal of these evils, but far beyond. Adam sinning, his nature became guilty and corrupted, and so came to his children. Thus in him all have sinned. And death is by sin; for death is the wages of sin. Then entered all that misery which is the due desert of sin; temporal, spiritual, eternal death. If Adam had not sinned, he had not died; but a sentence of death was passed, as upon a criminal; it passed through all men, as an infectious disease that none escape. In proof of our union with Adam, and our part in his first transgression, observe, that sin prevailed in the world, for many ages before the giving of the law by Moses. And death reigned in that long time, not only over adults who wilfully sinned, but also over multitudes of infants, which shows that they had fallen in Adam under condemnation, and that the sin of Adam extended to all his posterity. He was a figure or type of Him that was to come as Surety of a new covenant, for all who are related to Him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Romans 3:20
Commentary on Romans 3:19-20
(Read Romans 3:19-20)
It is in vain to seek for justification by the works of the law. All must plead guilty. Guilty before God, is a dreadful word; but no man can be justified by a law which condemns him for breaking it. The corruption in our nature, will for ever stop any justification by our own works.