Romans 3:23–26
All fell short, and God presents Jesus as the way to be declared righteous
Study it word by word23for all sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24being declared righteous freely by his grace through the redemption that is in the Messiah Jesus,
25whom God put forward as a cover of expiation through faith, in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness, because of the passing over of the sins committed beforehand
26in the forbearance of God; for the demonstration of his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be righteous and the one who declares righteous the one who is of faith in Jesus.
In its context
21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been made manifest, being testified to by the law and the prophets,
22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus the Messiah for all who believe; for there is no distinction,
…
27Where, then, is boasting? It was excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from works of the law.
Its words in the original
- ἥμαρτονhēmarton· sin
Sin: fail God, do what he forbids.
- ὑστεροῦνταιhysterountai· run short, lack
Run short, lack; fall behind.
- δόξηςdoxēs· glory
Glory: splendor, honor, the weight of God's presence.
- θεοῦtheou· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- δικαιούμενοιdikaioumenoi· declare righteous
Declare righteous: pronounce someone right before God, acquit; also show to be right. In the passive, "be declared righteous", "be acquitted".
- δωρεὰνdōrean· without cause, freely
Freely, as a gift; for no reason.
- χάριτιchariti· grace
Grace, favor.
- ἀπολυτρώσεωςapolytrōseōs· redemption
Redemption: release by the payment of a ransom; deliverance.
- ΧριστῷChristōi· Messiah
Messiah: literally "anointed", the king or envoy God consecrates with oil. It is a title, not a surname; in Hebrew, mashiach.
- ἸησοῦIēsou· Jesus
Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), which means "YHWH saves". It is the name the angel told Joseph to give him (Matthew 1:21).
- προέθετοproetheto· plan, display
Plan, purpose to do something; also set forth publicly, put on display.
- ἱλαστήριονhilastērion· cover of expiation
Cover of expiation: the lid of the ark where the blood of atonement was sprinkled; a means of expiation.
- πίστεωςpisteōs· faith
Faith: firm trust in God; also faithfulness.
- αἵματιhaimati· blood
Blood; also life poured out.
- ἔνδειξινendeixin· demonstration, proof
Demonstration, proof: what makes something plain.
- δικαιοσύνηςdikaiosynēs· righteousness
Righteousness: what is right before God, and living by it.
- πάρεσινparesin· passing over
Passing over: leaving sins unpunished for a time.
- προγεγονότωνprogegonotōn· happen before
Happen before, take place earlier.
- ἁμαρτημάτωνhamartēmatōn· sin
Sin, a wrong committed.
- ἀνοχῇanochēi· forbearance
Forbearance: holding back, waiting without punishing yet.
- καιρῷkairōi· time, right time
Time, the appointed moment.
- εἶναιeinai· be
Be, exist.
- δίκαιονdikaion· righteous, just
Righteous, just: someone who lives by what is right before God.