Romans 1:25
What does Romans 1:25 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 1:25 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 1:25 means
They exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Here Paul reaches the heart of the matter: false worship. Truth about God was traded for a fundamental untruth, and service was redirected from God to created things. This inversion explains the corruption described before and after. The brief doxology (“who is blessed forever”) affirms that, despite human rebellion, God remains worthy of eternal praise. Paul cannot discuss God without worshiping, and the contrast between the Creator’s blessedness and human folly is stark.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Because by them the true word of God was changed into that which is false, and they gave worship and honour to the thing which is made, and not to him who made it, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862who did change the truth of God into a falsehood, and did honour and serve the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed to the ages. Amen.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890who changed the truth ofGod into falsehood, and honoured and served the creature more than him who had created [it], who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Context
Verse 25 restates and deepens the reason for God’s handing over in verse 24: a worship exchange—truth for a lie, Creator for creature. This sets up verses 26–27, which give a specific example of resulting disorder in the sexual realm. The flow moves from theological root (idolatry) to ethical fruit (passions contrary to created order), showing moral consequences as judgments fitting the sin.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 44:20
He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
- Jeremiah 13:25
This is thy lot, the portion measured unto thee from me, saith Jehovah; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
- 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.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9
For they themselves report concerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
- 2 Timothy 3:4
traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
- Matthew 10:37
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
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