Romans 8:3 Meaning and Explanation
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →What the law could not accomplish, God did by sending His own Son, who in human flesh condemned sin itself.
What Does Romans 8:3 Mean?
The law was good, but it could not give life; it could command righteousness without supplying the power to obey, because human weakness frustrated it. Paul now shows how God Himself supplied what the law lacked, sending His own Son into our very condition.
The Son came in the likeness of sinful flesh, sharing fully in human life, yet without becoming sin Himself. On the cross, sin was judged and stripped of its claim. What we could never do for ourselves, God did for us through His Son, condemning sin so that sinners might go free. Here mercy and justice meet in one saving act.
Romans 8:3 in the Original Language
homoioma (ὁμοίωμα), 'likeness' -- a true resemblance or sharing of form, marking real participation in human flesh.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 8:3
What does Romans 8:3 mean?
What the law could not accomplish, God did by sending His own Son, who in human flesh condemned sin itself.