ROM 1:18-32

Godʼs Wrath against Sin

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, [1:19] because what is known of God is manifest among them, for God has made it manifest to them. [1:20] For the invisible qualities of Him from the creation of the world, being understood by the things crafted, are clearly seen — both His eternal power and divinity — with the result that they are without excuse. [1:21] Because having known God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless heart was darkened. [1:22] Professing to be wise, they became fools, [1:23] and they changed the glory of the immortal God into a likeness of an image of mortal man, and of birds, and of quadrupeds, and of creeping things. [1:24] Therefore God gave them up in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies between themselves, [1:25] who changed the truth of God into the falsehood, and reverenced and served the created thing beyond the One having created it, who is blessed to the ages. Amen. [1:26] Because of this God gave them up to passions of dishonor; for even the females of them changed the natural use into that contrary to nature, [1:27] and likewise also the males, having left the natural use of the female, were inflamed in their desire toward one another, males with males, committing the shameless act and receiving back in themselves the due recompense of their error. [1:28] And just as they did not approve of having God in knowledge, God gave them up to a disqualified mind, to do the things not fitting, [1:29] having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice — full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice — whisperers, [1:30] slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful, devisers of evil, disobedient to parents, [1:31] senseless, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful — [1:32] who, having known the righteous ordinance of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them but also take pleasure together with those practicing them.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Greco-Roman world, (impiety) was a serious charge, often leveled against those who disregarded the gods or violated sacred customs. For Jewish listeners, this term would resonate with the Torah’s warnings against idolatry and rebellion against Yahweh. The phrase 'the wrath of God' would evoke the Jewish understanding of divine judgment, particularly against nations that rejected God’s moral order. The assertion that God’s invisible qualities are 'clearly seen' in creation reflects Stoic ideas of natural theology, where the divine is discernible in the natural world. However, Paul’s critique that humanity 'became futile in their thinking' aligns with Jewish critiques of Gentile idolatry, as seen in Wisdom literature. The charge of 'exchanging the truth of God for a lie' would recall Israel’s own history of idolatry, while Gentile listeners might hear echoes of philosophical critiques of polytheism. The catalog of vices that follows reflects common Jewish and Greco-Roman moral discourse, emphasizing the societal consequences of rejecting divine authority.

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How other translations render this

ROM 1:18

KJV: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
BSB: The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Koinōnos: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

ROM 1:19

KJV: Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
BSB: For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
Koinōnos: because what is known of God is manifest among them, for God has made it manifest to them.

ROM 1:20

KJV: For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
BSB: For since the creation of the world Godʼs invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
Koinōnos: For the invisible qualities of Him from the creation of the world, being understood by the things crafted, are clearly seen — both His eternal power and divinity — with the result that they are without excuse.

ROM 1:21

KJV: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: Because having known God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless heart was darkened.

ROM 1:22

KJV: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
BSB: Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
Koinōnos: Professing to be wise, they became fools,

ROM 1:23

KJV: And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
BSB: and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Koinōnos: and they changed the glory of the immortal God into a likeness of an image of mortal man, and of birds, and of quadrupeds, and of creeping things.

ROM 1:24

KJV: Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
BSB: Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.
Koinōnos: Therefore God gave them up in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies between themselves,

ROM 1:25

KJV: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
BSB: They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
Koinōnos: who changed the truth of God into the falsehood, and reverenced and served the created thing beyond the One having created it, who is blessed to the ages. Amen.

ROM 1:26

KJV: For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
BSB: For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
Koinōnos: Because of this God gave them up to passions of dishonor; for even the females of them changed the natural use into that contrary to nature,

ROM 1:27

KJV: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
BSB: Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Koinōnos: and likewise also the males, having left the natural use of the female, were inflamed in their desire toward one another, males with males, committing the shameless act and receiving back in themselves the due recompense of their error.

ROM 1:28

KJV: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
BSB: Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
Koinōnos: And just as they did not approve of having God in knowledge, God gave them up to a disqualified mind, to do the things not fitting,

ROM 1:29

KJV: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
BSB: They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,
Koinōnos: having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice — full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice — whisperers,

ROM 1:30

KJV: Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
BSB: slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.
Koinōnos: slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful, devisers of evil, disobedient to parents,

ROM 1:31

KJV: Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
BSB: They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.
Koinōnos: senseless, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful —

ROM 1:32

KJV: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
BSB: Although they know Godʼs righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.
Koinōnos: who, having known the righteous ordinance of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them but also take pleasure together with those practicing them.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18.8.5
Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 17.5.6

›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 18.8.5

“but the commands of the emperor, and told them that his wrath would, without delay, be executed on such as had the courage to disobey what he had commanded”

Cited to ground: The phrase 'the wrath of God' would evoke the Jewish understanding of divine judgment, particularly against nations that rejected God’s moral order.

›Josephus, Antiquities Antiquities 17.5.6

“whatsoever Antipater had done lasciviously in his cups and his amours among Pheroras's women; the examination upon torture; and whatsoever concerned the testimonies of the witnesses”

Cited to ground: The catalog of vices that follows reflects common Jewish and Greco-Roman moral discourse, emphasizing the societal consequences of rejecting divine authority.

Translator's notes

ROM 1:18

[the] wrath:The word translated 'wrath' here refers to a settled, deep-seated disposition or temperament, not merely a sudden outburst of anger. It describes a fundamental characteristic.
ungodliness:The term 'ungodliness' describes a lack of reverence or respect towards God, often manifested in actions that disregard divine authority or presence. It's an active irreverence.

ROM 1:20

things made:The word translated 'things made' carries the sense of a deliberate creation or workmanship, emphasizing the skill and intention of the maker. It's not just something that exists, but something crafted.

ROM 1:28

a depraved:The word translated 'depraved' originally referred to something that failed a test or was rejected as counterfeit, like a coin not fit for currency. It implies a state of being unfit or worthless after examination.