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

20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. 24Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.

Romans 1:22 word by word

φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησανRead the interlinear

• Claimingφάσκωphaskō · to claimG5335
• to be wiseσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• they becameμωραίνωmōrainō · be foolishG3471

Cross-references for Romans 1:22

• Romans 11:25For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
• Proverbs 25:14Like clouds and wind without rain Is a person who boasts of his gifts falsely.
• Proverbs 26:12Do you see a person wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
• Isaiah 47:10You felt secure in your wickedness and said, ‘No one sees me,’ Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have led you astray; For you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’
• Jeremiah 8:8“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the Law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie.
• Jeremiah 10:14Every person is stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, For his cast metal images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them.
• Matthew 6:23But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
• 1 Corinthians 1:19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the understanding of those who have understanding, I will confound.”
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Take care that no one deceives himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.

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