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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Romans 1:22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/romans/1-22.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/19/45_Rom_01_22.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Romans 1:22 - God's Wrath against Sin" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools," /><script type="application/javascript" 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align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad2.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/romans/1-21.htm" title="Romans 1:21">◄</a> Romans 1:22 <a href="/romans/1-23.htm" title="Romans 1:23">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/romans/1.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/romans/1.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/romans/1.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/romans/1.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/romans/1.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/romans/1.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />Professing to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/romans/1.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/romans/1.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Professing to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/romans/1.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/romans/1.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Professing to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/romans/1.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Professing to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/romans/1.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Professing to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/romans/1.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/romans/1.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they became fools<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/romans/1.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they became fools<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/romans/1.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/romans/1.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />They claim to be wise, but they are fools. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/romans/1.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/romans/1.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />While claiming to be wise, they became fools.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/romans/1.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />They say they are wise, but they are fools; <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/romans/1.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Though claiming to be wise, they became fools <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/romans/1.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/romans/1.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/romans/1.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/romans/1.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/romans/1.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />While boasting of their wisdom they became utter fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/romans/1.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/romans/1.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />professing to be wise, they were made fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/romans/1.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />Professing to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/romans/1.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> professing to be wise, they were made fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/romans/1.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />Declaring themselves to be wise, they were fools,<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/romans/1.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />For professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/romans/1.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />For, while proclaiming themselves to be wise, they became foolish.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/romans/1.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />While claiming to be wise, they became fools<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/romans/1.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Claiming to be wise, they became fools;<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/romans/1.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And while they thought within themselves that they were wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/aramaic-plain-english/romans/1.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a></span><br />And when they thought in themselves that they were wise, they became insane.<div class="vheading2"><b>NT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/anderson/romans/1.htm">Anderson New Testament</a></span><br />professing to be wise, they became foolish,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/godbey/romans/1.htm">Godbey New Testament</a></span><br />Saying that they were wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/haweis/romans/1.htm">Haweis New Testament</a></span><br />Affecting to be sophists, they turned idiots,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/mace/romans/1.htm">Mace New Testament</a></span><br />pretending to be wise, they became fools:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/romans/1.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />While boasting of their wisdom they became utter fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worrell/romans/1.htm">Worrell New Testament</a></span><br />Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worsley/romans/1.htm">Worsley New Testament</a></span><br />Pretending to be wise they Became fools:<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/romans/1-22.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KIZs4GUMn-g?start=199" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/romans/1.htm">God's Wrath against Sin</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">21</span>For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. <span class="reftext">22</span><span class="highl"><a href="/greek/5335.htm" title="5335: phaskontes (V-PPA-NMP) -- To assert, affirm, profess. Prolongation from the same as phemi; to assert.">Although they claimed</a> <a href="/greek/1510.htm" title="1510: einai (V-PNA) -- I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.">to be</a> <a href="/greek/4680.htm" title="4680: sophoi (Adj-NMP) -- Wise, learned, cultivated, skilled, clever. Akin to saphes; wise.">wise,</a> <a href="/greek/3471.htm" title="3471: emōranthēsan (V-AIP-3P) -- From moros; to become insipid; figuratively, to make as a simpleton.">they became fools,</a> </span> <span class="reftext">23</span>and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/1-18.htm">1 Corinthians 1:18-25</a></span><br />For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. / For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” / Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/1-7.htm">Proverbs 1:7</a></span><br />The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/10-14.htm">Jeremiah 10:14</a></span><br />Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/14-1.htm">Psalm 14:1</a></span><br />For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/3-18.htm">1 Corinthians 3:18-20</a></span><br />Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. / For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” / And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/44-25.htm">Isaiah 44:25</a></span><br />who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/2-8.htm">Colossians 2:8</a></span><br />See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/53-1.htm">Psalm 53:1</a></span><br />For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_timothy/3-7.htm">2 Timothy 3:7</a></span><br />who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/47-10.htm">Isaiah 47:10</a></span><br />You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray; you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/2-14.htm">1 Corinthians 2:14</a></span><br />The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/5-13.htm">Job 5:13</a></span><br />He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/26-12.htm">Proverbs 26:12</a></span><br />Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/5-21.htm">Isaiah 5:21</a></span><br />Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_peter/2-18.htm">2 Peter 2:18</a></span><br />With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/romans/11-25.htm">Romans 11:25</a></b></br> For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/proverbs/25-14.htm">Proverbs 25:14</a></b></br> Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift <i>is like</i> clouds and wind without rain.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/proverbs/26-12.htm">Proverbs 26:12</a></b></br> Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? <i>there is</i> more hope of a fool than of him.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/romans/1-21.htm">Although</a> <a href="/acts/5-36.htm">Boasting</a> <a href="/acts/16-16.htm">Claimed</a> <a href="/acts/8-9.htm">Claiming</a> <a href="/acts/26-5.htm">Fact</a> <a href="/romans/1-21.htm">Foolish</a> <a href="/luke/24-25.htm">Fools</a> <a href="/acts/24-9.htm">Professing</a> <a href="/mark/14-45.htm">Seeming</a> <a href="/acts/28-29.htm">Themselves</a> <a href="/acts/26-25.htm">Utter</a> <a href="/acts/24-2.htm">Wisdom</a> <a href="/romans/1-14.htm">Wise</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/romans/1-32.htm">Although</a> <a href="/romans/3-27.htm">Boasting</a> <a href="/1_thessalonians/2-6.htm">Claimed</a> <a href="/2_thessalonians/2-2.htm">Claiming</a> <a href="/romans/2-5.htm">Fact</a> <a href="/romans/1-31.htm">Foolish</a> <a href="/1_corinthians/4-10.htm">Fools</a> <a href="/1_timothy/2-10.htm">Professing</a> <a href="/2_corinthians/5-12.htm">Seeming</a> <a href="/romans/1-24.htm">Themselves</a> <a href="/1_corinthians/1-20.htm">Utter</a> <a href="/romans/11-25.htm">Wisdom</a> <a href="/romans/3-9.htm">Wise</a><div class="vheading2">Romans 1</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/romans/1-1.htm">Paul commends his calling to the Romans;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">9. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/romans/1-9.htm">and his desire to come to them.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">16. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/romans/1-16.htm">What his gospel is.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">18. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/romans/1-18.htm">God is angry with sin.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">21. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/romans/1-21.htm">What were the sins of mankind.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/romans/1.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/romans/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/romans/1.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Although they claimed to be wise</b><br>This phrase highlights the self-perception of wisdom among certain individuals or groups. In the context of <a href="/romans/1.htm">Romans 1</a>, Paul addresses the Gentile world, which prided itself on philosophical and intellectual achievements. The Greco-Roman culture was heavily influenced by philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, who emphasized human reason and wisdom. However, Paul contrasts this human wisdom with the wisdom of God, which is often seen as foolishness by the world (<a href="/1_corinthians/1-18.htm">1 Corinthians 1:18-25</a>). This self-proclaimed wisdom is a reflection of pride, a recurring theme in Scripture, where human arrogance leads to a downfall (<a href="/proverbs/16-18.htm">Proverbs 16:18</a>).<p><b>they became fools</b><br>Despite their claims to wisdom, these individuals are described as becoming fools. This is a direct consequence of rejecting God's truth and relying solely on human understanding. The biblical concept of foolishness is not merely a lack of intelligence but a moral and spiritual failing. <a href="/psalms/14.htm">Psalm 14:1</a> states, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" This foolishness is characterized by a rejection of divine revelation and a preference for idolatry and immorality, as further elaborated in the subsequent verses of <a href="/romans/1.htm">Romans 1</a>. The transformation from perceived wisdom to foolishness underscores the futility of human efforts apart from God, echoing the warnings found in <a href="/proverbs/3-5.htm">Proverbs 3:5-7</a> about leaning on one's own understanding rather than trusting in the Lord.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/p/paul_the_apostle.htm">Paul the Apostle</a></b><br>The author of the Book of Romans, Paul is writing to the believers in Rome to explain the gospel and its implications for both Jews and Gentiles.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_roman_church.htm">The Roman Church</a></b><br>The recipients of the letter, consisting of both Jewish and Gentile Christians, living in the heart of the Roman Empire.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_gentiles.htm">The Gentiles</a></b><br>In this context, Paul is addressing the Gentile world, highlighting their rejection of God despite having knowledge of Him through creation.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_foolish.htm">The Foolish</a></b><br>Those who, despite claiming wisdom, reject God and His truth, leading to moral and spiritual folly.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_wise.htm">The Wise</a></b><br>In contrast to the foolish, the truly wise are those who acknowledge God and live according to His truth.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/true_wisdom_comes_from_god.htm">True Wisdom Comes from God</a></b><br>True wisdom is rooted in the acknowledgment and reverence of God. Human wisdom, apart from God, leads to spiritual blindness and moral decay.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_danger_of_pride.htm">The Danger of Pride</a></b><br>Claiming wisdom apart from God is a form of pride that leads to folly. Believers must guard against intellectual pride and remain humble before God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_consequences_of_rejecting_god.htm">The Consequences of Rejecting God</a></b><br>Rejecting God and His truth results in a distorted understanding of reality, leading to foolish decisions and actions.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_discernment.htm">The Importance of Discernment</a></b><br>Christians are called to discern true wisdom from false wisdom by aligning their understanding with Scripture and the Holy Spirit's guidance.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/l/living_out_godly_wisdom.htm">Living Out Godly Wisdom</a></b><br>Believers should strive to live out the wisdom of God in their daily lives, reflecting His truth and love to the world.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_romans_1.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Romans 1</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_does_wisdom_lead_to_foolishness.htm">How does wisdom lead to foolishness?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_the_bible_say_on_folly.htm">What does the Bible say about foolishness?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_were_the_ancient_sumerians.htm">Who were the ancient Sumerians?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_defines_liberal_theology.htm">What defines liberal theology in religious studies?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/romans/1.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(22, 23) Relying upon their own wisdom, they wandered further and further from true wisdom, falling into the contradiction of supposing that the eternal and immutable Essence of God could be represented by the perishable figures of man, or bird, or quadruped, or insect.<p>(22) <span class= "bld">They became fools.</span>--They <span class= "ital">were made fools.</span> It is not merely that they expose their real folly, but that folly is itself judicially inflicted by God as a punishment for the first step of declension from Him.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/romans/1.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 22, 23.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Professing themselves to be wise, they Became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude</span> (literally, <span class="accented">in similitude</span>; cf. <a href="/psalms/106-20.htm">Psalm 106:20</a>, whence idea and words are taken) <span class="cmt_word">of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things</span>. The expression, <span class="greek">γνόντες τὸν Θεὸν</span>, refers to what has been said of <span class="greek">τὸ γνωστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ</span>, having been "manifest in them." It implies actual knowledge, not mere capacity of knowledge. Mankind is regarded as having lost a truer perception of God once possessed, idolatry being a sign of culpable degradation of the human race - not, as some would have us now believe, a stage in man's emergence from brutality. Scripture ever represents the human race as having fallen and become degraded; not as having risen gradually to any intelligent conceptions of God at all. And it may well be asked whether modern anthropological science has really discovered anything to discredit the scriptural view of the original condition and capacity of man. The view here presented is that obfuscation of the understanding (<span class="greek">σύνεσις</span>) ensued from refusal to <span class="accented">glorify</span> and <span class="accented">give thanks to</span> known Deity. "<span class="accented">Gratias assere</span> debemns ob beneficia; <span class="accented">glorificare</span> ob ipsas virtutes divinas" (Bengel). Hence came <span class="greek">ματαιότης</span>, a word, with its correlatives, constantly used with reference to idolatry; cf. <a href="/acts/14-15.htm">Acts 14:15</a>; <a href="/1_corinthians/3-20.htm">1 Corinthians 3:20</a>; <a href="/ephesians/4-17.htm">Ephesians 4:17</a>; <a href="/1_peter/1-18.htm">1 Peter 1:18</a>; also in the Old Testament, <a href="/1_kings/16-26.htm">1 Kings 16:26</a> (<span class="greek">ἐν τοῖς ματαίοις ἐπορεύαὐτῶν</span>, LXX.), <a href="/2_kings/17-15.htm">2 Kings 17:15</a> (<span class="greek">θησαν ὀπίσω τῶν μαρταίων</span>, LXX.); <a href="/jeremiah/2-5.htm">Jeremiah 2:5</a>; <a href="/jonah/2-8.htm">Jonah 2:8</a> (<span class="greek">φυλασσάμενοι μάταια καὶ ψευδῆ</span>). Two forms of idolatry - both involving unworthy conceptions of the Divine Being - are alluded to, suggested, we may suppose, by the anthropomorphism of the Greeks and the creature-worship of Egypt, which were the two notable and representative developments of heathen religion. The expression, <span class="greek">φάσκοντες εῖναι σοφοὶ</span>, with the previous <span class="greek">ἐν τοῖς διαλογισμαοῖς</span>, have led some to suppose in this whole passage a special reference to the schools of philosophy. But this is not so. The degradation spoken of was long anterior to them, nor is this charge, as formulated, applicable to them. The idea is, generally, that boasted human intellect has not preserved men from folly; not even "the wisdom of the Egyptians," or the intellectual culture of the Greeks (cf. <a href="/1_corinthians/1-19.htm">1 Corinthians 1:19</a>, etc.; 1 Corinthians 3:19, etc.). <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/romans/1-22.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div><span class="word">Although they claimed</span><br /><span class="grk">φάσκοντες</span> <span class="translit">(phaskontes)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5335.htm">Strong's 5335: </a> </span><span class="str2">To assert, affirm, profess. Prolongation from the same as phemi; to assert.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to be</span><br /><span class="grk">εἶναι</span> <span class="translit">(einai)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Present Infinitive Active<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_1510.htm">Strong's 1510: </a> </span><span class="str2">I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">wise,</span><br /><span class="grk">σοφοὶ</span> <span class="translit">(sophoi)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_4680.htm">Strong's 4680: </a> </span><span class="str2">Wise, learned, cultivated, skilled, clever. Akin to saphes; wise.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">they became fools,</span><br /><span class="grk">ἐμωράνθησαν</span> <span class="translit">(emōranthēsan)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3471.htm">Strong's 3471: </a> </span><span class="str2">From moros; to become insipid; figuratively, to make as a simpleton.</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/romans/1-22.htm">Romans 1:22 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/romans/1-22.htm">NT Letters: Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise they became (Rom. 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