Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
No One Is Righteous What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
31 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
King James Version · 1611
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; <sup>proved: Gr. charged</sup>
29 words · Formal / word-for-word
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
26 words · Essentially literal
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
34 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
The Message · 2002
So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it:
48 words · Contemporary paraphrase
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;
24 words · Most literal English translation
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Romans 3:9 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).
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.
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.