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 are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?

Romans 2:21 word by word

ὁ οὖν διδάσκων ἕτερον σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν κλέπτεις;Read the interlinear

• you, thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• who teachδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
• yourselfσεαυτοῦseautou seautō seauton sautou sautō sauton · yourselfG4572
• preachκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
• that one shall not stealκλέπτωkleptō · to stealG2813

Cross-references for Romans 2:21

• Psalms 50:16But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to tell of My statutes And to take My covenant in your mouth?
• Matthew 23:3therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
• Luke 4:23And He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’”
• Luke 11:46But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
• Luke 12:47And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,
• Luke 19:22He said to him, ‘By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?
• 1 Corinthians 9:27but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
• Galatians 6:13For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
• Isaiah 56:11And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.
• Ezekiel 22:12In you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord God.
• Amos 8:4Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land,
• Micah 3:11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests instruct for a price And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord saying, “Is not the Lord in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.”
• Matthew 21:13And He said to them, “It is written, ‘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 devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive 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

• 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