Romans 1:22
Romans 1:22 in Multiple Translations
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Seeming to be wise, they were in fact foolish,
Even though they claimed to be wise, they became foolish.
When they professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles.
professing to be wise, they were made fools,
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools:
For professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
Although they claimed that they were wise, they became foolish,
They told everybody that they could think really good, but they were fools.
Berean Amplified Bible — Romans 1:22
BAB
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Romans 1:22 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
GRK
φασκοντες
ειναι
σοφοι
εμωρανθησαν
φασκοντες
phaskō
G5335
to claim
Verb-PAP-NPM
ειναι
eimi
G1510
to be
Verb-PAN
σοφοι
sophos
G4680
wise
Adj-NPM
εμωρανθησαν
mōrainō
G3471
be foolish
Verb-API-3P
Greek Word Study
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Greek Word Reference — Romans 1:22
φασκοντες
phaskō
G5335
"to claim"
Verb-PAP-NPM
To claim or assert something means to affirm or state it as true. In Romans 1:22, people claim to be wise but are actually foolish. This word is used to describe affirming or professing something.
Definition: φάσκω [in LXX: Gen.26:20 (אָמַר), Dan LXX Bel 1:8, 2Ma.14:27 2Mac 14:32, 3Ma.3:7 * ;] to affirm, assert: with accusative and inf., Act.24:9 25:19; with inf. and nom., Rom.1:22.† (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 3 NT verses. KJV: affirm, profess, say See also: Acts 24:9; Acts 25:19; Romans 1:22.
ειναι
eimi
G1510
"to be"
Verb-PAN
To be or exist, a basic verb used to describe something or someone, like God saying 'I am' in John 8:58.
Definition: εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. __I. As substantive verb. __1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. __2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. __3. to be present, be in a place, have come: Mat.2:13, 15, Mrk.1:45, 5:21, 15:40, Luk.1:80, 5:29, Jhn.7:30, al.; before εἰς, Mrk.2:1; before ἐκ, (ἐξ), Mat.1:20, 21:25, Mrk.11:30, Jhn.3:31, al. __4. Impers., ἔστι, ἦν, etc.; __(a) there is (Fr. il y a), was, etc.: Mat.16:28, Luk.16:19, Jhn.3:1, 5:2, Rom.3:10, al.; with dative (of the possessor; Bl., §37, 3), Mat.16:22, Luk.1:7, Jhn.18.10, Rom.9:2, al.; ἔστιν ὅς, ὅστις (chiefly in pl), Mat.16:28, 19:2, Mrk.9:1, al.; __(b) with inf., = ἔξεστιν (which see), it is possible: Heb.9:5, 1Co.11:20, RV (but see ICC, in l.). __II. As copula uniting subject and predicate. __1. Expressing simply identity or equivalence: Mat.5:13, 14:15, Luk.1:18, 19, Jhn.1:1, 4:19, Rev.3:9, al. mult. __2. Explicative, as in parable, figure, type, etc.: Mat.13:19, 1Co.9:2, 10:4, 11:25, Gal.4:24, Rev.17:15, al.; ταῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, Mat.27:46, Mrk.7:2, Rom.7:18 al.; ὅ ἐστιν, Mrk.3:17, Col.1:24, Heb.7:2, al.; akin to this is the sacramental usage: Mat.26:26-28, Mrk.14:22, 24, Luk.22:19, 1Co.11:24 (see ICC on Mk, I Co, ll. with; DB, iii, 148 f.). __3. C. genitive: qual., etc., Mrk.5:42, Luk.3:23, 1Co.14:33, Heb.12:11, al.; part., 1Ti.1:20, 2Ti.1:15; poss., Mat.5:3, 10, Mrk.12:7, Luk.4:7; of service or partisanship, Rom.8:9, 1Co.1:12, 2Co.10:7, 2Ti.2:19. __4. C. dative (BL, §37, 3): Act.1:8, 9:15, Rom.4:12, 1Co.1:18, 2:14, Rev.21:7, al. __5. C. ptcp., as a periphrasis for the simple verb (Bl., §62, 1, 2; M, Pr., 225 ff.); __(a) with ptcp. pf. (cl.): Mat.10:30, Luk.9:32, Jhn.3:24, Act.21:35, 1Co.15:19, al; __(b) with ptcp. pr. (esp. in impf., as in Heb. and Aram.; Dalman, Words, 35 f.), Mat.7:29, Mrk.1:22, Luk.4:31, 14:1, Act.1:10, al. mult., id. for imper. (M, Pr., 180f., 182f.), with ellipsis of εἰμί, Rom.12:9, 10, Heb.13:5, al.; __(with) with ptcp. aor. (cl), Luk.23:9. __6. Seq. εἰς (cf. Heb. הָיָה לְ), a vernac. usage (M, Pr., 71): Mat.19:5, Mrk.10:8, Heb.8:10, al. __7. C. adv.: Mat.19:20, Mrk.4:26, Luk.18:11, al. __8. Ellipses; __(a) of the copula (Bl., §30, 3): Mat.8:29, 24:32, Jhn.21:22, 23, Heb.6:4, al.; __(b) of the predicate: ἐγώ εἰμί, Mat.14:27, Mrk.6:50, al.; absol. (cf. Deu.32:39; אֲנִי הוּא), Mrk.13:6, Jhn.4:26, al. (cf. ἄπ-, ἔν-, πάρ-, συμ-πάρ-, σύν-ειμι). (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 2123 NT verses. KJV: am, have been, X it is I, was See also: 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Peter 1:6.
σοφοι
sophos
G4680
"wise"
Adj-NPM
Wise means having good judgment or being skilled, as seen in Romans 16:19 and 1 Corinthians 3:10, and can apply to people or God.
Definition: σοφός, -ή, -όν [in LXX chiefly for חָכָם ;] skilled, clever, wise, whether in handicraft, the affairs of life, the sciences or learning: Rom.16:19, 1Co.3:10; of the learned, Rom.1:14, 22, 1Co.1:19-20 1:26-27 3:18-20; of Jewish teachers, Mat.11:25, Luk.10:21; Christian, Mat.23:34; of those endowed with practical wisdom, 1Co.6:5, Eph.5:15, Jas.3:13; of God, Rom.16:27; compar., τ. μωρὸν τ. θεοῦ σοφώτερον, 1Co.1:25.† SYN.: συνετός, φρόνιμος (see: σοφία, SYN.) (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 21 NT verses. KJV: wise See also: 1 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Timothy 1:17; James 3:13.
εμωρανθησαν
mōrainō
G3471
"be foolish"
Verb-API-3P
To be foolish means to act silly or senseless, like playing the fool in 1 Corinthians 1:20. It can also mean to lose your effectiveness, like salt that has lost its flavor in Matthew 5:13.
Definition: μωραίνω (μωρός), [in LXX: Isa.19:11, Jer.10:14 51:17 (בָּעַר ni.), 2Ki.24:10, Isa.44:25 R (שָׂכַל ni., pi.)* ;] __1. cl., to be foolish, play the fool. __2. LXX and NT, causal, to make foolish: 1Co.1:20; pass., to become foolish: Rom.1:22; of salt that has lost its flavour, become tasteless: Mat.5:13, Luk.14:34.† (AS)
Usage: Occurs in 4 NT verses. KJV: become fool, make foolish, lose savour See also: 1 Corinthians 1:20; Matthew 5:13; Romans 1:22.
Study Notes — Romans 1:22
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Romans 1:22 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Romans 1:22
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 1:22
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Romans 1:22
- Trapp's Commentary on Romans 1:22
- Ellicott's Commentary on Romans 1:22
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Romans 1:22
- Cambridge Bible on Romans 1:22
- Barnes' Notes on Romans 1:22
- Whedon's Commentary on Romans 1:22
- Sermons on Romans 1:22
Context — God’s Wrath against Sin
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
21For 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.
22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Corinthians 1:19–21 | 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? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. |
| 2 | Romans 11:25 | I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. |
| 3 | Proverbs 26:12 | Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. |
| 4 | Proverbs 25:14 | Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 8:8–9 | How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception? The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what wisdom do they really have? |
| 6 | Jeremiah 10:14 | 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. |
| 7 | 1 Corinthians 3:18–19 | 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.” |
| 8 | Matthew 6:23 | But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! |
| 9 | Isaiah 47:10 | 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.’ |
Romans 1:22 Summary
[This verse is saying that when people think they are smart and can figure everything out on their own, they can actually become foolish and miss out on God's truth. This is because, as it says in Jeremiah 9:23-24, we should not boast in our wisdom, but rather in knowing and understanding God. By acknowledging our limitations and submitting to God's wisdom, we can gain true understanding and wisdom, as stated in Proverbs 9:10, which says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to claim to be wise, but become a fool?
This verse suggests that when people think they have all the answers and rely on their own understanding, they can actually become foolish in God's sight, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6, where it says to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not to lean on our own understanding.
Is this verse saying that intelligence or education is bad?
No, this verse is not condemning intelligence or education, but rather the idea that humans can figure everything out on their own without acknowledging or submitting to God, as stated in Isaiah 55:8-9, which says God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
How can someone who seems smart and wise become a fool?
According to this verse, it happens when people prioritize their own wisdom and understanding above God's, leading to a darkening of their hearts, as mentioned in Romans 1:21, and a distortion of their thinking, as warned in 2 Timothy 3:7.
What is the main issue with claiming to be wise, but becoming a fool?
The main issue is that it leads to a rejection of God's truth and a downward spiral into sinful and destructive behaviors, as described in Romans 1:24, where it says God gave them over to their desires, resulting in the dishonoring of their bodies.
Reflection Questions
- In what ways do I prioritize my own wisdom and understanding above God's, and how can I surrender those areas to Him?
- What are some areas in my life where I may be 'claiming to be wise' but actually becoming foolish in God's sight?
- How can I balance my desire for knowledge and understanding with a humble recognition of my limitations and need for God's guidance?
- What are some practical steps I can take to ensure that my pursuit of wisdom is grounded in a deep reverence for God and His Word?
Gill's Exposition on Romans 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise,.... The learned men among the Gentiles first called themselves σοφοι, "Sophi", wise men: and afterwards, to cover their wretched pride and vanity, φιλοσοφοι,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Professing themselves to be ([ faskontes (G5335) einai (G1511)] - 'boasting that they were') wise, they became fools,
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Romans 1:22
Some think, that all along this context the apostle hath reference to the Gnostics, a sort of heretics in the first age, (of which see Dr. Hammond in locum), and that the meaning of the words is this, That they, assuming the title of Gnostics, of knowing men, and of men wiser than others, have proved more sottish than any. Others think the words refer to the heathen philosophers, who though they were learned and wise in secular and natural things, yet they became fools in spiritual and heavenly matters; though they well understood the creature, yet they erred concerning the Creator. And as fools delight in toys, neglecting things of great value; so they set up puppets and idols of their own devising, in the room of the true God; which the apostle gives us in the next verse, as a demonstration of their folly. Socrates, who was accounted one of the wisest amongst them, desired his friends, when he was about to die, to offer for him a cock to Aesculapius, which he had vowed.
Trapp's Commentary on Romans 1:22
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Ver. 22. Professing themselves to be wise] Aristotle, nature’ s chief secretary, writeth many things most absurdly concerning God; as, that he is a living creature, that he worketh not freely, but by a kind of servile necessity; and that therefore he deserveth no praise or thanks from men for his many benefits, since he doth but what he must needs do. These are Aristotle’ s absurd assertions. And yet at Stuckard in Germany was found a doctor of divinity that preached to the people, that the Church might be sufficiently well taught and governed by Aristotle’ s ethics, though we had no Bible. And the Collen divines set forth a book, concerning Aristotle’ s salvation, and called him Christ’ s forerunner in naturals, as John Baptist had been in supernaturals. But what saith St Paul, 1 Corinthians 2:14; "The natural man receiveth not," &c. Gr. ψυχικος, the souly man, that doth excolere animam, improve of the mind, such as Aristotle, Cicero, &c., who the wiser they were, the vainer they were, and the further from God and his kingdom; their learning hung in their light, and served but to light them into utter darkness. Quanto doctiores tanto nequiores, ut Syri venales apud Ciceronem. Athenaeus brings Plato bewailing his fond love to a filthy harlot.
Ellicott's Commentary on Romans 1:22
(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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Romans 1:22
Verse 22. Professing themselves to be wise] This is most strikingly true of all the ancient philosophers, whether Greeks or Romans, as their works, which remain, sufficiently testify. The word φασκοντες signifies not merely the professing but the assumption of the philosophic character. In this sense the word φασκειν is used by the best Greek writers. See Kypke. A dispassionate examination of the doctrine and lives of the most famed philosophers of antiquity, of every nation, will show that they were darkened in their mind and irregular in their conduct. It was from the Christian religion alone that true philosophy and genuine philosophers sprang.
Cambridge Bible on Romans 1:22
22. Professing themselves to be wise, &c.] A severe but just description of speculation, primitive or modern, which ignores Revelation where Revelation has spoken. St Paul does not mean that in such speculations no intellectual power was exerted; surpassing power often was, and is, displayed in them. But the premisses of the reasoners, and their moral attitude, in view of the real state of the case, were fatally wrong. In the very act of “professing to be” competently “wise” they proved themselves “fools,” and further proved it by palpable acts, as follows.
Barnes' Notes on Romans 1:22
Professing themselves to be wise - This was the common boast of the philosophers of antiquity.
Whedon's Commentary on Romans 1:22
22. Wise—In discarding the primitive belief in God the first proud pretenders claimed credit for great worldly wisdom. Fools—As the idolatrous and depraving results showed.
Sermons on Romans 1:22
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Kjv Version Bible - Part 1 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the warnings given by Paul the Apostle in Romans chapter 1. He emphasizes the danger of people who claim to be wise but instead worship their |
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Last Days by Chuck Smith | This sermon focuses on the concept of the last days and the end of the world as we know it, emphasizing the signs and scoffers that will arise. It delves into the idea of a new wor |
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Freemasonary and the Masonic Lodge by Ron Carlson | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the initiation ceremony of Freemasonry and compares it to the teachings of Jesus in the Bible. He highlights the differences between the Maso |
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Give Thanks Unto the Lord! by Erlo Stegen | In this sermon, the speaker shares their personal testimony of how they came to the school in 1996 due to a desperate situation after losing their mother at a young age. They expre |
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Evangelizing the Western Mindset - Part 5 by Winkie Pratney | This sermon delves into the loss of absolutes in culture, leading to a search for wonder and the impact of materialism on society. It explores the existential questions arising fro |
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Cse Seminar 7(2003) Questions and Answers by Kent Hovind | This sermon by Kent Hovind delves into the topics of creation, evolution, and dinosaurs, emphasizing the belief that the Bible is scientifically accurate and evolution is a flawed |
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Acts 18_pt1 by Bill Gallatin | In this sermon, the preacher describes the city of Corinth during the time of the Roman Empire. He emphasizes how the people of Corinth had turned away from God and worshiped creat |