Romans 2:22
What does Romans 2:22 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 2:22 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 2:22 means
Paul continues his probing: you who forbid adultery, do you commit it? You who abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege? The second question likely points to profaning holy things—violating what one claims to revere. The aim is the same: to unmask inconsistency. Moral outrage against obvious sins or idolatry means little if one indulges in hidden forms of the same rebellion. God is not impressed by denunciations that are not matched by obedience. The Law’s authority is undermined when its guardians use it to elevate themselves while trampling its demands, which were given to produce holiness, not mere reputation.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You who say that a man may not be untrue to his wife, are you true to yours? you who are a hater of images, do you do wrong to the house of God?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862thou who art preaching not to steal, dost thou steal? thou who art saying not to commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou who art abhorring the idols, dost thou rob temples?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Thou, that sayest men should not commit adultery, committest adultery: thou, that abhorrest idols, committest sacrilege:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890thou that sayest [man should] not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Context
Verse 22 extends the rhetorical questions of verse 21, using examples that strike at the heart of covenant faithfulness. Adultery violates God’s commandments; sacrilege betrays claimed devotion. These questions prepare the charge in verse 23—boasting in the Law while breaking it dishonors God—and the citation in verse 24 that God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of such hypocrisy. The flow tightens from examples to their theological consequence.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 9:2
Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
- Malachi 3:8
Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
- Matthew 16:4
An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed.
- Matthew 12:39
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:
- Acts 19:37
For ye have brought hither these men, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.
- Mark 11:17
And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers.
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