Romans 1:26

Easy-to-Read Version

Because people did those things, God left them and let them do the shameful things they wanted to do. Women stopped having natural sex with men and started having sex with other women.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.

King James Version (1611)
For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections: for euen their women did change the naturall vse into that which is against nature:

King James Version
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:

English Standard Version
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;

New American Standard Bible
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that which is contrary to nature,

New Century Version
Because people did those things, God left them and let them do the shameful things they wanted to do. Women stopped having natural sex and started having sex with other women.

Amplified Bible
For this reason God gave them over to degrading and vile passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural [a function contrary to nature],

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,

Legacy Standard Bible
For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions; for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,

Berean Standard Bible
For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

Contemporary English Version
God let them follow their own evil desires. Women no longer wanted to have sex in a natural way, and they did things with each other that were not natural.

Complete Jewish Bible
This is why God has given them up to degrading passions; so that their women exchange natural sexual relations for unnatural;

Darby Translation
For this reason God gave them up to vile lusts; for both their females changed the natural use into that contrary to nature;

Geneva Bible (1587)
For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections: for euen their women did change the naturall vse into that which is against nature.

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore God has given them up to vile passions: for even their women have changed the natural use of their sex into that which is unnatural:

Good News Translation
Because they do this, God has given them over to shameful passions. Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts.

Lexham English Bible
Because of this, God gave them over to degrading passions, for their females exchanged the natural relations for those contrary to nature,

Literal Translation
Because of this, God gave them up to dishonorable passions, for even their females changed the natural use to that contrary to nature.

American Standard Version
For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:

Bible in Basic English
For this reason God gave them up to evil passions, and their women were changing the natural use into one which is unnatural:

Hebrew Names Version
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.

International Standard Version
For this reason, God gave them over to degrading passions. Even their females exchanged their natural sexual function for one that is unnatural.Leviticus 18:22-23; Ephesians 5:12; Jude 1:10;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
WHEREFORE Aloha delivered them up to passions of vileness: for their females changed the use of their nature, and to what is not natural were used.

Murdock Translation
For this cause, God gave them up to vile passions: for their females changed the use of their natures, and employed that which is unnatural.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore God gaue them vp vnto shamefull lustes: For euen their women dyd chaunge the naturall vse, into that which is agaynst nature.

English Revised Version
For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:

World English Bible
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Amen. Therefore God gave them up to vile affections; for even their women changed the natural use to that which is against nature: And likewise also the men,

Weymouth's New Testament
This then is the reason why God gave them up to vile passions. For not only did the women among them exchange the natural use of their bodies for one which is contrary to nature, but the men also,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Amen. Therfor God bitook hem in to passiouns of schenschipe. For the wymmen of hem chaungiden the kyndli vss in to that vss that is ayens kynde.

Update Bible Version
For this cause God gave them up to immoral sexual passions of shame: for even their women changed the natural use into what is against nature:

Webster's Bible Translation
For this cause God gave them up to vile affections. For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

New English Translation
For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones,

New King James Version
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

New Living Translation
That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.

New Life Bible
Because of this, God let them follow their sinful desires which lead to shame. Women used their bodies in ways God had not planned.

New Revised Standard
For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For this cause, God gave them up unto dishonourable passions; for, even their females, exchanged away the natural use into that which is against nature, -

Douay-Rheims Bible
For this cause, God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature.

Revised Standard Version
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For this cause god gave them vp vnto shamfull lustes. For even their wemen did chaunge the naturall vse vnto the vnnaturall.

Young's Literal Translation
Because of this did God give them up to dishonourable affections, for even their females did change the natural use into that against nature;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore God gaue the vp vnto shamefull lustes. For their wemen chaunged the naturall vse in to the vnnaturall:

Mace New Testament (1729)
amen. for this cause God gave them up to infamous passions: for even the sex perverted the instinct of nature:

THE MESSAGE
Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn't know how to be human either—women didn't know how to be women, men didn't know how to be men. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it—emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Because of their filth, God has turned 'em loose to do what they want, even though they bring shame upon themselves by it. Women use their natural sex appeal to do the appalling.

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ This makes God angry because they have been shown what he is like. Yes, God has made it clear to them. ²⁰ There are things about God that people cannot see—his eternal power and all that makes him God. But since the beginning of the world, those things have been easy for people to understand. They are made clear in what God has made. So people have no excuse for the evil they do. ²¹ People knew God, but they did not honor him as God, and they did not thank him. Their ideas were all useless. There was not one good thought left in their foolish minds. ²² They said they were wise, but they became fools. ²³ Instead of honoring the divine greatness of God, who lives forever, they traded it for the worship of idols—things made to look like humans, who get sick and die, or like birds, animals, and snakes. ²⁴ People wanted only to do evil. So God left them and let them go their sinful way. And so they became completely immoral and used their bodies in shameful ways with each other. ²⁵ They traded the truth of God for a lie. They bowed down and worshiped the things God made instead of worshiping the God who made those things. He is the one who should be praised forever. Amen. ²⁶ Because people did those things, God left them and let them do the shameful things they wanted to do. Women stopped having natural sex with men and started having sex with other women. ²⁷ In the same way, men stopped having natural sex with women and began wanting each other all the time. Men did shameful things with other men, and in their bodies they received the punishment for those wrongs. ²⁸ People did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So God left them and allowed them to have their own worthless thinking. And so they do what they should not do.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

gave them: Romans 1:24

vile: Genesis 19:5, Leviticus 18:22-28, Deuteronomy 23:17, Deuteronomy 23:18, Judges 19:22, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Ephesians 4:19, Ephesians 5:12, 1 Timothy 1:10, Jude 1:7, Jude 1:10

Reciprocal: Leviticus 20:13 - General 1 Kings 15:12 - the sodomites 1 Kings 22:46 - the remnant 2 Kings 23:7 - the sodomites Psalms 81:12 - I gave Jeremiah 4:10 - surely Ezekiel 16:50 - and committed Romans 7:5 - motions Colossians 3:5 - inordinate 1 Thessalonians 4:5 - in the

Cross-References

Genesis 1:2
the earth was completely empty. There was nothing on the earth. Darkness covered the ocean, and God's Spirit moved over the water.

Genesis 1:4
He saw the light, and he knew that it was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:6
Then God said, "Let there be a space to separate the water into two parts!"

Genesis 1:8
God named that space "sky." There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the second day.

Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered together so that the dry land will appear." And it happened.

Genesis 1:20
Then God said, "Let the water be filled with many living things, and let there be birds to fly in the air over the earth."

Genesis 1:24
Then God said, "Let the earth produce many kinds of living things. Let there be many different kinds of animals. Let there be large animals and small crawling animals of every kind. And let all these animals produce more animals." And all these things happened.

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, "Have many children. Fill the earth and take control of it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Rule over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Genesis 1:29
God said, "I am giving you all the grain bearing plants and all the fruit trees. These trees make fruit with seeds in it. This grain and fruit will be your food.

Genesis 3:22
The Lord God said, "Look, the man has become like us—he knows about good and evil. And now the man might take the fruit from the tree of life. If the man eats that fruit, he will live forever."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections,.... Because of their idolatrous practices, God left them to very dishonourable actions, sodomitical ones, both among the men and women:

for even the women did change the natural use into that which is against nature; either by prostituting themselves to, and complying with the "sodomitical" embraces of men, in a way that is against nature h; or by making use of such ways and methods with themselves, or other women, to gratify their lusts, which were never designed by nature for such an use: of these vicious women, and their practices, Seneca i speaks, when he says,

"libidine veto nec maribus quidem cedunt, pati natae; Dii illas Deoeque, male perdant; adeo perversum commentae, genus impudicitiae, viros ineunt:''

also Clemens Alexandrinus k has respect to such, saying,

"gunaikev andrizontai para fusin, gamou men ai te kai

γαμουσαι γυναικες.'

and such there were among the Jews, whom they call חמסוללות זו בזו

נשים l, and whom the priests were forbidden to marry.

h Vid. R. Sol Jarchi in Gen. xxiv. 16. i Epist. 95. k Paedagog. l. 3. p. 226. l T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 65. 2. Piske Tosaph. ib. artic. 266. Yevamot, fol. 76. 1. & Piske Tosaph. ib. art. 141. Maimonides in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 7. sect. 4. & Hilchot Issure Bia, c. 21. sect. 8, 9.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For this cause - On account of what had just been specified; to wit, that they did not glorify him as God, that they were unthankful, that they became polytheists and idolaters. In the previous verses he had stated their speculative belief. He now proceeds to show its practical influences on their conduct.

Vile affections - Disgraceful passions or desires. That is, to those which are immediately specified. The great object of the apostle here, it will be remembered, is to shew the state of the pagan world, and to prove that they had need of some other way of justification than the law of nature. For this purpose, it was necessary for him to enter into a detail of their sins. The sins which he proceeds to specify are the most indelicate, vile, and degrading which can be charged on man. But this is not the fault of the apostle. If they existed, it was necessary for him to charge them on the pagan world. His argument would not be complete without it. The shame is not in specifying them, but in their existence; not in the apostle, but in those who practiced them, and imposed on him the necessity of accusing them of these enormous offences. It may be further remarked, that the mere fact of his charging them with these sins is strong presumptive proof of their being practiced. If they did not exist, it would be easy for them to deny it, and put him to the proof of it. No man would venture charges like these without evidence; and the presumption is, that these things were known and practiced without shame. But this is not all. There is still abundant proof on record in the writings of the pagan themselves, that these crimes were known and extensively practiced.

For even their women ... - Evidence of the shameful and disgraceful fact here charged on the women is abundant in the Greek and Roman writers. Proof may be seen, which it would not be proper to specify, in the lexicons, under the words τριζὰς ὄλισβον trizas olisbon, and ἑταιρίστης hetairistēs. See also Seneca, epis. 95; Martial, epis. i. 90. Tholuck on the State of the pagan World, in the Biblical Repository, vol. ii.; Lucian, Dial. Meretric. v.; and Tertullian de Pallio.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 26. For this cause God gave them up, c.] Their system of idolatry necessarily produced all kinds of impurity. How could it be otherwise, when the highest objects of their worship were adulterers, fornicators, and prostitutes of the most infamous kind, such as Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, Venus, &c.? Of the abominable evils with which the apostle charges the Gentiles in this and the following verse I could produce a multitude of proofs from their own writings but it is needless to make the subject plainer than the apostle has left it.