Romans 1:22

Romans 1:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
• New International Version (NIV)Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
• English Standard Version (ESV)Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Context of Romans 1:22

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.’ 21Those 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. They 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. 24So God let those people do all the bad things that they wanted to do. God let those disgusting things rule their lives. As a result, they did bad things with each other's bodies. They did things that people should be ashamed to do.

Romans 1:22 word by word

φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησανRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Professing themselvesφάσκωphaskō · to claimG5335
• to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• wiseσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• they became foolsμωραίνωmōrainō · be foolishG3471

Cross-references for Romans 1:22

• Romans 11:25My Christian friends, I want to help you to understand about Israel's people. It is a secret that God has shown to us. If you really understand it, you will not be proud that you are so clever. Many of Israel's people have refused to believe in Christ. They will continue to refuse him until the complete number of Gentiles have believed.
• Proverbs 25:14Some people promise things, but they never do anything. Those people are like clouds and wind that do not bring any rain.
• Proverbs 26:12Some men think that they are already wise. A fool is more likely to learn something than they are.
• Isaiah 47:10You thought that your evil deeds would keep you safe. You said, “Nobody sees me!” You think that you are very wise and that you know everything. But your wisdom has deceived you. You say, “Here I am! There is nobody as good as I am.”
• Jeremiah 8:8You say, “We are wise because we have the law of the Lord.” But I tell you, your teachers have changed my laws. They teach you lies instead.
• Jeremiah 10:14People who worship idols are stupid. They do not understand what they are doing. The men who make idols will be ashamed. They make images of gods that are false. None of their idols have the breath of life in them.
• Matthew 6:23If your eyes are not good, then your whole body will be in the dark. If the light in you has become dark, you will be living in a very dark place.’
• 1 Corinthians 1:19It says in the Bible: ‘I, God, will destroy all the clever thoughts of wise people. I will show that their clever ideas are useless.’
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Be careful! Do not think that you are better than you really are. Maybe you think that you are wise, like people today want to be wise. But if you want to become truly wise, be ready for other people to think that you are a fool.

Commentaries on Romans 1:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Professing themselves to be wise - This is most strikingly true of all the ancient philosophers, whether Greeks or Romans, as their works, which remain, sufficiently testify. The word signifies not merely the professing but the assumption of the philosophic character. In this sense the word is used by the best Greek writers. See Kypke. A dispassionate examination of the doctrine and lives of the most famed philosophers of antiquity, of every nation, will…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Professing themselves to be wise - This was the common boast of the philosophers of antiquity. The very word by which they chose to be called, “philosophers,” means literally “lovers of wisdom.” That it was their boast that they were wise, is well known; compare Romans 1:14; 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 1:20, 1 Corinthians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 3:19; 2 Corinthians 11:19. They became fools - Compare Jeremiah 8:8-9. They became really foolish in their…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. 18-32Paul waits to explain righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until he first teaches about the sinfulness of all people. Both non-Jews and Jews are equally under the power of sin (1:18–32; 2:1–3:8). Because of this, both groups are in the same situation before God. No one can gain God’s favor by their own actions or obedience (3:9–20). All people need God’s saving action, not their own efforts.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2322-23. Professing themselves--"boasting," or "pretending to be" wise, they became fools--"It is the invariable property of error in morals and religion, that men take credit to themselves for it and extol it as wisdom. So the heathen" (1Co 1:21) [Tholuck].Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 1:22

• Blindness
• Conceit
• Conscience
• Gentiles
• Godlessness
• Idolatry
• Lasciviousness
• Pride
• Rome
• Wicked (People)
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Affection
• Call
• Creation
• Dark
• Despiteful
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Idolatry
• Lie
• Manifest

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