Devine Scripture

Romans 1:22

What does Romans 1:22 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 1:22 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 1:22 means

Professing themselves wise, people became fools. Human pride claims insight while rejecting the fear of the Lord, which is the true beginning of wisdom. Without honoring God, even brilliant minds misfire morally and spiritually. Folly here is not lack of IQ but a deep misorientation. This self-assured wisdom paves the way for idolatry and moral collapse because it replaces the Creator with human ideas. Paul exposes the tragic irony: in seeking to be intellectually self-sufficient, humanity has embraced the most basic error—turning from the true God to false substitutes.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Seeming to be wise, they were in fact foolish,

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

professing to be wise, they were made fools,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Context

Verse 22 continues the descent begun in verse 21. After refusing to glorify or thank God, humanity claims wisdom but demonstrates folly. This introduces verse 23’s exchange—trading the glory of the incorruptible God for images. The flow shows that idolatry is not a primitive mistake only, but a perennial outcome of proud autonomy. God’s judicial handing over (vv.24–28) will then respond to this exchange.

v.21because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.

v.22This passage

v.23and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Jeremiah 10:14

    Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

  • Isaiah 47:10

    For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness; thou hast said, None seeth me; thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee, and thou hast said in thy heart, I am, and there is none else besides me.

  • Proverbs 26:12

    Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:18

    Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.

  • Matthew 6:23

    But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!

  • Romans 11:25

    For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;

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