Romans 1:31 kjv

Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Romans 1:31 nkjv

undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

Romans 1:31 niv

they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.

Romans 1:31 esv

foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Romans 1:31 nlt

They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.

Romans 1 verses

Romans 1 31 Meaning

Romans 1:31 describes four distinct characteristics of humanity's fallen state, demonstrating the depth of moral and relational decay that results from suppressing the truth about God. These characteristics are not mere imperfections but profound absences of qualities essential for a life aligned with divine order and healthy human society. They include a darkened mind incapable of sound judgment, a radical betrayal of agreements and commitments, a complete loss of basic familial and natural affection, and an utter lack of compassion or empathy for the suffering of others. These traits underscore the universal human need for God's transforming grace.

Romans 1 31 Context

Romans 1:31 is part of Paul's profound theological argument in Romans 1:18-32, which establishes the universal culpability of humanity, both Gentiles and Jews, before God. The preceding verses (1:18-20) declare that God's invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature are clearly seen in creation, rendering all humanity without excuse. However, rather than honoring God, humanity suppresses this truth through unrighteousness, leading to idolatry and moral degradation (1:21-23, 25).

As a consequence of this rejection, God "gave them over" three times (1:24, 26, 28) to the natural and devastating results of their choices. Verse 31 elaborates on the comprehensive vice list (1:29-31) that describes the corrupt character and behavior prevalent in a society estranged from its Creator. This context highlights that these vices are not random failings but logical outcomes of abandoning the knowledge and worship of the true God. They illustrate the profound need for the righteousness of God revealed through the gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul introduces earlier in the chapter.

Romans 1 31 Word analysis

• without understanding (ἀσυνέτους - asunetous):

  • Rooted in a (privative prefix meaning "not" or "without") and syniemi (to bring together, perceive, understand).
  • Significance: More than intellectual ignorance, it points to a moral obtuseness and spiritual dullness. It implies an inability to grasp divine truth, wisdom, or sound moral reasoning, especially when faced with God's clear revelation in creation. It suggests a wilful shutting of the mind to what is inherently true and good.
  • Implies a state where even basic discerning judgment is impaired or corrupted.
  • Connects to biblical themes of folly versus wisdom, where true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov 1:7).

• covenant-breakers (ἀσυνθέτους - asunthetous):

  • Composed of a (privative) and syntithemi (to place together, agree, covenant, promise).
  • Significance: Describes those who disregard oaths, agreements, and sacred promises. It encompasses treachery and disloyalty, breaking foundational bonds of trust within relationships and society. This could apply to contracts, marriage vows, or any solemn commitment. The breaking of the covenant with God is the ultimate breach.
  • It points to a profound unreliability and lack of integrity that erodes social cohesion.

• without natural affection (ἀστόργους - astorgous):

  • From a (privative) and storgē (natural family love, affection, especially of parents for children or vice-versa).
  • Significance: This is the absence of the most fundamental and instinctive type of love, the deep, inherent bond felt within a family. Its loss signals an alarming level of depravity where even the most basic human affections are eroded, leading to callousness within homes and society.
  • It highlights a disintegration of the core unit of human society—the family—and a rejection of even rudimentary human kindness.

• unmerciful (ἀνελεήμονας - aneleēmonas):

  • Derived from a (privative) and eleēmōn (merciful, compassionate).
  • Significance: Characterizes individuals utterly lacking in pity, compassion, or empathy for others' suffering. It signifies cruelty, hardness of heart, and indifference to the plight of fellow human beings. This is in direct opposition to God's nature and His commands for humanity to show mercy.
  • The absence of mercy represents the complete negation of a virtuous response to human need and pain.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful": This specific sequence highlights a progressive descent into profound moral darkness. It begins with cognitive or moral blindness (lacking understanding), leading to a breakdown of foundational societal bonds (covenant-breaking), followed by the loss of the most intimate human connections (natural affection), and culminating in utter insensitivity to human suffering (unmerciful). Each of these terms begins with the privative 'a-' prefix in Greek, strongly emphasizing the absence or negation of vital qualities, underscoring that these are not merely lesser virtues but complete deficiencies, demonstrating an active rebellion against divine order and goodness. The list emphasizes humanity's comprehensive relational failure – failure in relation to truth, to agreements, to family, and to fellow humans.

Romans 1 31 Bonus section

• The terms in Romans 1:29-31, including those in verse 31, form a "catalogue of vices" that was common in ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish literature. Paul's use of such a list here is to meticulously outline the pervasive nature of Gentile depravity. However, it is not simply an external cultural observation, but a divinely inspired assessment of the human heart without God.
• The repetitive use of the alpha privative prefix (ἀ- / a-) across these four descriptors in verse 31 (and some other terms in the broader list) powerfully emphasizes that these are not simply weaknesses or imperfections, but profound absences of essential virtues, signifying a radical rejection of divine order and human goodness.
• These specific vices reveal that idolatry not only breaks a person's relationship with God but also severely damages their relationships with other people. When the vertical relationship with the Creator is distorted, the horizontal relationships within human society inevitably follow suit.

Romans 1 31 Commentary

Romans 1:31 paints a grim portrait of humanity estranged from God, where sin has deeply corrupted intellect, trust, affection, and compassion. These characteristics are not isolated flaws but profound societal and personal deformations that stem directly from the suppression of divine truth and the subsequent worship of creation instead of the Creator.

The sequence in this verse is telling: from an inability to understand moral truth, to betraying sacred vows, to abandoning even innate familial love, and finally to a hardened indifference to suffering. This progression illustrates the spiraling consequences of human rebellion against God, culminating in a state antithetical to the loving, merciful, and ordered nature of God. The universal prevalence of such characteristics, whether in Paul's day or our own, highlights the dire human condition apart from Christ and underscores the urgency of the Gospel's message of salvation and transformation. This list is a profound indictment, not just of individual sins, but of a fallen humanity that has rejected its fundamental design and its relationship with God.