Romans 3:5

But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Paul addresses his Roman readers immediately after affirming God’s absolute truthfulness in 3:4 and before confronting God’s role as judge in 3:6. He poses a rhetorical question to address a potential objection about divine justice.

The words — The Greek συνίστησιν (sunistēsin) literally means “shows” or “demonstrates,” indicating how human unrighteousness (ἀδικία, adikia) functions to display God’s righteousness. Paul uses these terms to frame the logical relationship between human sin and divine character.

The thread — Paul repeats the disclaimer “I am speaking in human terms” in Romans 6:19 and Galatians 3:15 to acknowledge the limitation of anthropomorphic language. The tension between human sin and divine wrath also appears in Romans 2:5.

Why it lands — The text forces the reader to reject the logical conclusion that human sin justifies accusing God of injustice. It requires accepting that God’s righteous judgment remains valid regardless of how human failure serves to display His character.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

Cross-references

Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
Galatians 3:15 Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
Romans 2:5 But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 9:18 Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
1 Corinthians 9:8 Do I say this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.
Nahum 1:2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.
Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has discovered?
Romans 7:7 What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
Psalms 94:1 O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth.