Romans 3:5 (WEB)

Passage

But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

Nearby Context

Romans 3:3 For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?

Romans 3:4 May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “That you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”Psalm 51:4

Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

Romans 3:6 May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "unrighteousness", "commends", "inflicts", "wrath", "speak", and "like". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "unrighteousness" and "commends", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "May it never be Yes let God..." into verse 6's "May it never be For then how...", so "unrighteousness" and "commends" 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 "unrighteousness" and "commends" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.