For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

ROMANS 8:3KJV
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Romans 8:3 (KJV)

What does Romans 8:3 mean?

Romans 8:3 explains that the law was not able to free people from sin because human weakness got in the way, so God sent His own Son, who became like us in our sinful condition, to deal with sin directly and bring judgment on it. The verse shows that what the law could not accomplish, God did by sending Jesus in human form to defeat sin.

Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome, explaining why the law (the commandments given to Israel) could not bring true freedom from sin. The law itself was good, but because people are weak ("through the flesh"), it could not make them righteous. God responded by sending Jesus, who took on human likeness and faced sin head-on, condemning it so that believers could be set free.

The Greek behind Romans 8:3

  • νόμος (nomos, "law"): This word refers to the Jewish law or Torah. Paul is pointing out that the law itself was not faulty, but it lacked the power to overcome human weakness.
  • σάρξ (sarx, "flesh"): This word often means human nature in its weakness or tendency toward sin. Paul uses it to highlight that the problem was not the law, but the limitations of people.
  • κατακρίνω (katakrinō, "condemned"): This word means to judge or pass sentence against. Paul says that God, through Jesus, passed judgment on sin itself—not on people—by dealing with it in Jesus’ human body.
  • ὁμοίωμα (homoiōma, "likeness"): This means something made to be like something else. Paul is careful to say Jesus came "in the likeness of sinful flesh," meaning He was truly human but without sin Himself.

Why Romans 8:3 matters

  • Romans 8:3 clarifies that the law was not able to save because of human weakness, not because the law itself was bad or flawed.
  • The verse emphasizes that God took the initiative to solve the problem of sin by sending Jesus, rather than leaving people to struggle on their own.
  • This verse connects to the larger argument in Romans that true freedom from sin and condemnation comes through what God has done in Christ, not through human effort or keeping the law.

Where else these words appear

“likeness” Greek G3667 · used in 6 verses

  • Romans 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
  • Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
  • Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

“do” Greek G102 · used in 10 verses

  • Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
  • Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:
  • Hebrews 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

“condemned” Greek G2632 · used in 19 verses

  • Matthew 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
  • Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
  • Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

“weak” Greek G770 · used in 35 verses

  • Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
  • John 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
  • 1 Corinthians 8:11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?