Amplified Bible
Romans 2:21
21well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal [in ways that are discrete, but just as sinful]?
Romans 2:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
- New International Version (NIV)you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
- English Standard Version (ESV)you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
- New King James Version (NKJV)You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?
Context of Romans 2:21
19and [if you] are confident that you are a [qualified] guide to the blind [those untaught in theology], a light to those who are in darkness, 20and [that you are] a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the [spiritually] childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth— well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal [in ways that are discrete, but just as sinful]? 22You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob [pagan] temples [of valuable idols and offerings]? 23You who boast in the Law, do you [repeatedly] dishonor God by breaking the Law?
Read all of Romans 2Romans 2:21 word by word
ὁ οὖν διδάσκων ἕτερον σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν κλέπτεις;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- which teachestδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
- anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
- notοὐou · noG3756
- thyselfσεαυτοῦseautou seautō seauton sautou sautō sauton · yourselfG4572
- thou that preachestκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
- a man should notμήmē · notG3361
- stealκλέπτωkleptō · to stealG2813
Cross-references for Romans 2:21
- Psalms 50:16But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to recite My statutes Or to take My covenant on your lips?
- Matthew 23:3so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them.
- Luke 4:23So He said to them, “You will no doubt quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal Yourself! Whatever [miracles] that we heard were done [by You] in Capernaum, do here in Your hometown as well.’ ”
- Luke 11:46But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well, because you weigh men down with burdens [man-made rules, unreasonable requirements] which are hard to bear, and you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers [to lighten the load].
- Luke 12:47And that servant who knew his master’s will, and yet did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will be beaten with many lashes [of the whip],
- Luke 19:22He said to the servant, ‘I will judge and condemn you by your own words, you worthless servant! Did you [really] know that I was a stern man, picking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?
- 1 Corinthians 9:27But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].
- Galatians 6:13For even the circumcised [Jews] themselves do not [really] keep the Law, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh [that is, in the fact that they convinced you to be circumcised].
- Isaiah 56:11And the dogs are greedy; they never have enough. They are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unlawful gain, without exception.
- Ezekiel 22:12In you they have accepted bribes to shed blood; you have taken [forbidden] interest and [a percentage of] profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression and extortion, and you have forgotten Me,” says the Lord God.
- Amos 8:4Hear this, you who trample down the needy, and do away with the poor of the land,
- Micah 3:11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests teach for a fee, And her prophets foretell for money; Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Is not the Lord among us? No tragedy or distress will come on us.”
- Matthew 21:13Jesus said to them, “It is written [in Scripture], ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”
- Matthew 23:14[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you swallow up widows’ houses, and to cover it up you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.]
Commentaries on Romans 2:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Thou therefore - Dr. Taylor has paraphrased this and the three following verses thus: "What signify your pretensions to knowledge, and the office of teaching others, if you have no regard to your own doctrine? What are you the better for preaching against theft, if you are a thief yourself? Or for declaring adultery unlawful, if you live in the practice of it? Or for representing idolatry abominable, if you are guilty of sacrilege? What honors or singular…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Thou therefore - He who is a teacher of others may be expected to be learned himself. They ought to be found to be possessed of superior knowledge; and by this question the apostle impliedly reproves them for their ignorance. The form of a question is chosen because it conveys the truth with greater force. He puts the question as if it were undeniable that they were grossly ignorant; compare Matthew 23:3, “They say, and do not,” etc. That preachest…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-24Verses 17-24 The apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud, vain-glorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the sins professors…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-22Paul again uses the diatribe style (a teaching method that argues with an imagined opponent) to show the inconsistency in Jewish claims (see study note on 2:1–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2417-24. Behold--"But if" is, beyond doubt, the true reading here. (It differs but in a single letter from the received reading, and the sense is the same).Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 2:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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