SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:8
¿Y por qu no decir (como somos infamados, y como algunos dicen que nosotros decimos): Hagamos males para que vengan bienes? La condenacin de los cuales es justa.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 3:8
Verse 8. APOSTLE. And not rather, &c.] And why do you not say, seeing you assume this ground, that in all cases we should do wickedly, because God, by freely pardoning, can so glorify his own grace? This is a most impious sentiment, but it follows from your reasoning; it has, indeed, been most injuriously laid to the charge of us apostles, who preach the doctrine of free pardon, through faith, without the merit of works; but this is so manifest a perversion of the truth that a just punishment may be expected to fall on the propagators of such a slander.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. And not rather, as we be slanderously reported , etc..] These are the apostle's own words, in answer to the objector he represented; and it is as if he should say, why do not you go on? why do you stop here? and not rather say, as we are evil spoken of, and our doctrine is blasphemed: and as some affirm ; ignorantly and audaciously enough: that we say ; and teach: let us do evil that good may come ; a slander cast upon the apostle's doctrine of unconditional election, free justification, and of God's overruling the sins of men for good; and is the same which is cast on ours now, and is no small proof of the likeness and sameness of doctrines: whose damnation is just ; whose judgment would have been right, and their censure of our doctrines just, had it been true that we held such a principle, taught such a doctrine, or encouraged such a practice: or their condemnation is just, for aspersing our principles and practices in so vile a manner; and all such persons are deserving of damnation, who teach such things, or practise after this sort.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - The law could not save in or from sins, yet it gave the Jews advantage for obtaining salvation. Their stated ordinances, education in the knowledge of the true God and his service, and many favours shown to the children of Abraham, all were means of grace, and doubtless wer made useful to the conversion of many. But especially the Scripture were committed to them. Enjoyment of God's word and ordinances, is the chief happiness of a people. But God's promises are made only to believers; therefore the unbelief of some, or of many professors cannot make this faithfulness of no effect. He will fulfil his promise to his people, and bring his threatened vengeance upon unbelievers God's judging the world, should for ever silence all doubtings an reflections upon his justice. The wickedness and obstinate unbelief of the Jews, proved man's need of the righteousness of God by faith, an also his justice in punishing for sin. Let us do evil, that good ma come, is oftener in the heart than in the mouth of sinners; for fe thus justify themselves in their wicked ways. The believer knows tha duty belongs to him, and events to God; and that he must not commit an sin, or speak one falsehood, upon the hope, or even assurance, that God may thereby glorify himself. If any speak and act thus, their condemnation is just.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N καθως 2531 ADV βλασφημουμεθα 987 5743 V-PPI-1P και 2532 CONJ καθως 2531 ADV φασιν 5346 5748 V-PXI-3P τινες 5100 X-NPM ημας 2248 P-1AP λεγειν 3004 5721 V-PAN οτι 3754 CONJ ποιησωμεν 4160 5661 V-AAS-1P τα 3588 T-APN κακα 2556 A-APN ινα 2443 CONJ ελθη 2064 5632 V-2AAS-3S τα 3588 T-NPN αγαθα 18 A-NPN ων 3739 R-GPM το 3588 T-NSN κριμα 2917 N-NSN ενδικον 1738 A-NSN εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:8 {And why not} (kai me). We have a tangled sentence which can be cleared up in two ways. One is (Lightfoot) to supply genetai after me and repeat ti (kai ti m genetai, deliberative subjunctive in a question): And why should it not happen? The other way (Sanday and Headlam) is to take me with pois"men and make a long parenthesis of all in between. Even so it is confusing because hoti also (recitative hoti) comes just before pois"men. The parenthesis is necessary anyhow, for there are two lines of thought, one the excuse brought forward by the unbeliever, the other the accusation that Paul affirms that very excuse that we may do evil that good may come. Note the double indirect assertion (the accusative and the infinitive hemas legein after phasin and qen the direct quotation with recitative hoti after legein, a direct quotation dependent on the infinitive in indirect quotation. {Let us do evil that good may come} (pois"men ta kaka hina elqei ta agaqa). The volitive aorist subjunctive (poieswmen) and the clause of purpose (hina and the aorist subjunctive elqei). It sounds almost uncanny to find this maxim of the Jesuits attributed to Paul in the first century by Jews. It was undoubtedly the accusation of Antinomianism because Paul preached justification by faith and not by works.
