independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The diatribe — Jewish advantage and God's faithfulness 3:1–8
vv. 1–4 — the advantage of the Jew; God true though every man a liar
1
Τί οὖν τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου,independent — the objector — a verbless question
ἢ τίς ἡ ὠφέλεια τῆς περιτομῆς;independent — the question doubled
2
πολὺ κατὰ πάντα τρόπον.independent — the answer — elliptical
πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ὅτι ἐπιστεύθησαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ.content — the first ground — entrusted with the oracles
3
τί γάρ;independent — the diatribe turns
εἰ ἠπίστησάν τινες,conditional — protasis — leans on the question below
μὴ ἡ ἀπιστία αὐτῶν τὴν πίστιν τοῦ θεοῦ καταργήσει;independent — apodosis — μή expects 'no'
4
μὴ γένοιτο·independent — the recoil
γινέσθω δὲ ὁ θεὸς ἀληθής, πᾶς δὲ ἄνθρωπος ψεύστης,independent — imperative — with the second limb elliptical
καθὼς γέγραπται·comparative — the warrant from Scripture
Ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σουcontent — Ps 51:4 (LXX 50:6) — God justified in his words
καὶ νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε.content — Ps 51:4 — and victorious when judged
vv. 5–8 — does our wrong commend God? the slander refuted
5
εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀδικία ἡμῶν θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην συνίστησιν,conditional — protasis — leans on the question below
τί ἐροῦμεν;independent — apodosis — the diatribe formula
μὴ ἄδικος ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἐπιφέρων τὴν ὀργήν;independent — the question sharpened — μή expects 'no'
κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω.independent — the aside
6
μὴ γένοιτο·independent — the recoil
ἐπεὶ πῶς κρινεῖ ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον;cause — ἐπεί — else God could judge no one
7
εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ ψεύσματι ἐπερίσσευσεν εἰς τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ,conditional — protasis — leans on the question below
τί ἔτι κἀγὼ ὡς ἁμαρτωλὸς κρίνομαι;independent — apodosis — the objector presses
8
καὶ μὴ καθὼς βλασφημούμεθα καὶ καθώς φασίν τινες ἡμᾶς λέγεινindependent — elliptical — the slander quoted against them
ὅτι Ποιήσωμεν τὰ κακὰcontent — the slander's content — hortatory
ἵνα ἔλθῃ τὰ ἀγαθά;purpose — the slander's logic — the end justifying the means
ὧν τὸ κρίμα ἔνδικόν ἐστιν.relative — on τινες — the slanderers dismissed
The indictment — none righteous 3:9–20
v. 9 — the charge already laid
9
Τί οὖν;independent — the diatribe resumes
προεχόμεθα;independent — the question — sense disputed, 'are we (Jews) ahead?'
οὐ πάντως,independent — the answer — elliptical
προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρindependent — the indictment recalled (chs. 1–2)
Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφ' ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι,content — accusative + infinitive — all under sin
vv. 10–18 — the catena: Scripture's total indictment
10
καθὼς γέγραπταιcomparative — the warrant — one word carries ten lines
ὅτι Οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς,content — Ps 14:1–3 (LXX 13) — the thesis
11
οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνίων,content — Ps 14:2 — none who understands
οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν·content — Ps 14:2 — none who seeks God
12
πάντες ἐξέκλιναν,content — Ps 14:3 — all turned aside
ἅμα ἠχρεώθησαν·content — Ps 14:3 — together worthless
οὐκ ἔστιν ποιῶν χρηστότητα,content — Ps 14:3 — none doing good
οὐκ ἔστιν ἕως ἑνός.content — Ps 14:3 — not even one
13
τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν,content — Ps 5:9 — the throat an open grave
ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν,content — Ps 5:9 — deceiving tongues
ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν,content — Ps 140:3 — venom under the lips
14
ὧν τὸ στόμα ἀρᾶς καὶ πικρίας γέμει·content — Ps 10:7 — a mouth full of cursing
15
ὀξεῖς οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐκχέαι αἷμα,content — Isa 59:7 — feet swift for blood
16
σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν,content — Isa 59:7 — ruin and misery
17
καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ ἔγνωσαν.content — Isa 59:8 — the way of peace unknown
18
οὐκ ἔστιν φόβος θεοῦ ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν.content — Ps 36:1 — no fear of God: the catena's seal
vv. 19–20 — the law's verdict: every mouth stopped
19
Οἴδαμεν δὲindependent — the application of the catena
ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ,content — content — the law addresses its own
ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇpurpose — the design — silence in court
καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ θεῷ·purpose — the design — the whole world answerable
20
διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ,cause — διότι — Ps 143:2: no flesh justified by law-works
διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας.cause — the reason beneath — law diagnoses, it does not cure
The righteousness of God through faith 3:21–26
21
Νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται,independent — the great main clause — Νυνὶ δέ, the turn of the ages
μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν,participial — concessive-attendant — apart from law, yet attested by it
22
δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, εἰς πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας,phrase modifier — resumptive apposition — the righteousness defined: through faith, for all
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν διαστολή.cause — why 'all' — no distinction
23
πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτονcause — why no distinction — all sinned
καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ,cause — the continuing deficit — present tense
24
δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ·participial — on πάντες (v. 23) — the same 'all', justified as a gift
25
ὃν προέθετο ὁ θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ πίστεως ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματιrelative — on Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ — the ἱλαστήριον publicly set forth
εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦpurpose — why the cross — God's righteousness displayed
διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτωνcause — the demonstration needed — sins formerly passed over
26
ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ,phrase modifier — the sphere of the passing over — divine restraint
πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ,purpose — the demonstration restated (εἰς → πρός) — now, in this καιρός
εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ.purpose — the resolution — just AND justifier
Boasting excluded — the one God of Jew and Gentile 3:27–31
27
Ποῦ οὖν ἡ καύχησις;independent — the diatribe returns — verbless question
ἐξεκλείσθη.independent — one-word verdict — shut out
διὰ ποίου νόμου;independent — the follow-up — elliptical
τῶν ἔργων;independent — elliptical — a two-word probe
οὐχί, ἀλλὰ διὰ νόμου πίστεως.independent — the answer — the 'law' of faith
28
λογιζόμεθα γὰρindependent — the thesis verb — the ground of vv. 27
δικαιοῦσθαι πίστει ἄνθρωπον χωρὶς ἔργων νόμου.content — the thesis — justification by faith, without law-works
29
ἢ Ἰουδαίων ὁ θεὸς μόνον;independent — the monotheism argument opens
οὐχὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν;independent — the counter-question
ναὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν,independent — the answer
30
εἴπερ εἷς ὁ θεός,conditional — εἴπερ — the Shema as premise
ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως καὶ ἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως.relative — one God, one basis — ἐκ and διά, the same faith
31
νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως;independent — the final objection
μὴ γένοιτο,independent — the recoil
ἀλλὰ νόμον ἱστάνομεν.independent — the counter-thesis — faith establishes the law
Analysis. Romans 3 is built of three textures, and the colors separate them at a glance. Verses 1–9 (and again 27–31) are diatribe: rapid flush-left purple — the objector's questions (many verbless, dashed) and Paul's clipped answers (μὴ γένοιτο) — with olive conditional protases hanging above the questions they set up; the protasis is the one indented line that leans forward, on the apodosis below it, so it carries no anchor. Verses 10–18 are quotation: a single comparative line καθὼς γέγραπται carries a ten-line blue catena, every line hanging from the one word γέγραπται — the whole race indicted out of Scripture in one suspended column (Pss 14; 5; 140; 10; Isa 59; Ps 36). Verses 21–26 are one flowing sentence: a single purple main clause — δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται — from which the gospel's core argument descends step by step (witnessed, for all who believe, no distinction, all sinned, being justified, through the redemption in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as ἱλαστήριον) to the double demonstration of his righteousness and the final purpose: that he might be just and the justifier of the one of faith in Jesus. Interpretive choices the layout takes a side on: πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (v. 22) and τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ (v. 26) are read as faith in Jesus (objective genitive); διὰ πίστεως (v. 25) is taken with ἱλαστήριον rather than governing ἐν τῷ αἵματι; διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν (v. 25) as 'because of the passing over' of former sins — the very forbearance that makes the demonstration necessary.