Romans 3:12

12 All have turned aside from the right path; they have every one of them become corrupt. There is no one who does what is right--no, not so much as 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 Thus it stands written, "There is not one righteous man.
11 There is not one who is really wise, nor one who is a diligent seeker after God.
12 All have turned aside from the right path; they have every one of them become corrupt. There is no one who does what is right--no, not so much as one."
13 "Their throats resemble an opened grave; with their tongues they have been talking deceitfully." "The venom of vipers lies hidden behind their lips."
14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
The Weymouth New Testament is in the public domain.