Romans 2:21

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 convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law — you then, who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal” — do you steal? 22You who say, “You must not commit adultery” — do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Romans 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 God says to the wicked: “What right do you have to recite my statutes and to take my covenant on your lips?
• Matthew 23:3Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.
• Luke 4:23Then he said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself. What we’ve heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in your hometown also.’”
• Luke 11:46Then he said, “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers.
• Luke 12:47And that servant who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten.
• Luke 19:22“He told him, ‘I will condemn you by what you have said, you evil servant! If you knew I was a harsh man, collecting what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow,
• 1 Corinthians 9:27Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
• Galatians 6:13For even the circumcised don’t keep the law themselves, and yet they want you to be circumcised in order to boast about your flesh.
• Isaiah 56:11These dogs have fierce appetites; they never have enough. And they are shepherds who have no discernment; all of them turn to their own way, every last one for his own profit.
• Ezekiel 22:12People who live in you accept bribes in order to shed blood. You take interest and profit on a loan and brutally extort your neighbors. You have forgotten me. This is the declaration of the Lord God.
• Amos 8:4Hear this, you who trample on the needy and do away with the poor of the land,
• Micah 3:11Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe, her priests teach for payment, and her prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the Lord, saying, “Isn’t the Lord among us? No disaster will overtake us.”
• Matthew 21:13He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”

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

• Formalism
• Hypocrisy
• Inconsistency
• Minister, Christian
• Sin
• Theft and Thieves

In the dictionaries

• Accuse
• Boast
• Continuance
• Doer
• Excuse
• Fall of man
• Forbearance
• Sure
• Treasure
• Bible, the

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