Rom 3:19-20 | PNT | STEP | Whatever things soever the law saith , etc. The law of Moses was written for the Jews especially, and whatsoever it saith, it saith to those under it, to the Jews; just as the United States law is addressed to the people of the United States. That every mouth may be stopped . It has just been seen that even the mouth of the Jew is stopped, since "none are righteous, no, not one" ( ); hence all the world , Jew as well as Gentile, are "guilty before God".

‏ Romans 3:19-20

Whatever things soever the law saith, etc. The law of Moses was written for the Jews especially, and whatsoever it saith, it saith to those under it, to the Jews; just as the United States law is addressed to the people of the United States.

That every mouth may be stopped. It has just been seen that even the mouth of the Jew is stopped, since "none are righteous, no, not one" (Ro 3:10 Ps 14:3); hence all the world, Jew as well as Gentile, are "guilty before God". Therefore by the deeds of the law. "Works of the law" (Revised Version). In the Greek, this reads, "Works of law". The statement is general, and of course would include the law of Moses.

Shall no flesh be justified. Since all are found to be sinners, law-breakers, none can be counted sinless; or, in other words, justified.

For by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. Again the article "the" is not found in the Greek before "law". Law, generally, when once known, reveals to us that we are transgressors. The savage steals as a legitimate pursuit, but when once he hears the law, "Thou shalt not steal" (Ex 20:15), his sin is revealed.