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 you are sure that you 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 Torah the embodiment of knowledge and the truth— you then who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach not to steal, do you steal? 22You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? 23You who take pride in the Torah, through your violation of the Torah, 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• which teachestδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thyselfσεαυτοῦseautou seautō seauton sautou sautō sauton · yourselfG4572
• thou that preachestκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
• a man should notμήmē · notG3361
• stealκλέπτωkleptō · to stealG2813

Cross-references for Romans 2:21

• Psalms 50:16But to the wicked, God says: “What are you doing, reciting My laws and taking My covenant in your mouth?
• Matthew 23:3So whatever they tell you, do and observe. But don’t do what they do; for what they say, they do not do.
• Luke 4:23But He said to them, “Doubtless you will say to Me this proverb, ‘Doctor, heal yourself!’ and ‘What we have heard was done at Capernaum, do as much here also in your hometown.’”
• Luke 11:46Then Yeshua said, “Woe to you Torah lawyers as well, for you weigh the people down with burdens hard to carry, yet you yourselves will not touch the burdens with even a finger.
• Luke 12:47“That slave who knew his master’s will but did not prepare or act according to his desire will be harshly whipped.
• Luke 19:22He said to him, ‘By the words of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked slave! You knew that I am strict, taking what I did not make and reaping what I did not sow?
• 1 Corinthians 9:27Rather, I punish my body and bring it into submission, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
• Galatians 6:13For not even the circumcised keep Torah themselves. Yet they want to have you circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh.
• Isaiah 56:11and the dogs are greedy— they never have enough. They are shepherds with no discernment. They have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.
• Ezekiel 22:12They accept bribes in order to shed blood in you; you have taken usurious interest. You have greedily gained by oppressing your neighbors, and you have forgotten Me.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
• Amos 8:4Hear this, you who trample the poor, destroying the afflicted of the land
• Micah 3:11Her leaders give judgment for a bribe. Her priests give direction for a price. Her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean on Adonai by saying: “Is not Adonai in our midst? No calamity will 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 den of thieves’!”

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