Romans 2:21
What does Romans 2:21 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 2:21 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 2:21 means
Paul now turns from description to interrogation: you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? If you preach against stealing, do you steal? The issue is hypocrisy—the gap between doctrine and deed. Instruction that is not applied to the self becomes a weapon against others and a shield for one’s own sin. The Law was given to transform life, not to arm the self-righteous. Paul’s question forces the reader to let the Law search his own heart first. The authority to teach is moral as well as intellectual; without obedience, knowledge becomes self-condemning.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You who give teaching to others, do you give it to yourself? you who say that a man may not take what is not his, do you take what is not yours?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Thou, then, who art teaching another, thyself dost thou not teach?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Thou therefore, that teachest another, teachest not thyself: thou, that preachest that men should not steal, stealest.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890thou then that teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself? thou that preachest not to steal, dost thou steal?
Context
After listing roles and privileges (verses 17–20), Paul exposes inconsistency. Verse 21 introduces the pattern he will continue in verse 22: condemning specific sins while committing them. This is not necessarily a universal accusation, but a representative critique of hypocrisy. The argument is building toward verse 23’s charge that such behavior dishonors God, and verse 24’s claim that it causes His name to be blasphemed among the Gentiles.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 4:23
And he said unto them, Doubtless ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country.
- Matthew 21:13
and he saith unto them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer: but ye make it a den of robbers.
- Isaiah 56:11
Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
- Micah 3:11
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us.
- Luke 19:22
He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow;
- Psalms 50:16
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, And that thou hast taken my covenant in thy mouth,
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