Romans 3:21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

◄ Romans 3:21 ►

New International Version
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

New Living Translation
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.

English Standard Version
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

Berean Standard Bible
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

Berean Literal Bible
But now apart from Law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being borne witness to by the Law and the Prophets.

King James Bible
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

New King James Version
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

New American Standard Bible
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

NASB 1995
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

NASB 1977
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Legacy Standard Bible
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Amplified Bible
But now the righteousness of God has been clearly revealed [independently and completely] apart from the Law, though it is [actually] confirmed by the Law and the [words and writings of the] Prophets.

Christian Standard Bible
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed—attested by the Law and the Prophets

American Standard Version
But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Contemporary English Version
Now we see how God does make us acceptable to him. The Law and the Prophets tell how we become acceptable, and it isn't by obeying the Law of Moses.

English Revised Version
But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Now, the way to receive God's approval has been made plain in a way other than Moses' Teachings. Moses' Teachings and the Prophets tell us this.

Good News Translation
But now God's way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it.

International Standard Version
But now, apart from the Law, God's righteousness is revealed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets—

Majority Standard Bible
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.

NET Bible
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed--

New Heart English Bible
But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the Law and the Prophets;

Webster's Bible Translation
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being testified by the law and the prophets;

Weymouth New Testament
But now a righteousness coming from God has been brought to light apart from any Law, both Law and Prophets bearing witness to it--

World English Bible
But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And now apart from law the righteousness of God has been revealed, testified to by the Law and the Prophets,

Berean Literal Bible
But now apart from Law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being borne witness to by the Law and the Prophets.

Young's Literal Translation
And now apart from law hath the righteousness of God been manifested, testified to by the law and the prophets,

Smith's Literal Translation
But now without law the justice of God has been made apparent, being testified by the law and by the prophets;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But now without the law the justice of God is made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But now, without the law, the justice of God, to which the law and the prophets have testified, has been made manifest.

New American Bible
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets,

New Revised Standard Version
But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, and the very law and prophets testify to it;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But now the justice of God has been revealed without The Written Law and The Written Law and The Prophets testify of it.

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
But now, God's plan of justifying men without law is revealed, being attested by the law and the prophets;

Godbey New Testament
And now the righteousness of God without law has been made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Haweis New Testament
But now distinct from the law the righteousness of God is manifest, receiving testimony from the law and the prophets;

Mace New Testament
but the divine justification certified by the law and the prophets, is now clearly proposed independently of the law:

Weymouth New Testament
But now a righteousness coming from God has been brought to light apart from any Law, both Law and Prophets bearing witness to it--

Worrell New Testament
But now, apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Worsley New Testament
But now, without the law, righteousness before God is manifested, being attested by the law and the prophets;

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Righteousness through Faith
20Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin. 21But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Galatians 3:21-22
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. / But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.

Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Romans 1:17
For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Romans 10:3-4
Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. / For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, / not by works, so that no one can boast.

Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Isaiah 53:11
After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

Jeremiah 23:5-6
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. / In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Habakkuk 2:4
Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—

Isaiah 45:24-25
Surely they will say of Me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame. / In the LORD all descendants of Israel will be justified and will exult.

Psalm 32:1-2
Of David. A Maskil. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. / Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Treasury of Scripture

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

righteousness.

Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 5:19,21
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous…

Romans 10:3,4
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God…

being.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; …

Luke 24:44
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

John 1:45
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

and the.

Romans 1:2
(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

Romans 16:26
But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Acts 3:21-25
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began…

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Romans 3

1. The Jews prerogative;
3. which they have not lost;
9. howbeit the law convinces them also of sin;
20. therefore no one is justified by the law;
28. but all, without difference, by faith, only;
31. and yet the law is not abolished.

Berean Study Bible

But now
This phrase marks a significant transition in Paul's argument in the Book of Romans. The Greek word for "now" (νυνί, nuni) indicates a present reality that contrasts with the past. Paul has been discussing the universal sinfulness of humanity and the inability of the law to justify. "But now" introduces the new era of salvation history inaugurated by Christ's work. It signifies a pivotal moment where God's redemptive plan is being revealed in a new and profound way.

apart from the law
The Greek phrase "χωρὶς νόμου" (chōris nomou) emphasizes that the righteousness of God is independent of the Mosaic Law. This is a radical departure from Jewish thought, which held the law as central to righteousness. Paul is asserting that God's righteousness is accessible outside the confines of the law, highlighting the universal scope of the gospel. This independence from the law underscores the grace and mercy of God, who provides a way of salvation that is not contingent upon human effort or adherence to the law.

the righteousness of God
The term "righteousness" (δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosynē) in this context refers to God's own righteousness, which He imparts to believers. It is a key theme in Romans, denoting both God's character and His means of justifying sinners. This righteousness is not earned but is a gift from God, reflecting His justice and faithfulness. It is a divine attribute that becomes accessible to humanity through faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrating God's commitment to uphold justice while providing a means for human redemption.

has been revealed
The Greek word "πεφανέρωται" (pephanerōtai) means "has been made manifest" or "has been disclosed." This revelation is not a new creation but an unveiling of what was previously hidden. It indicates that God's plan for righteousness, though present in the Old Testament, is now fully disclosed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This revelation is a divine act, showing that salvation is initiated by God and not by human discovery or achievement.

as attested by the Law and the Prophets
This phrase underscores the continuity of God's plan of salvation. The Greek word "μαρτυρουμένη" (martyroumenē) means "witnessed" or "testified." Paul is affirming that the righteousness of God, now revealed in Christ, is consistent with the Old Testament Scriptures. "The Law and the Prophets" is a Jewish idiom for the entire Hebrew Bible, indicating that the gospel is not a departure from Jewish tradition but its fulfillment. This attestation provides a foundation for the gospel's credibility, showing that it is rooted in God's longstanding covenantal promises.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21-26) This then introduces the solemn enunciation, repeated more fully from Romans 1:16-17, of the great subject of the Epistle, the declaration of that new scheme by which, through Christ, God had removed the guilt which the Law (whether Jewish or any other) could not remove.

(21-22) Such was the condition of the world up to the coming of Christ. But now, in contrast with the previous state of things, a new system has appeared upon the scene. In this system law is entirely put on one side, though the system itself was anticipated in and is attested by those very writings in which the Law was embodied. Law is now superseded, the great end of the Law, the introduction of righteousness, being accomplished in another way, viz., through faith in Christ, by which a state of righteousness is superinduced upon all believers.

(21) But now.--In these latter days. The Apostle conceives of the history of the world as divided into periods; the period of the Gospel succeeds that of the Law, and to it the Apostle and his readers belong. (Comp. for this conception of the gospel, as manifested at a particular epoch of time, Romans 16:25-26; Acts 17:30; Galatians 3:23; Galatians 3:25; Galatians 4:3-4; Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:21; Colossians 1:26; 1Timothy 2:6; 2Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 1:1; 1Peter 1:20.) . . .

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 21-31. - (4) The righteousness of God, manifested in Christ and apprehended by faith, is the sole remedy, and available for all. The position enunciated in Romans 1:18 being now sufficiently established, the apostle enters here on his main argument, announced in Romans 1:17. Verse 21. - But now (νυνὶ here may have either its temporal sense of at the present time, or its logical sense of as things are. For its use in the latter sense, cf. Romans 7:17; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 Corinthians 15:20) the righteousness of God without law (i.e. apart from law) is (or, has been) manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets. On the essential meaning of God's righteousness (Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνη), see on Romans 1:17, and Introduction. This passage, in which the thesis of Romans 1:17 is formally enunciated, is consistent with this meaning; in confirmation of which observe vers. 25, 26, where δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ evidently means God's own righteousness, as also above, ver. 5. If this view is correct, there is no need to follow commentators into their discussions of the significance of χωρὶς νόμου in supposed connection with the idea of man's imputed righteousness; such as whether it is meant to declare justification through Christ to be without the aid of the Law - "sine legis adminiculo" (Calvin) - or to exclude all legal works, done before, or even after justification, from any share in the office of justification. However true these positions may be, what is said here seems simply to mean that God's righteousness has been manifested in Christ in a different way, and on a different principle, from that of law. The principle of law is to enjoin and forbid, and to require complete obedience; but law, even as exhibited in the Divine Law of the Jews, has been shown to fail to enable man thus to attain to δικαιοσύνη; therefore, apart from this exacting principle, the righteousness of God is now revealed to man, embracing him in itself. The absence of the article before νόμου here, and its insertion in the latter clause of the same verse, where the Mosaic Law is definitely referred to, is fully explained by what has been said above under Romans 2:13. Being witnessed, etc., is introduced parenthetically by way of intimating that this manifestation of God's righteousness, though "apart from law," is not in any opposition to the teaching of the Law and the prophets, being, in fact, anticipated by them. The proof of this appears afterwards in ch. 4.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

now,
Νυνὶ (Nyni)
Adverb
Strong's 3570: A prolonged form of nun for emphasis; just now.

apart from
χωρὶς (chōris)
Preposition
Strong's 5565: Apart from, separately from; without. Adverb from chora; at a space, i.e. Separately or apart from.

[the] Law,
νόμου (nomou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.

[the] righteousness
δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification.

of God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

has been revealed,
πεφανέρωται (pephanerōtai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5319: To make clear (visible, manifest), make known. From phaneros; to render apparent.

as attested
μαρτυρουμένη (martyroumenē)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3140: To witness, bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report. From martus; to be a witness, i.e. Testify.

by
ὑπὸ (hypo)
Preposition
Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when).

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Law
νόμου (nomou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Prophets.
προφητῶν (prophētōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4396: From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.

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NT Letters: Romans 3:21 But now apart from the law (Rom. Ro)