Romans 3:20

Contemporary English Version (Anglicised) 2012

God doesn't accept people simply because they obey the Law. No, indeed! All the Law does is to point out our sin.

Cross References

Job 15:15

and neither are angels— not in the sight of God. If God doesn't trust his angels,

Psalm 130:3

If you kept record of our sins, no one could last long.

Psalm 143:2

I am your servant. Don't try me in your court, because no one is innocent by your standards.

Acts 13:39

But everyone who has faith in Jesus is set free.

Romans 2:13

God accepts those who obey his Law, but not those who simply hear it.

Romans 3:28

We see that people are acceptable to God because they have faith, and not because they obey the Law.

Romans 4:13

God promised Abraham and his descendants that he would give them the world. This promise wasn't made because Abraham had obeyed a law, but because his faith in God made him acceptable.

Romans 4:15

God becomes angry when his Law is broken. But where there isn't a law, it cannot be broken.

Romans 5:13

Sin was in the world before the Law came. But no record of sin was kept, because there was no Law.

Romans 5:20

The Law came, so that the full power of sin could be seen. Yet where sin was powerful, God's kindness was even more powerful.

Romans 7:11

Sin used this command to trick me, and because of it I died.

1 Corinthians 15:56

Sin is what gives death its sting, and the Law is the power behind sin.

Galatians 2:16

But we know that God accepts only those who have faith in Jesus Christ. No one can please God by simply obeying the Law. So we put our faith in Christ Jesus, and God accepted us because of our faith.

Galatians 2:19

It was the Law itself that killed me and freed me from its power, so that I could live for God. I have been nailed to the cross with Christ.

Galatians 5:4

And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his wonderful kindness.

Hebrews 7:19

because the Law cannot make anything perfect. At the same time, we are given a much better hope, and it can bring us close to God.