Romans 1:21

Romans 1:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
• New International Version (NIV)For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
• New King James Version (NKJV)because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Context of Romans 1:21

19They should understand what God is like, because God himself has shown it to them clearly. 20Ever since God made the world, he has been showing people clearly about himself. We cannot see God. But the things that he has made show us clearly what he is like. We can understand his great power that continues for ever. We can know that he is the true God. So there is no reason for anyone to say, ‘We could not know about God.’ Those people really knew about God. But they did not respect him as a great God, and they did not thank him. They did not even think clearly any more. Their minds became confused and they did not understand God's message. 22They said that they were wise, but really they became fools. 23They refused to worship the great God who can never die. Instead, they made false gods for themselves. They worshipped idols that were like people who must die. They also made idols that looked like birds, animals and snakes, and they worshipped them.

Romans 1:21 word by word

διότι γνόντες τὸν θεὸν οὐχ ὡς θεὸν ἐδόξασαν ἢ ηὐχαρίστησαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐματαιώθησαν ἐν τοῖς διαλογισμοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ἡ ἀσύνετος αὐτῶν καρδία·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Because thatδιότιdioti · becauseG1360
• when they knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• they glorifiedδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
• notοὐou · noG3756
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• neitherἤē · orG2228
• were thankfulεὐχαριστέωeucharisteō · to thankG2168
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• became vainματαιόωmataioō · to make futileG3154
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• imaginationsδιαλογισμόςdialogismos · reasoningG1261
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• foolishἀσύνετοςasunetos · senselessG801
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• was darkenedσκοτίζωskotizō · to darkenG4654

Cross-references for Romans 1:21

• Romans 1:19They should understand what God is like, because God himself has shown it to them clearly.
• John 3:19God's Son has brought light into the world. But some people did not love the light. They loved the dark instead. That was because they were doing evil things. That is why God has decided to punish those people.
• Romans 15:9The Gentiles also praise God because he has been kind to them. This is written in the Bible: ‘I will tell the Gentiles about you, God. I will praise you with songs, to show how great you are.’
• Psalms 50:23If anyone wants to praise me, they should say “thank you” to me as their offering. If anyone obeys my commands, I will show them my power to save people.’
• Psalms 86:9You have made all the nations of the world, and they will all come to worship you, my Lord. They will agree that your name is great.
• Hosea 2:8She did not realize that I was the one who gave her everything that she needed. I gave her grain, wine and olive oil. I even gave her lots of silver and gold. But she used my gifts to worship Baal instead of me.
• Habakkuk 1:15The Babylonians can easily catch them, like people who catch fish with hooks. They throw their nets into the water, and they catch as many as they want. When they store their fish in special nets, they sing happy songs.
• Luke 17:15One of these ten men saw that Jesus had made him well. He turned back and he praised God in a loud voice.
• 2 Timothy 3:2People will love only themselves, and they will want lots of money for themselves. They will be proud and they will say how great they are. They will insult other people. They will not obey their parents. They will not thank anyone who helps them. They will not respect anything that is good.
• Revelation 14:7He said in a loud voice, ‘Respect God and give him honour! Now it is time for him to judge people. He made the sky and the earth and the sea. He also made the springs of water. So worship him!’
• Revelation 15:4Everyone will respect and obey you, Lord. They will say how great your name is, because only you are completely good. People from every nation have seen what you do. You always do what is right. So all people will come and stand in front of you, and they will worship you.’
• Genesis 6:5The Lord saw that men and women on the earth had become very bad. They thought only of evil things all the time.
• Genesis 8:21The Lord smelled the sacrifice and it made him happy. The Lord said to himself, ‘I will never curse the ground again because of the bad things that people do. From the time that they are children, they want to do bad things. But I will never again destroy everything that breathes, as I have done this time.
• 2 Kings 17:15They did not obey God's rules. They did not accept the covenant that he had made with their ancestors. They did not listen when he warned them. Instead, they worshipped useless idols, which caused them to become useless themselves. The Lord had commanded them not to live in the same way that the nations around them did. But they did that anyway.
• Psalms 81:12So I let them follow their own proud ideas. They could do whatever they wanted to do.
• Ecclesiastes 7:29I did learn this: God made people to do what is right. But people have chosen their own way to do things.

Commentaries on Romans 1:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Because that when they knew God - When they thus acquired a general knowledge of the unity and perfections of the Divine nature, they glorified him not as God - they did not proclaim him to the people, but shut up his glory (as Bishop Warburton expresses it) in their mysteries, and gave the people, in exchange for an incorruptible God, an image made like to corruptible man. Wherefore God, in punishment for their sins, thus turning his truth into a lie…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Because that - The apostle here is showing that it was right to condemn people for their sins. To do this it was needful to show them that they had the knowledge of God, and the means of knowing what was right; and that the true source of their sins and idolatries was a corrupt and evil heart. When they knew God - Greek, “knowing God.” That is, they had an acquaintance with the existence and many of the perfections of one God. That many of the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 The apostle begins to show that all mankind need the salvation of the gospel, because none could obtain the favour of God, or escape his wrath by their own works. For no man can plead that he has fulfilled all his obligations to God and to his neighbour; nor can any truly say that he has fully acted up to the light afforded him. The sinfulness of man is described as ungodliness against the laws of the first table, and unrighteousness against…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21In Scripture, to know God usually means to have a close and saving relationship with him (see 2 Corinthians 5:16; Galatians 4:9; Philippians 3:8, 10). Here, however, they knew God means that people knew about God. All people have some understanding of God through creation, but they do not do what is right based on that knowledge. Instead of learning more about God, they worship gods they create themselves.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Because that, when they knew God--that is, while still retaining some real knowledge of Him, and ere they sank down into the state next to be described. they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful--neither yielded the adoration due to Himself, nor rendered the gratitude which His beneficence demanded. but became vain--(compare Jr 2:5). in their imaginations--thoughts, notions, speculations, regarding God; compare Mt 15:19; Lu 2:35; 1Co 3:20…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 1:21

• Blindness
• Conscience
• Darkness
• Gentiles
• Glorifying God
• Godlessness
• Heart
• Imagination
• Ingratitude
• Rome
• Sin
• Thankfulness
• Vanity
• Wicked (People)
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Affection
• Call
• Creation
• Dark
• Despiteful
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Idolatry

Commentaries on Romans 1

• 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