Romans 1:31 BSB — MannaFest

Romans 1:31

They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:

KJV

Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

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Commentary

2 voices

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Romans (1107)

"Senseless" — and rightly so. For how could those who did not obey their parents understand anything? "Faithless" — that is, they are not steadfast in agreements. "Unloving, implacable, unmerciful" — the root of all evils is the very cooling of love: for from this …

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

Without understanding,.... Of God, of his nature and worship, of things divine and even moral, being given up to a reprobate mind: covenant breakers; had no regard to private or public contracts: without natural affection; to their parents, children, relations and friends: implacable; when once offended there was no reconciling of them: unmerciful; had no pity and compassion to persons in distress.

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Covenant-breakers - It is well known, the Romans, as a nation, from the very beginning of their commonwealth, never made any scruple of vacating altogether the most solemn engagement, if they did not like it, though made by their supreme magistrate, in the name of the whole people.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Without understanding - Inconsiderate, or foolish; see Rom 1:21-22. Covenant breakers - Perfidious; false to their contracts. Without natural affections - This expression denotes the lack of affectionate regard toward their children. The attachment of parents to children is one of the strongest in nature, and nothing can overcome it but the most confirmed and established wickedness. And yet the apostle charges on the pagan generally the lack of this affection. He doubtless refers here to the practice so common among pagans of exposing their children, or putting them to death.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

4 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ἀσυνέτους,	asunetous	foolish,	G801 →
ἀσυνθέτους,	asunthetous	untrustworthy,	G802 →
ἀστόργους	astorgous	heartless	G794 →
ἀνελεήμονας,	aneleēmonas	unmerciful,	G415 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

G801asunetousfoolish,5×

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Romans 3:11
There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
leads to
- Psalms 14:2–4
  The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
- Psalms 53:2
  God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
Through
Jeremiah 4:22
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
leads to
- Hosea 4:6
  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 14:20
  Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
- Romans 16:19
  Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
- Jeremiah 5:21
  “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.
- Romans 3:11
  There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
Through
Proverbs 18:2
A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions.
leads to
- Proverbs 1:7
  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

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About Romans

The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Romans: the study guide →Read chapter 1 →The featured study →

Continue: Romans 1 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Romans

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Romans