Keraia
Romans 3

Romans 3:13

There Is No One Righteous · Romans 3:9–20
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Translations

Modern
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
Traditional
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Literal
“Their throat is a grave having been opened; they keep practicing deceit with their tongues;” “the poison of vipers is under their lips,”
Latin
Sepulchrum patens est guttur eorum, linguis suis dolose agebant: venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum:

Original

Greek
English
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”

Notes

Romans 3:13–14

Paul here speaks about sins of speech. In each of the four lines, he mentions a different part of the body used for speaking.

Romans 3:10–18

The six quotations in these verses come from different parts of the Old Testament. All of them speak about human sinfulness.

Paul follows a teaching practice used by Jewish teachers. They gathered several Old Testament passages that shared the same theme and placed them together. This method is sometimes called pearl-stringing (linking texts one after another to make a single point).

Romans 1:18–3:20

Paul waits to explain righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until he first teaches about the sinfulness of all people. Both non-Jews and Jews are equally under the power of sin (1:18–32; 2:1–3:8). Because of this, both groups are in the same situation before God. No one can gain God’s favor by their own actions or obedience (3:9–20). All people need God’s saving action, not their own efforts.

Parallels

Psalm 14:1–7 Psalm 53:1–6 Isaiah 59:1–17

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Bible, Quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament Faith Last Judgment Letter to the Romans Sin

Topics

Adder Asp: (Venom of), of the Speech of the Wicked Asp: A Venomous Serpent Asp: Venom of, Illustrates the Speech of the Wicked Bigotry: Paul's Argument Against Boasting: Spiritual Character of the Wicked: Deceitful Deceit: The Tongue is an Instrument of Deceit: The Tongue, the Instrument of Depravity of Man: General Scriptures Concerning Eternal Life: Cannot be Inherited by Works Liars Speaking: Evil The Fall of Man: Man in Consequence of Corrupt and Perverse in his Ways The Fall of Man: Man in Consequence of Corrupt in Speech Wicked (People): Described