Romans 3:5 (ASV)

Passage

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.)

Nearby Context

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.)

Romans 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

Romans 3:7 But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "righteousness", "commendeth", "shall", "unrighteous", "visiteth", "wrath", and "speak". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "righteousness" and "commendeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "God forbid yea let God be found..." into verse 6's "God forbid for then how shall God...", so "righteousness" and "commendeth" 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 "righteousness" and "commendeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.