Romans 3:10-16

10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

11 There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.

12 They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

13 “Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “the poison of asps is under their lips”;

14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;

These verses make a 14-point indictment.

Verse 10 is a quote from Psalm 14:1-3The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Verse 11 is a quote from Psalm 14:2 (see above).

No man naturally seeks God (v.11) .

Paul returns to this theme in Ephesians 4:18 — Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.

Verse 12 is a quote from Psalm 14:3 (see above).

Man has strayed from the path (v.12) .

unprofitable (v.12)  = useless, rotten, corrupted

None who does good (v.12) — none that do anything of spiritual value

Verse 13 is a quote from Psalm 5:9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

And from Psalm 140:3 — They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.

The mouth is the chief way a sinner displays his sin, and the stench is like an open grave.

Deceit (v.13) = making promises that are impossible to keep. The tense indicates a continuous action.

Verse 14 is a quote is from Psalm 10:7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Full (v.14) = heavy laden

Verses 15-16 are a quote is from Isaiah 59:7 — Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.

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