Romans 3:6
New International Version
Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?

New Living Translation
Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?

English Standard Version
By no means! For then how could God judge the world?

Berean Standard Bible
Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

Berean Literal Bible
Never may it be! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?

King James Bible
God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

New King James Version
Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?

New American Standard Bible
Far from it! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?

NASB 1995
May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?

NASB 1977
May it never be! For otherwise how will God judge the world?

Legacy Standard Bible
May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?

Amplified Bible
Certainly not! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?

Christian Standard Bible
Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Absolutely not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?

American Standard Version
God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

Contemporary English Version
But the answer is, "No." Otherwise, how could God judge the world?

English Revised Version
God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
That's unthinkable! Otherwise, how would God be able to judge the world?

Good News Translation
By no means! If God is not just, how can he judge the world?

International Standard Version
Of course not! Otherwise, how could God judge the world?

Majority Standard Bible
Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

NET Bible
Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world?

New Heart English Bible
Absolutely not. For then how will God judge the world?

Webster's Bible Translation
By no means: for then how shall God judge the world?

Weymouth New Testament
No indeed; for in that case how shall He judge all mankind?)

World English Bible
May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Let it not be! Since how will God judge the world?

Berean Literal Bible
Never may it be! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?

Young's Literal Translation
let it not be! since how shall God judge the world?

Smith's Literal Translation
It may not be: for how shall God judge the world.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
(I speak according to man.) God forbid: otherwise how shall God judge this world?

Catholic Public Domain Version
(I am speaking in human terms.) Let it not be so! Otherwise, how would God judge this world?

New American Bible
Of course not! For how else is God to judge the world?

New Revised Standard Version
By no means! For then how could God judge the world?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Far be it: for then how could God judge the world?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
God forbid! Otherwise, how will God judge the universe?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
It can not be: for if so, how shall God judge the world?

Godbey New Testament
It could not be so: then how will God judge the world?

Haweis New Testament
God forbid: for how then shall God judge the world?

Mace New Testament
not at all: for then how could God judge the world?

Weymouth New Testament
No indeed; for in that case how shall He judge all mankind?)

Worrell New Testament
It could not be! for, then, how shall God judge the world?

Worsley New Testament
for then how shall God judge the world?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Remains Faithful
5But 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. 6 Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world? 7However, if my falsehood accentuates God’s truthfulness, to the increase of His glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?…

Cross References
Psalm 51:4
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Genesis 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

Job 8:3
Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?

Job 34:12
Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He.

2 Chronicles 19:7
And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”

Psalm 9:8
He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity.

Psalm 96:13
before the LORD, for He is coming—He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.

Psalm 98:9
before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.

Isaiah 11:4
but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.

Acts 17:31
For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

2 Thessalonians 1:5-6
All this is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment. And so you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. / After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

Revelation 19:11
Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.

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 2:16
on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.


Treasury of Scripture

God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

God forbid.

Romans 3:4
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

for then.

Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Job 8:3
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

Job 34:17-19
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? …

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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.














Certainly not!
This phrase is a strong negation in the Greek, "μὴ γένοιτο" (mē genoito), which is often translated as "God forbid" in other versions. It is an emphatic rejection of the idea that God could be unrighteous. Paul uses this expression to dismiss any notion that contradicts God's nature. Historically, this reflects the Jewish understanding of God's holiness and justice, which is foundational to the faith. The phrase underscores the impossibility of God acting contrary to His righteous character.

In that case
This phrase introduces a logical consequence or hypothetical scenario. Paul is engaging in a form of argumentation known as diatribe, where he anticipates objections and responds to them. The context here is a rhetorical question that challenges the reader to consider the implications of the previous argument. It reflects the methodical and reasoned approach Paul uses throughout his epistle to the Romans.

how could God judge the world?
The concept of God as judge is deeply rooted in both the Old and New Testaments. The Greek word for "judge" here is "κρίνω" (krinō), which means to separate, distinguish, or make a decision. This reflects the biblical portrayal of God as the ultimate arbiter of justice. Historically, the Jewish people understood God as the righteous judge of all nations, as seen in passages like Psalm 96:13. The phrase emphasizes the necessity of God's justice as a fundamental aspect of His divine nature. Without God's righteous judgment, the moral order of the universe would collapse, highlighting the importance of divine justice in maintaining the balance between good and evil.

(6) For then how shall God judge the world?--St. Paul considers it a sufficient answer merely to propound this question. He and those to whom he was writing all assumed that there must be a future judgment.

The way in which Bishop Butler deals with the argument from necessity is very similar to this, substituting only present for future judgment. "It is fact that God does govern even brute creatures by the method of rewards and punishments in the natural course of things. And men are rewarded and punished for their actions--punished for actions mischievous to society as being so, punished for vicious actions as such--by the natural instrumentality of each other under the present conduct of Providence," &c. Hence the necessitarian is in this dilemma: either his opinion is not true, or else it must be capable of being harmonised with these facts. The facts themselves are postulated.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Absolutely not!
γένοιτο (genoito)
Verb - Aorist Optative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

In that case,
ἐπεὶ (epei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1893: Of time: when, after; of cause: since, because; otherwise: else. From epi and ei; thereupon, i.e. Since.

how
πῶς (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

{could} God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

judge
κρινεῖ (krinei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2919: Properly, to distinguish, i.e. Decide; by implication, to try, condemn, punish.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative 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.

world?
κόσμον (kosmon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).


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NT Letters: Romans 3:6 May it never be! (Rom. Ro)
Romans 3:5
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