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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Romans 1:28

And even as they refused

(κα καθως ουκ εδοκιμασαν). "And even as they rejected" after trial just as δοκιμαζω is used of testing coins. They tested God at first and turned aside from him.Knowledge

(επιγνωσε). Full knowledge (επ additional, γνωσις). They had a dim memory that was a caricature.Unto a reprobate mind

(εις αδοκιμον νουν). Play on ουκ εδοκιμασαν. They rejected God and God rejected their mental attitude and gave them over (verses Romans 1:24; Romans 1:26; Romans 1:28). See this adjective already in 1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Corinthians 13:5-7. Like an old abandoned building, the home of bats and snakes, left "to do those things which are not fitting" (ποιειν τα μη καθηκοντα), like the night clubs of modern cities, the dives and dens of the underworld, without God and in the darkness of unrestrained animal impulses. This was a technical term with Stoics (II Macc. 6:4).

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See also Romans 1:28 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 28. _THEY DID NOT LIKE TO RETAIN GOD_] It would, perhaps, be more literal to translate ουκ εδοκιμασαν, THEY DID NOT SEARCH _to retain God in_ their _knowledge_. They did not _examine_ the evide...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE ... - This was the true source of their crimes. They did not choose to acknowledge God. It was not because they could not, but because they were displeased with God, and...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. THE NEED OF SALVATION DEMONSTRATED. The Whole World Guilty and Lost. Chapter 1:18-3:20. CHAPTER 1:18-32. _ 1. Wrath Revealed from Heaven. 18._ 2. Gentile Knowledge of God. 19-20. 3. Turning f...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Mankind is in a ruinous plight: GOD'S ANGER, which is His righteousness reacting against wrong, rests upon the race. ROMANS 1:18_ A_. The Divine wrath is being revealed from heaven in action against...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Just as they have given themselves over to a kind of knowledge that rejects the idea of God, so God has given them over to the kind of mind that all reject. The result is that they do things which it...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    A CALL, A GOSPEL AND A TASK (Romans 1:1-7)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    AND EVEN... MIND. There is. play upon two words here, not easily expressed in Eng. "As they rejected God, God rejected them. " DID... LIKE. Greek. _dokimazo,_ to accept after testing, to approve. Comp...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And even as_, &c. In this and the following verses the developements of sin are followed into less monstrous but more pervading and not less guilty forms. _as they did not like_ DID NOT APPROVE. The...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Romans 1:18-32. (18) This power and condition revealed in the Gospel meets the need of man; for in the actual state of man we can see that his life lies under GOD’s wrath. Man has by unrighteous actio...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἘΔΟΚΊΜΑΣΑΝ, ‘they thought not fit’ (cf. Field, _ad lo_[77]). The verb implies approval after testing: the infinitive is epexegetic. ΤῸΝ ΘΕῸΝ closely with the verb; cf. in passive construction 1 Thessa...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΚΑΘΏΣ (G2531) так же; проводит сравнение между действиями Бога и человека, ΈΔΟΚΊΜΑΣΑΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΔΟΚΙΜΆΖΩ (G1381) испытывать, подвергать испытанию, принимать решение после проверки. Они испы...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND, EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE TO RETAIN GOD, &C.— The word Δοκιμαζω, which we render _like,_ signifies to _search_ or _explore;_ as goldsmiths try metal, to distinguish the good from the counterfeit....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _TEXT_ Romans 1:26-32. For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: Romans 1:27 and likewise also the men, leaving the...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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; AND EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE, [ ouk (G3756) edo...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    _THE CONDUCT OF MANKIND_ 25 There may be an allusion here to the prevalent custom of worshiping the Roman emperor. It has often occurred that, when men have attained to great eminence, they have dema...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    1:28 good (d-8) Not 'did not like.' The word means 'to assay, test, prove,' and thence 'to approve' as Philippians 1:10 . reprobate (e-21) Or, as some, 'a mind void of moral discernment.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    CONVENIENT] RV 'fitting.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL AND THE NEED OF THE WORLD. THE GUILT OF THE HEATHEN In his salutation the apostle emphasises his commission, and the greatness of the Person whose servant he is and who is the...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PAUL’S LETTER TO THE *ROMANS ROMANS _HILDA BRIGHT AND KEITH SIMONS_ ABOUT PAUL’S LETTER TO THE *ROMANS ABOUT THE FIRST CHRISTIANS IN ROME Rome was the most important city in the world at the tim...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (24-32) Hence they fell into a still lower depth; for, in anger at their perversion of the truth, God refrained from checking their downward course. He left them to follow their own evil bent. Their i...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    EVEN AS. — Rightly translated in the Authorised version: “as” is not here equivalent to “because,” but means rather, _just in like proportion as._ The degree of God’s punishment corresponded exactly t...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 5 MAN GIVEN UP TO HIS OWN WAY: THE HEATHEN Romans 1:24 WHEREFORE God gave them up, in the desires of their hearts, to uncleanness, so as to dishonour their bodies among themselves. There is...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ff. In Romans 1:28-30 we have the third and last παρέδωκεν expanded. As they did not think fit, after trial made (ἐδοκίμασαν), to keep God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a mind which cannot s...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FROM GROSS SINS OF THE FLESH Romans 1:24 Few men knew as much as did Paul of the unutterableness of human need. In terrible words he enumerates its various aspects. Truth would enter human hearts fro...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Bringing the first and seventh verses together, we find the called apostle writing to the called saints. As for himself, Paul declared, first, that he was debtor, because a gift had been bestowed on...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (11) And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a (m) reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (11) He proves the unrighteousness of m...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “ _And even as they did not think good to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a mind void of discernment, to do those things which are not fitting._ ” The ungodliness of the Gentiles...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    FOURTH PASSAGE (1:18-32). THE WRATH OF GOD ON THE GENTILES. According to Paul's usual style, the first verse contains summarily all the ideas developed in the following piece. The study of the verse...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The circumstances under which the epistle to the Romans was written gave occasion to the most thorough and comprehensive unfolding, not of the church, but of Christianity. No apostle had ever yet visi...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    28._And as they chose not, etc. _There is an evident comparison to be observed in these words, by which is strikingly set forth the just relation between sin and punishment. As they chose not to conti...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    There is no epistle in which the apostle places his apostleship on more positive and formal ground than in this; for at Rome he had no claim in virtue of his labours. He had never seen the Romans. He...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE,.... This accounts for the justness of the divine procedure in leaving them to commit such scandalous iniquities; that since they had some knowledge of God by the light o...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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; Ver. 28. _To a reprobate mind_] Or, an injudicio...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And as they did not like_ ουκ εδοκιμασαν, _they did not approve, to retain God in their knowledge_ Or rather, as εχειν εν επιγνωσει more properly signifies, _to retain him with acknowledgment._ For i...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    REPROBATE MIND; a mind abhorred of God, and upon which his curse rests. NOT CONVENIENT; not fit or proper, a disgrace to human nature....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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;...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The depths of immorality and godlessness:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The salutation (unusually long) occupies seven verses, - laying down distinctly, as it does, the complete foundation of that Gospel of which Paul was a messenger - thus introducing him with the Gospel...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    ROMANS 1:26-32 1. What is the basic problem of man as Paul sees it in chapter one? a. Is it idolatry? b. Failure to worship God? c. Something more basic? 2. Which sin really came first? a. Fooli...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    TO RETAIN: Or, to acknowledge A REPROBATE MIND: Or, a mind void of judgment...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    AND EVEN AS THEY REFUSED TO HAVE GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE, GOD GAVE THEM UP UNTO. REPROBATE MIND, TO DO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT FITTING; 'Reprobate' -'their own depraved reason' (NEB). Lit., not st...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    26-32 In the horrid depravity of the heathen, the truth of our Lord's words was shown: "Light was come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for he...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    TO RETAIN GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE; or, to have God in acknowledgment. The apostle proceeds to show the analogy betwixt their sin and their punishment. The evil he here taxed them with is much the same...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    And even as they refused [did not deem it worthy of their mind] _to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind_ [i. e., minds rejected in turn by God as unworthy], _to do thos...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Dialogue of Justin But if all nations are blessed in Christ, and we of all nations believe in Him, then He is indeed the Christ, and we are those blessed by Him. God formerly gave the sun as an objec...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Romans 1:28 And G2532 as G2531 did G1381 not G3756 like G1381 (G5656) retain G2192 (G5721) God...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CONSEQUENCES OF REFUSING TO HAVE GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE (1:28-32). Paul now moves on from the results of ungodliness to the results of unrighteousness (compare Romans 1:18). Men refused to have Go...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And even as they did not think it worthwhile to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to an unfit mind, to do those things which are not fitting,' Not only did mankind ‘know God' but refuse t...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    DOCTRINAL PART. 1. UNIVERSAL NEED. Having asserted that the gospel is God's power unto salvation to every one that believeth, whether Jew or Greek, the Apostle proceeds to show that all men are sinne...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Romans 1:28. AND EVEN AS. This is not equivalent to ‘because,' but marks the correspondence between the sin and its punishment. Having chosen out the most glaring form of vice, the Apostle enumerates...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1. THE SINFULNESS OF THE GENTILES. This fearful yet truthful description of the moral decay of the Gentile world is not introduced abruptly. In Romans 1:17 the Apostle had declared that righteousness...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    DID NOT LIKE Refused to have. Literally, did not approve God....

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Romans 1:18 The Natural History of Paganism. I. St. Paul's first proposition is, that from the first the heathen knew enough of God from His works to render them without excuse for not worshipping H...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Words of comfort to the church at Rome. The universe a revelation of the power and deity of God. The deplorable condition of a lost world. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Paul. CONCLUSION: God has...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Romans 1:1. _Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,_ in the sense he himself illustrates to the Corinthians. Ye are not your own; ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your s...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    TO CORRUPTED MINDS. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. Those whom God cannot _convince,_ he _confuses._ See note on Matthew 24:21 for an example of what people bring on themselves by rejecting God....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _For this cause God gave them up to vile affections._ HUMAN DEPRAVITY I. The cause of all this gross ignorance and corruption is assigned in Romans 1:28. “They did not like to retain God in their kn...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind._ THE STATE OF HEATHENDOM Idolatry is essentially the same in every age and place. 1. In its...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Romans 1:22.—Here begins a dark picture of heathenism, but fully verified from the writings of what has been called the most brilliant age of the most intellectual nations of the worl...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ROMANS 1:1 I. INTRODUCTORY. ROMANS 1:1 A. _Salutation_ with long interposed parenthesis, suggested by "gospel of God." The parenthesis, expressing thoughts of which the writer's mind is...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This time let us turn in our Bibles to Romans, chapter 1. Paul opens his epistle to the Romans declaring: Paul, a bond slave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 15:34; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Corinthians 4:4;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    God gave them up to an undiscerning mind — Treated of, Romans 1:32. To do things not expedient — Even the vilest abominations, treated of Romans 1:29....

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Old Testament