In Ch. 1 and 2 Paul estab­lishes that the gen­eral con­di­tion of mankind — both Jews and Gen­tiles — is pretty bleak. There is a hor­ri­ble sin prob­lem in both camps (we have seen ear­lier that the lan­guage of the Bible is not all-inclusive). He then concludes:

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what­ever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law [i.e. Jews], so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held account­able to God. 20 For no human being will be jus­ti­fied in his sight by works of the law, since through the law comes knowl­edge of sin. (more…)