## whatever the Law says, it speaks to ##

"everything that the Law says people should do is for" or "all the commands that Moses wrote in the Law are for" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

## in order that every mouth may be closed ##

"so that no people will be able to say anything valid to defend themselves" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) Alternate translation using an active form: "In this way God keeps people from saying they are innocent of sin."

## For ##

This can mean 1) "Therefore" or 2) "This is because" or 3) "Instead."

## through the Law comes the knowledge of sin ##

"when someone knows God's law, he realizes that he is not righteous but rather sinful before God"