Romans 3:12

12 They have all gone from the way; they have together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

Romans 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 3:12

They are all gone out of the way
In ( Psalms 14:3 ) ; it is said, "they are all gone aside"; as persons in debt: man had a considerable stock of righteousness, holiness, knowledge but he has run through all, has contracted large and numerous debts, has been obliged to hide himself, has been used as a bankrupt, and turned out of house and home: Christ indeed has undertook to pay, and he has paid all the debts of his people; and has put them into a better state than ever Adam was in: in ( Psalms 53:3 ) , it is rendered, "everyone of them is gone back"; that is, from God; from his commands, and from their former state and condition: here the phrase is rendered by the apostle, "they are all gone out of the way": that is, out of the way of God and his precepts, out of the way of holiness and righteousness, of light and life; into their own ways, the ways of sin, Satan, and the world of darkness, and of death: so Aben Ezra explains it, "out of the right way"; Kimchi and Ben Melech paraphrase it, "out of the good way: and so"

they are together become unprofitable;
the word (wxlan) , in ( Psalms 14:3 ) and ( Psalms 53:3 ) ; is translated, "they are become filthy"; which R. Aben Ezra interprets by (wtxvn) , "they are corrupt"; and R. Solomon Jarchi by (lwqlql wkphn) , "they are turned to corruption"; the metaphor is taken from stinking flesh, which is tainted and corrupted, and so good for nothing, hence here rendered "unprofitable"; for so men being corrupted by sin, are of no use, service, and advantage to God, to men, or to themselves; but, on the contrary, nauseous to God, and to all that are good, and hurtful to themselves and others: for

there is none that does good, no, not one;
and therefore must be unprofitable. There is none that can do good in a spiritual manner, without the grace of God, strength from Christ, and the assistance of the Spirit; and there is not even a spiritual man, that can do good perfectly, and without sin.

Romans 3:12 In-Context

10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 there is none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They have all gone from the way; they have together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
13 "Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit." "The poison of asps is under their lips,"
14 "whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.