Romans 3:3 (DBY)

Passage

For what? if some have not believed, shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect?

Nearby Context

Romans 3:1 What then [is] the superiority of the Jew? or what the profit of circumcision?

Romans 3:2 Much every way: and first, indeed, that to them were entrusted the oracles of God.

Romans 3:3 For what? if some have not believed, shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect?

Romans 3:4 Far be the thought: but let God be true, and every man false; according as it is written, So that thou shouldest be justified in thy words, and shouldest overcome when thou art in judgment.

Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend God's righteousness, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak according to man.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "faith", "some", "believed", "shall", "unbelief", "make", "none", and "effect". 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 and first indeed that..." into verse 4's "Far be the thought but let God...", 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.