Meaning, commentary and cross references
Romans 3:10
“as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
NIV · New International Version
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
WEB · World English Bible
As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.
What does Romans 3:10 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Romans 3:10
As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. The several passages cited here, and in some following verses, are taken out of the Psalms and Isaiah; and are brought to prove, not only that the Jews are no better than the Gentiles, being equally corrupt and depraved as they; but also to show the corrupt state and condition of mankind in general: and the words are not always literally expressed, but the sense is attended to, as in this passage; for in the original text of Psalm 14:1, it is, "there is none that doth good"; from whence the apostle rightly infers, "there is none righteous"; for he that does not do good, is not righteous; and therefore if there is none on earth that…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Romans 3:1–18
[1.] There is none righteous, none that has an honest good principle of virtue, or is governed by such a principle, none that retains any thing of that image of God, consisting in righteousness, wherein man was created; no, not one; implying that, if there had been but one, God would have found him out. When all the world was corrupt, God had his eye upon one righteous Noah. Even those who through grace are justified and sanctified were none of them righteous by nature.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on Romans 3:10–18
10. As it is written, etc. He has hitherto used proofs or arguments to convince men of their iniquity; he now begins to reason from authority; and it is to Christians the strongest kind of proof, when authority is derived from the only true God. And hence let ecclesiastical teachers learn what their office is; for since Paul asserts here no truth but what he confirms by the sure testimony of Scripture, much less ought such a thing to be attempted by those, who have no other commission but to preach the gospel, which they have received through Paul and others.
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Romans 3:7–13 (WEB)
7For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let’s do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned. 9What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one. 11There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. 12They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.” 13“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips.”
Cross references
- Psalms 53:1–3
- Psalms 14:1–3
- Romans 3:23
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
- 1 John 1:8–10
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Job 15:14
What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
- Job 25:4
How then can man be just with God? Or how can he who is born of a woman be clean?
- Mark 7:21–22
For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,
- Mark 10:18
Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God.
Key words
In the Baptist Catechism
- Q22. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereunto man fell?
The sinfulness of that estate whereunto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.