Romans 1:21 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.

Romans 1:21 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.

Romans 1:21 niv

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.

Romans 1:21 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.

Romans 1:21 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.

Romans 1 verses

Romans 1 21 Meaning

Romans 1:21 reveals a foundational truth regarding humanity's rebellion against God. Despite possessing a inherent knowledge of God, derived from general revelation, mankind failed to acknowledge, worship, or express gratitude to Him as their Creator. This deliberate suppression of truth led to a deterioration of their intellectual capacity, resulting in empty and aimless thinking, and a profound spiritual and moral blindness that corrupted their innermost being. It describes the pathway from knowing to profound ignorance and estrangement from God.

Romans 1 21 Context

Romans 1:21 serves as a pivotal point in Paul's theological argument, providing the moral foundation for God's just wrath against humanity. It immediately follows Paul's declaration in Romans 1:18-20 that God's wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth. This truth, as verse 20 clarifies, is clearly perceptible through the created order, rendering all humanity "without excuse." Therefore, verse 21 explains why humanity is without excuse: not because they lacked knowledge of God, but because, despite knowing Him, they willfully refused to honor Him or give Him thanks. This failure is presented as the primary sin from which subsequent intellectual and moral decline stems, leading to idolatry (Rom 1:22-23) and God's giving them over to their depravity (Rom 1:24, 26, 28).

Historically and culturally, Paul wrote to a world saturated with diverse pagan cults, philosophical schools (Stoicism, Epicureanism), and widespread idolatry in the Greco-Roman Empire. His assertion directly challenged the common understanding of divinity and human worship, highlighting that the problem was not ignorance of deity but the deliberate rejection of the one true God for created things. This verse subtly polemicizes against both polytheistic worship and even philosophical systems that might have acknowledged a supreme being or a divine principle, but failed to render appropriate honor and gratitude to the personal, glorious God revealed through creation and, ultimately, through Israel's scriptures.

Romans 1 21 Word analysis

• For even though: Implies a concession; despite a prior condition being met. This highlights that humanity’s sin is not from a lack of exposure but a willful choice.
• they knew God: (Greek: egnōsan ton theon). Not mere intellectual apprehension of God's existence, but a deep-seated knowledge accessible through the natural world, as explained in the preceding verses. It suggests an awareness that should have led to recognition and worship, a recognition of His divine power and nature.
• they did not honor Him as God: (Greek: ouk edoxasan hōs theon). "Honor" (doxazo) means to give glory, recognize majesty, esteem as magnificent. This is a profound failure of worship and attribution of true worth. They acknowledged a divine entity but withheld the distinct glory due to the sovereign Creator. It signifies a refusal to assign Him His proper, unique place as Deity.
• or give thanks: (Greek: ē eucharistēsan). This specific omission underscores their moral failing. Ingratitude is presented as a fundamental offense against the Benefactor, indicating a self-centeredness and lack of proper relationship with the source of all life. It’s an active denial of reliance and obligation.
• but they became futile: (Greek: emataiōthēsan). This verb denotes becoming vain, empty, worthless, or absurd. Their reasoning and aims became purposeless or deviated from truth and reality. It's a judicial or resultant outcome: a direct consequence of their unthankfulness and dishonoring of God.
• in their thinking: (Greek: en tois dialogismois autōn). Refers to their reasoning, speculations, reflections, and inner deliberations. Their intellectual pursuits became muddled, distorted, and unprofiting.
• and their foolish hearts: (Greek: hē asynetοs autōn kardia). "Foolish" (asynetos) means unintelligent, without understanding, senseless. "Heart" (kardia), in biblical anthropology, is the core of a person – the seat of intellect, emotion, will, and conscience. So, their entire inner person, including their mind and moral sensibilities, became devoid of spiritual insight.
• were darkened: (Greek: eskotisthē). Implies being rendered obscure, enveloped in gloom, made blind. This is a moral and spiritual blindness, a direct outcome of their previous refusal to honor and thank God. It suggests a progressive process where the initial knowledge faded into profound spiritual obscurity, hindering their ability to discern spiritual truth or good.

Romans 1 21 Bonus section

This verse sets the stage for God's judicial "giving over" (paradidomi) in Romans 1:24, 26, and 28. It implies that humanity's deliberate failure to glorify and thank God wasn't an isolated incident, but an active, continuous suppression of truth that warranted a divine consequence: God allowed them to descend further into the very moral and intellectual darkness they chose. The specific mention of "not giving thanks" is particularly profound, as gratitude is foundational to any right relationship, especially with the Creator. Its absence highlights an extreme self-sufficiency and autonomy that rebels against divine dependency, demonstrating that spiritual sickness often manifests first as unthankfulness before spiraling into further depravity. This progression showcases God's justice, not as an arbitrary act, but as a response to human unrighteousness and ungodliness that actively suppressed the clear light given to them.

Romans 1 21 Commentary

Romans 1:21 provides a crucial insight into humanity's fallen state, pinpointing the original offense against God that paved the way for widespread depravity. It details how the readily available knowledge of God through His creation, rather than leading to worship and gratitude, was instead suppressed. The twin sins of not honoring Him as God and not giving thanks are presented as foundational failures. "Not honoring Him as God" speaks to a willful rejection of God's rightful glory and supreme authority, demoting the Creator in the human mind and heart. "Not giving thanks" highlights profound ingratitude, betraying a complete lack of proper acknowledgement for His continuous provision and being the Giver of all good things.

This rejection leads to severe consequences. Their reasoning, "thinking," became "futile"—empty, baseless, and without real value. Their intellectual pursuits, devoid of God, were rendered pointless and absurd, leading to the creation of false deities and flawed philosophies. Subsequently, their "foolish hearts were darkened," meaning their inner moral and spiritual core became unintelligent and clouded, losing the capacity for true discernment and understanding of God's ways or righteousness. This describes a downward spiral: from suppressed truth to corrupted thought, and ultimately to a darkened inner being, explaining humanity's pervasive blindness and ungodliness. This verse underscores that human sin is not primarily about ignorance, but about willful suppression of evident truth and the ensuing divine judgment of intellectual and moral degradation. For example, modern pursuits of truth without acknowledging the Creator often lead to despair or systems that cannot provide ultimate meaning.