Romans 3:12–20—“Their Throat Is An Open Sepulchre”

Paul used familiar objects to explain how our speech reveals who we are inside. A sepulcher is a grave or tomb, and the phrase “their throat is an open sepulchre” means that their words show the corruption of their hearts. Asps are snakes, and the phrase “the poison of asps is under their lips” means that their language can be poisonous and do themselves and others spiritual harm.

Romans 3:23—We Have All “Come Short of the Glory of God”

We have all broken God’s laws, so we cannot be declared clean and innocent (justified) by the law (see 1 John 1:8). The law can only show us where we have gone wrong. Having “come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), we have no hope of salvation except through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, who atoned for our sins (see Romans 3:24–25; 2 Nephi 2:8).

Relate Scripture to Modern-Day Counsel

Read Romans 3 and describe how verses 10–12 and 20–25 support the following statement from Elder Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “We should try to comprehend the meaning of the Atonement. Before we can comprehend it, though, we must understand the fall of Adam” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 45; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 33).

It may help to read the “Understanding the Scriptures” section above.