Who is under the law in Romans 3:19?
In Romans 3:19, those under the law are Israel—the Jews. The Gentiles were never under it. Scripture says the law speaks to those under the law so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God.
Les explains that when Romans 3:19 asks who is under the law, the answer is Israel, the Jews. The Gentiles never were under the law. Yet the power of the law did not stop with Israel; its purpose was that every mouth in the whole human race may be stopped, and that all the world—not just Israel—may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law, or keeping the Ten Commandments, no flesh shall be justified, Jew or Gentile. By the law is the knowledge of sin and death, so the law was a ministration of death.
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
More Questions
In Romans 3:19, what does 'the law says' refer to?
In Romans 3:19, Paul's phrase 'the law says' refers to the Ten Commandments, the moral law.
What is the purpose of the law according to Romans 3:19?
Romans 3:19 teaches that the law's purpose is not only to address Israel but to stop every mouth, meaning the whole human race, so that all understand they have no argument before God.
Which people were actually under the law in Romans 3:19?
Of all the peoples of the earth, the only group that was literally under the law was the Jews; the law was given to them alone.