Romans 3:18 (DBY)

Passage

there is no fear of God before their eyes.

Nearby Context

Romans 3:16 ruin and misery [are] in their ways,

Romans 3:17 and way of peace they have not known:

Romans 3:18 there is no fear of God before their eyes.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the things the law says, it speaks to those under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be under judgment to God.

Romans 3:20 Wherefore by works of law no flesh shall be justified before him; for by law [is] knowledge of sin.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "fear", "before", and "eyes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "fear" and "before", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "and way of peace they have not..." into verse 19's "Now we know that whatever the things...", so "fear" and "before" 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 "fear" and "before" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.