Romans 3:3 (ASV)

Passage

For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God?

Nearby Context

Romans 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?

Romans 3:2 Much every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God.

Romans 3:3 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God?

Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.

Romans 3:5 But if our righteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.)

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "some", "without", "shall", "want", "make", and "none". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "faith" and "some", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "Much every way first of all that..." into verse 4's "God forbid yea let God be found...", so "faith" and "some" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "faith" and "some" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.