It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The real stunner here is that God's justice and His role as the one who makes us right with Him aren't in opposition, but are simultaneously revealed. By Christ's sacrifice, God upholds His own righteous nature while also making the believer righteous—showing He's truly just, even while justifying the ungodly. This reveals the profound, unified purpose behind the cross: to satisfy His own perfect righteousness and extend it to us.
It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul has been systematically proving that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is under sin and falls short of God's glory. He's just explained that God has provided redemption through Jesus' blood, a sacrifice for sins, which demonstrates His justice especially because He "passed over" sins committed previously. This verse then reveals the purpose of this divine plan: to show God's righteousness now, in this present age, proving He is both perfectly just in Himself and yet the one who declares righteous those who trust in Jesus.
How can a perfectly just God forgive sinners? It seems like a contradiction, doesn't it? This verse reveals God's brilliant solution.
Paul is tackling a huge question here: If God is perfectly just and hates sin, how can He possibly declare sinful people righteous? The answer is found in the phrase 'just and the justifier.'
God's Own Justice:
God is inherently just. His law is perfect, and sin deserves punishment. He cannot simply overlook sin without compromising His own character. This is the 'just' part.
God as Justifier:
But God also offers salvation. He doesn't just condemn; He provides a way for us to be declared righteous. This is the 'justifier' part.
The Cross as the Bridge:
The death of Jesus Christ is the linchpin. It satisfies God's justice – the penalty for sin is paid. Because that debt is paid, God, in His justice, can now legally and righteously declare those who have faith in Jesus as righteous. It's not a compromise; it's a righteous transaction.
Why does Paul emphasize 'at this time'? What's so special about the present moment in God's plan?
The phrase 'at this time' (or 'in the present time') is crucial. It points to a specific moment in history when God's plan for demonstrating His righteousness reached its climax: the coming of Jesus Christ.
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Beyond Past and Future:
Before Jesus, God's justice was evident in judgment and His mercy was shown through forbearance, often overlooking sins with the assurance that Christ's future sacrifice would eventually cover them. But His full righteousness wasn't openly displayed.
The Present Unveiling:
With Christ's life, death, and resurrection, God's righteousness is now fully revealed. It's no longer just hinted at or held in suspense. The gospel makes it plain for all to see how God can be both just and the one who makes sinners righteous.
A New Era:
This 'present time' marks a new era in salvation history, where God's perfect justice and His role as the forgiver of those who trust in Jesus are simultaneously and openly declared.
Understand the original words
dikaiosynē · Greek Noun
The attribute of God referring to His absolute moral perfection, justice, and faithfulness to His own character and covenant promises. It signifies that God always acts in accordance with what is right and true.
dikaiounta · Greek Verb
To be declared righteous, acquitted, or placed in a right standing before God. It is a forensic, legal act whereby God credits the righteousness of Christ to the believer, removing the guilt of sin.
pistis · Greek Noun
Trust, reliance, or firm persuasion in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ. It is the instrument through which a person receives the gift of salvation and is justified before God.
This verse speaks to a divine strategy unfolding over ages. God's righteousness, partially revealed through the Law and later veiled during Israel's history, is fully displayed 'at this time' – the era of Christ's death and resurrection – making Him both just in His judgment and the one who provides righteousness to believers.
c. 2000 BC - 500 BC
The Law Given to Israel
God established the Mosaic Law, outlining His commandments and establishing a system of sacrifices and rituals for atonement and worship. This Law revealed God's standard of righteousness but also highlighted humanity's inability to fully meet it, leading to a cycle of sin and sacrifice.
c. 586 BC
Exile of Judah
The Southern Kingdom of Judah, after repeated warnings, is conquered by Babylon, its Temple destroyed, and many of its people exiled. This event underscores the consequences of disobedience and the ongoing struggle of God's people to live in accordance with His will.
c. 1st century BC - early 1st century AD
Period of Roman Rule and Messianic Expectation
The land of Israel is under foreign (Roman) domination, fostering a deep longing for the promised Messiah who would restore justice and redeem God's people. Political and religious tensions are high as various groups await divine intervention.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus Christ, believed by Christians to be the promised Messiah, is crucified. His death is understood as a sacrificial atonement for the sins of humanity, a pivotal event intended to reconcile God and humankind.
c. AD 50-60s
Paul's Ministry and Epistles
The Apostle Paul travels, evangelizes, and writes letters, including Romans, to various churches. He articulates the theological implications of Jesus' death and resurrection, explaining how God's righteousness is revealed through faith in Christ.
This passage echoes the theme of God's righteousness being revealed and His justification of those who trust in Him, directly paralleling Romans 3:26's declaration of God's justice and His role as justifier.
Luke 18:9-14The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector powerfully contrasts self-righteousness with humble faith, illustrating the concept in Romans 3:26 where justification comes not by works but through faith in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:19-21This passage directly links God's reconciliation of the world through Christ with the concept of righteousness, stating that God 'made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,' which aligns perfectly with God being both just and the justifier.
Hebrews 9:15This verse speaks of Christ as the mediator of a new covenant, intended to effect redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, highlighting the redemptive work that allows God to be just while justifying believers, a concept central to Romans 3:26.
Philippians 3:9Paul's declaration that he has a righteousness from God that depends on faith, rather than his own righteousness from the law, directly supports the core message of Romans 3:26 that God justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
ellicottRomans 3:26: "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
(26) To declare. —The second object of the death of Christ was to remove the misconceptions that might be caused by the apparent condoning of sins committed in times anterior to the Christian revelation. A special word is used to indicate that these sins were not wiped away and dismissed altogether, but rather “passed over” or “overlooked.” This was due to…
cambridgeRomans 3:26: "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
26 . at this time ] The word translated “time” means usually occasion , “special time,” “due time.” Same word as ch. Romans 5:6 . Such a sense is natural here. The “declaration” of God’s righteousness in pardon was made not only “at this time,” as distinct from a previous age (that of the O. T.), but “at this due time,” the crisis fixed by the Divine purpos…
The real stunner here is that God's justice and His role as the one who makes us right with Him aren't in opposition, but are simultaneously revealed. By Christ's sacrifice, God upholds His own righteous nature while also making the believer righteous—showing He's truly just, even while justifying the ungodly. This reveals the profound, unified purpose behind the cross: to satisfy His own perfect righteousness and extend it to us.
Paul has been systematically proving that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is under sin and falls short of God's glory. He's just explained that God has provided redemption through Jesus' blood, a sacrifice for sins, which demonstrates His justice especially because He "passed over" sins committed previously. This verse then reveals the purpose of this divine plan: to show God's righteousness now, in this present age, proving He is both perfectly just in Himself and yet the one who declares righteous those who trust in Jesus.
Paul has been systematically proving that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is under sin and falls short of God's glory. He's just explained that God has provided redemption through Jesus' blood, a sacrifice for sins, which demonstrates His justice especially because He "passed over" sins committed previously. This verse then reveals the purpose of this divine plan: to show God's righteousness now, in this present age, proving He is both perfectly just in Himself and yet the one who declares righteous those who trust in Jesus.
"It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." — The real stunner here is that God's justice and His role as the one who makes us right with Him aren't in opposition, but are simultaneously revealed. By Christ's sacrifice, God upholds His own rig…
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Last reviewed October 2026