Romans 1:21-25

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they o became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 p Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and q exchanged the glory of r the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore s God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to t the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for u a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, v who is blessed forever! Amen.

  1. Cross References
    2 Kings 17:15
    They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them.
    Jeremiah 2:5
    Thus says the Lord : "What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?
    Ephesians 4:17 - 18
    Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
  2. Cross References
    Jeremiah 10:14
    Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
    1 Corinthians 1:20
    Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 106:20
    They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.
    Jeremiah 2:11
    Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
    Deuteronomy 4:16 - 18
    Beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female.
    Acts 17:29
    Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
  4. Cross References
    1 Timothy 1:17
    To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
  5. Cross References
    Romans 1:26
    For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature.
    Romans 1:28
    And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
    Ephesians 4:19
    They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
  6. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 4:4
    That each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor.
  7. Cross References
    Isaiah 28:15
    Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter".
    Isaiah 44:19 - 20
    No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?
    Jeremiah 10:14
    Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
    Amos 2:4
    Thus says the Lord : "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked.
    2 Thessalonians 2:11
    Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false.
  8. Cross References
    Romans 9:5
    To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.