ἠπίστησαν … ἡ ἀπιστία … τὴν πίστιν τοῦ θεοῦ: Israel's unfaithfulness and God's faithfulness; κρίνεσθαί σε (3:4)
Says 3:3 plays on one root (ἀπιστία, apistia; πίστις): εἰ ἠπίστησάν τινες, μὴ ἡ ἀπιστία αὐτῶν τὴν πίστιν τοῦ θεοῦ καταργήσει; μή expects the answer "no," and μὴ γένοιτο (3:4, 6) rejects the inference outright. SBLGNT punctuates τί γάρ; as a question of its own; RP2018 runs it into the condition.
Says ἡ πίστις τοῦ θεοῦ is God's faithfulness: Abbott-Smith lists it under the passive sense of πίστις, "fidelity, faithfulness." καταργέω is "to render inoperative or invalid" (Abbott-Smith, Rom 3:3, 31).
Uncertain The sense of ἠπίστησαν and ἀπιστία. This note leans to "were unfaithful," because the contrast is with God's faithfulness and with the trust of 3:2. The main alternative is "did not believe" (BSB "did not have faith"); Abbott-Smith takes ἀπιστέω here as probably "to disbelieve, be faithless."
Uncertain The voice of κρίνεσθαί σε (3:4, LXX Ps 50:6). This note leans to the passive, "when you are judged": Abbott-Smith lists Rom 3:4 under the passive of κρίνω, νικάω is a law-court term there, and in 3:5–7 people put God on trial. The main alternative is the middle, "when you go to law" (Abbott-Smith; 1 Cor 6:1, 6), nearer the BSB's "when You judge." The Hebrew is in note.language.Rom.3.4.ps-51-4-ps-116-11.
Implies 3:3–7 sets near-synonyms side by side: God's πίστις (3:3), his being ἀληθής (3:4), his δικαιοσύνη (3:5), and his ἀλήθεια (3:7). So θεοῦ δικαιοσύνη in 3:5 is God's own justice and covenant faithfulness (3:2–3), shown up by human ἀδικία; it sits alongside the gift of 3:21–22, not against it (note.language.Rom.1.17.dikaiosyne-theou).
Claims
- Says3:3 asks whether some people's ἀπιστία will nullify God's πίστις; μή expects 'no', and μὴ γένοιτο rejects the inference (3:4, 6).
- Saysἡ πίστις τοῦ θεοῦ is God's faithfulness; καταργέω means to render inoperative.
- UncertainWhether ἠπίστησαν/ἀπιστία means 'were unfaithful' (lean: the contrast with God's faithfulness and 3:2) or 'did not believe' (main alternative; BSB; Abbott-Smith).
- UncertainWhether κρίνεσθαί σε (3:4, LXX Ps 50:6) is passive, 'when you are judged' (lean: Abbott-Smith lists Rom 3:4 under the passive; νικάω as a law-court term; people arraign God in 3:5–7), or middle, 'when you go to law' (main alternative; cf. BSB 'when You judge').
- ImpliesIn 3:3–7 God's faithfulness, truth, and righteousness are near-synonyms, so θεοῦ δικαιοσύνη in 3:5 is God's own justice and covenant faithfulness, presented alongside the gift sense of 3:21–22, not against it.
Citations
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. πίστις (ἡ π. τοῦ θεοῦ, Ro 3:3) —
fidelity, faithfulness
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. καταργέω (Ro 3:3, 31) —
to render inoperative or invalid
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. ἀπιστέω (so prob. also Ro 3:3) —
to disbelieve, be faithless
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. κρίνω (pass., Ro 3:4 (LXX); mid., I Co 6:1, 6) —
to go to law
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. νικάω (as law-term (cl.), Ro 3:4 (LXX)) —
to conquer, prevail
- BSB public domain Rom 3:3–4
2026-10-29
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