Romans 1 18

Romans 1:18 kjv

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Romans 1:18 nkjv

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Romans 1:18 niv

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,

Romans 1:18 esv

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Romans 1:18 nlt

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

Romans 1 verses

Romans 1 18 Meaning

Romans 1:18 declares that God's righteous displeasure and active opposition to sin is being continuously made manifest. This divine wrath originates from heaven, signifying its authoritative and universal nature, and is directed against all forms of human ungodliness (impiety against God) and unrighteousness (immoral actions towards others and injustice). The verse specifically holds humanity accountable for this condemnation because they actively suppress or hold down the clear truth of God and His moral standards, which are inherently known, through their ongoing sinful lives.

Romans 1 18 Context

Romans chapter 1 begins with Paul's declaration of his apostleship and his mission to preach the Gospel. Verses 16-17 boldly state that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, revealing God's righteousness. Romans 1:18 introduces a sharp contrast and explanation: the Gospel is necessary precisely because "the wrath of God is revealed." This verse shifts the focus from God's righteousness (as salvation) to God's wrath (as judgment), laying the groundwork for Paul's extensive argument in 1:18-3:20 that all humanity, both Gentile and Jew, is under the universal condemnation of sin and stands guilty before a holy God. Historically and culturally, Paul confronts the widespread pagan beliefs and practices of the Roman world, where various deities were worshipped and immorality was pervasive. He directly challenges the self-perception of pagans, showing that their ungodliness and unrighteousness, committed in spite of discernible truth about God, justly incur divine judgment, setting the stage for the universal need for the Gospel.

Romans 1 18 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): This conjunction serves as a causal link, explaining why the Gospel is so profoundly powerful for salvation (as stated in v.16-17). The Gospel is essential because it addresses the profound reality of God's revealed wrath.
• the wrath (ὀργή - orgē): In this context, it refers not to an erratic human emotion, but to God’s settled, holy, and unwavering opposition to evil and unrighteousness. It is His righteous indignation and divine judgment against sin. This wrath is an inherent aspect of God's character as a perfectly just and holy Being.
• of God: Emphasizes the ultimate source and divine authority of this wrath, differentiating it from any human anger. It is the perfect wrath of a perfect Judge.
• is revealed (ἀποκαλύπτεται - apokalyptetai): A key term also used in Rom 1:17. This verb is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing, continuous unveiling, not merely a future event. God's wrath is not hidden; it is actively and progressively being manifested in various ways—through natural consequences, the law written on hearts, historical judgments, and ultimately in the final judgment. It suggests an unveiled, plain, and undeniable truth.
• from heaven: This specifies the origin and domain from which this revelation issues. It signifies that the wrath is divine, cosmic in scope, and universally applicable, coming from God's throne of judgment and authority.
• against all: This denotes the universal scope of the wrath. No individual or group is exempt from this divine opposition if they are characterized by ungodliness and unrighteousness.
• ungodliness (ἀσέβειαν - asebeian): This refers to irreverence towards God; a failure to acknowledge Him, honor Him, or obey Him. It signifies active impiety, contempt for divine authority, or spiritual neglect. This speaks to one's relationship directly with God.
• and: Connects two distinct, yet closely related, categories of human sin.
• unrighteousness (ἀδικίαν - adikian): This signifies injustice, a violation of ethical and moral standards, particularly in relationships with others and in accordance with God's law. It represents ethical failings, acts of injustice, or the failure to live rightly. This speaks to one's moral conduct in the world.
• of men: Confirms the recipients and perpetuators of this ungodliness and unrighteousness—humanity in general, affirming universal human culpability.
• who suppress (τῶν κατεχόντων - tōn katechontōn): A present active participle meaning "holding down," "restraining," or "hindering." It suggests an active, deliberate, and culpable rejection of truth. It's not passive ignorance but an intentional smothering of what is known or discernible about God.
• the truth (τὴν ἀλήθειαν - tēn alētheian): Refers to the inherent knowledge about God’s existence, power, and moral demands, accessible through general revelation (creation and conscience), as further explained in Romans 1:19-20. This is the truth that humans willingly ignore or refuse to acknowledge.
• in unrighteousness: This phrase denotes the medium, manner, or context by which the truth is suppressed. It means people suppress the truth by means of their unrighteous acts, and in a state of unrighteousness. Their sinful living acts as both the active method and the moral state of their rejection of God's revealed truth.

Word-groups by Word-group analysis:

• "For the wrath of God is revealed": This phrase introduces the central theological assertion of the verse. It underscores the active nature of divine judgment (present tense "is revealed"), originating from the holy and just character of God Himself ("wrath of God"), acting as the indispensable counterbalance to His revealed righteousness in the Gospel.
• "from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men": This outlines the scope and target of God's wrath. "From heaven" signifies its divine origin and absolute authority. "Against all" denotes its universal reach, demonstrating no partiality. "Ungodliness" addresses rebellion against God in relationship and devotion, while "unrighteousness" speaks to moral and ethical failings among humanity, encompassing the full spectrum of human sin.
• "who suppress the truth in unrighteousness": This phrase assigns human accountability. It clarifies that humanity is not condemned for ignorance, but for deliberately holding down, stifling, or rejecting the inherent truth about God that is available to them through general revelation (creation and conscience). The "unrighteousness" serves both as the cause of this suppression and the condition in which it occurs, highlighting a active culpability and not mere passive inability.

Romans 1 18 Bonus section

The parallel use of "is revealed" (apokalyptetai) in Romans 1:17 (God's righteousness) and Romans 1:18 (God's wrath) is crucial. It underscores that both aspects of God’s nature are not abstract concepts but dynamic, unfolding realities for humanity. Just as God's righteousness is actively being unveiled in the Gospel to those who believe, so His wrath is actively being unveiled against those who choose to live in defiance of His known truth. This continuous revelation establishes humanity's inexcusability before God. It highlights that God is both perfectly merciful (in providing salvation through righteousness) and perfectly just (in demonstrating wrath against sin). The concept of suppressing truth also carries implications beyond mere denial; it implies a willful blindness, where people prefer to embrace a lie rather than acknowledge the unsettling truth about God and their own sinful state. This act is an inversion of what humanity was designed for: to acknowledge and worship God.

Romans 1 18 Commentary

Romans 1:18 is a pivotal verse, setting the grim backdrop against which the glorious Gospel (Romans 1:16-17) shines so brightly. Paul presents a universal diagnosis of humanity's condition under God's righteous wrath. This wrath is not arbitrary divine anger, but the just and holy reaction of God's character to all that opposes His perfect nature. It's an active, present-day reality, evidenced through the consequences of sin in creation and within human experience, building to a future, decisive judgment. Humanity is accountable not due to a lack of revelation, but because of a willful rejection of it. The truth about God's existence and moral order is inherently accessible (as elaborated in Romans 1:19-20), but humankind actively chooses to suppress this knowledge through lives steeped in spiritual apathy ("ungodliness") and moral depravity ("unrighteousness"). This active suppression, born out of sinful desires, renders all without excuse, affirming the universal need for salvation offered solely through the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel.