NIV
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Righteousness Through Faith But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
24 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
Romans 3:21 — Compare Translations
Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
Dynamic equivalence
KJV
King James Version · 1611
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
19 words · Formal / word-for-word
ESV
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it —
24 words · Essentially literal
NLT
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
34 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
MSG
The Message · 2002
But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened.
21 words · Contemporary paraphrase
NASB
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
But now apart from the Law [the] righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
21 words · Most literal English translation
Translation Length Comparison
NIV
24 words
KJV
19 words
ESV
24 words
NLT
34 words
MSG
21 words
NASB
21 words
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Bible translations are there for Romans 3:21?
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Romans 3:21 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
Which translation of Romans 3:21 is best?
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
What is the difference between literal and dynamic Bible translations?
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.