We left off yesterday with verse (10) All the Scriptures say, ‘No one is righteous—not even one’” 

Today’s passage is Romans 3:11-20.  I quoted it from the NLT.                                             

(11) “No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.”

(12) “All have turned away; all have become useless.  No one does good, not a single one.”

(13) “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.  Their tongues are filled with lies.  Snake

          Venom drips from their lips.”

(14) “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

(15) “They rush to commit murder.”

(16) “Destruction and misery always follow them.”

(17) “They don’t know where to find peace”.

(18) “They have no fear of God at all.”

(19-20) “Obviously the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. (20) For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands.  They law simply shows us how sinful we are.”

My comments:  I believe this passage is saying that all people are sinful, and that is why the law was given, to show us how guilty we are before God, and so that no one can say they aren’t a sinner.  I like the way the NKJV words verse 19, “Now we know that whatever the laws says, it says to those wo are under the law, that EVERY MOUTH may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”  So the purpose of the law was to stop every mouth from saying they are good, and they don’t need a Savior.   As we will see in tomorrow’s passage, we are made right with God without the law.  We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus.