Romans 3:4 Meaning and Explanation
“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Far from it, Paul says: let God be found true even if every human is a liar, quoting David's confession that God is proved right in His words.
What Does Romans 3:4 Mean?
Paul answers his own question with the strongest negative he knows. Then he reaches for David's words from Psalm 51, the great prayer of repentance, where the one who has sinned acknowledges that God is in the right. Set the whole human race on one side and God on the other, and God's truthfulness stands unshaken.
There is deep humility in letting God be true and ourselves the liars. It is the posture of every honest heart before its Maker: not defending ourselves, but confessing that He is just in all He says. To be "justified in thy sayings" is to have God's word vindicated, and the believer learns to side with that word against his own excuses.
Romans 3:4 in the Original Language
dikaioo (δικαιόω), 'justified' -- to be declared or shown to be in the right.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 3:4
What does Romans 3:4 mean?
Far from it, Paul says: let God be found true even if every human is a liar, quoting David's confession that God is proved right in His words.