New International Version
Romans 1:21
21For 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
Context of Romans 1:21
19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 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. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
Read all of Romans 1Romans 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 1:19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
- John 3:19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
- Romans 15:9and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”
- Psalms 50:23Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”
- Psalms 86:9All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.
- Hosea 2:8She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold— which they used for Baal.
- Habakkuk 1:15The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad.
- Luke 17:15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
- 2 Timothy 3:2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
- Revelation 14:7He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
- Revelation 15:4Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
- Genesis 6:5The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
- Genesis 8:21The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
- 2 Kings 17:15They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”
- Psalms 81:12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
- Ecclesiastes 7:29This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”
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
In the dictionaries
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
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