Romans 10:3 (DRB)

Passage

For they, not knowing the justice of God and seeking to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the justice of God.

Nearby Context

Romans 10:1 Brethren, the will of my heart, indeed and my prayer to God is for them unto salvation.

Romans 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Romans 10:3 For they, not knowing the justice of God and seeking to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the justice of God.

Romans 10:4 For the end of the law is Christ: unto justice to everyone that believeth.

Romans 10:5 For Moses wrote that the justice which is of the law: The man that shall do it shall live by it.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "knowing", "justice", "seeking", "establish", "submitted", and "themselves". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "knowing" and "justice", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "For I bear them witness that they..." into verse 4's "For the end of the law is...", so "knowing" and "justice" 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 "knowing" and "justice" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.