Romans 1:22

Geneva Bible

When they professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Claiming to be wise, they became fools

King James Version (1611)
Professing themselues to be wise, they became fooles:

King James Version
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

English Standard Version
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

New American Standard Bible
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

New Century Version
They said they were wise, but they became fools.

Amplified Bible
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Legacy Standard Bible
Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Berean Standard Bible
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,

Contemporary English Version
They claim to be wise, but they are fools.

Complete Jewish Bible
Claiming to be wise, they have become fools!

Darby Translation
professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Easy-to-Read Version
They said they were wise, but they became fools.

George Lamsa Translation
And while they thought within themselves that they were wise, they became fools,

Good News Translation
They say they are wise, but they are fools;

Lexham English Bible
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

Literal Translation
Professing to be wise, they became foolish

American Standard Version
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Bible in Basic English
Seeming to be wise, they were in fact foolish,

Hebrew Names Version
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

International Standard Version
Though claiming to be wise, they became foolsJeremiah 10:14;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And while thinking in themselves that they were wise, they were fools. [fn]

Murdock Translation
And, while they thought within themselves that they were wise, they became fools.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
When they counted them selues wyse, they became fooles:

English Revised Version
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

World English Bible
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Weymouth's New Testament
While boasting of their wisdom they became utter fools,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For thei `seiynge that hem silf weren wise, thei weren maad foolis.

Update Bible Version
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Webster's Bible Translation
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools:

New English Translation
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

New King James Version
Professing to be wise, they became fools,

New Living Translation
Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.

New Life Bible
They said that they were wise, but they showed how foolish they were.

New Revised Standard
Claiming to be wise, they became fools;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Professing to be wise, they were made foolish,

Douay-Rheims Bible
For, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

Revised Standard Version
Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When they couted them selves wyse they became foles

Young's Literal Translation
professing to be wise, they were made fools,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Whan they counted them selues wyse, they became fooles:

Mace New Testament (1729)
pretending to be wise, they became fools:

Simplified Cowboy Version
They brag about their wisdom, but they are fools.

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ Forasmuch as that, which may be knowe of God, is manifest in them: for God hath shewed it vnto them. ²⁰ For the inuisible things of him, that is, his eternal power & Godhead, are seene by ye creation of the worlde, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse: ²¹ Because that when they knewe God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull, but became vaine in their thoughtes, and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse. ²² When they professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles. ²³ For they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man, and of birdes, and foure footed beastes, and of creeping things. ²⁴ Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lusts, vnto vncleannesse, to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues: ²⁵ Which turned the trueth of God vnto a lie, and worshipped and serued the creature, forsaking the Creator, which is blessed for euer, Amen. ²⁶ 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. ²⁷ And likewise also the men left the naturall vse of the woman, and burned in their lust one toward another, and man with man wrought filthinesse, and receiued in themselues such recompence of their errour, as was meete. ²⁸ For as they regarded not to acknowledge God, euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not conuenient,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Romans 11:25, Proverbs 25:14, Proverbs 26:12, Isaiah 47:10, Jeremiah 8:8, Jeremiah 8:9, Jeremiah 10:14, Matthew 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:19-21, 1 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 3:19

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 4:16 - corrupt 2 Samuel 16:23 - all the counsel Job 11:12 - For vain Psalms 14:4 - Have Psalms 94:11 - General Psalms 106:20 - Thus Proverbs 6:32 - lacketh Proverbs 8:14 - sound Ecclesiastes 7:10 - wisely Ecclesiastes 7:23 - I said Isaiah 5:21 - wise Isaiah 8:20 - it is Isaiah 19:13 - princes of Zoan Isaiah 29:14 - for the wisdom Isaiah 44:9 - their own Isaiah 50:11 - all ye Jeremiah 4:22 - For my Jeremiah 9:23 - wise Jeremiah 10:8 - brutish Jeremiah 49:7 - Is wisdom Ezekiel 28:17 - thou hast Hosea 13:2 - according Luke 11:35 - General Acts 17:18 - philosophers Romans 1:14 - both to Romans 3:11 - none that understandeth Romans 10:19 - foolish 1 Corinthians 1:20 - hath 1 Corinthians 15:36 - fool Ephesians 5:11 - works Colossians 2:8 - philosophy 1 Timothy 1:7 - understanding 1 Timothy 6:20 - oppositions James 3:15 - but

Cross-References

Genesis 1:13
So the euening and the morning were the third day.

Genesis 1:14
And God said, Let there be lightes in the firmament of the heauen, to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signes, and for seasons, and for dayes and yeeres.

Genesis 1:28
And God blessed them, and God said to them, Bring forth fruite and multiplie, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule ouer the fish of the sea, and ouer the foule of the heauen, & ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth.

Genesis 8:17
Bring forth with thee euery beast that is with thee, of all flesh, both foule and cattell, and euery thing that creepeth and moueth vpon the earth, yt they may breede abundantly in ye earth, and bring forth fruite & increase vpon ye earth.

Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sonnes, and said to them, Bring foorth fruite, and multiplie, and replenish the earth.

Genesis 30:27
To whom Laban answered, If I haue nowe found fauour in thy sight tarie: I haue perceiued that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

Genesis 30:30
For the litle, that thou haddest before I came, is increased into a multitude: and the Lorde hath blessed thee by my comming: but nowe when shall I trauell for mine owne house also?

Genesis 35:11
Againe God said vnto him, I am God all sufficient. growe, and multiplie. a nation and a multitude of nations shall spring of thee, and Kings shall come out of thy loynes.

Leviticus 26:9
For I will haue respect vnto you, and make you encrease, and multiplie you, and establish my couenant with you.

Job 40:15
Behold now Behemoth (whom I made with thee) which eateth grasse as an oxe.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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, "Philosophers", lovers of wisdom; but notwithstanding all their arrogance, their large pretensions to wisdom, and boast of it

they became fools; they appeared to be so; they showed themselves to be such in those very things they prided themselves with the knowledge of: as, for instance, Socrates, after he had asserted the unity of God, and is said to die a martyr for the truth; yet one of the last actions of his life was sacrificing a cock to Aesculapius, at least he desired his friend Crito to do it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Professing themselves to be wise - This was the common boast of the philosophers of antiquity. The very word by which they chose to be called, “philosophers,” means literally “lovers of wisdom.” That it was their boast that they were wise, is well known; compare Romans 1:14; 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1Co 1:20, 1 Corinthians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 3:19; 2 Corinthians 11:19.

They became fools - Compare Jeremiah 8:8-9. They became really foolish in their opinions and conduct. There is something particularly pungent and cutting in this remark, and as true as it is pungent. In what way they evinced their folly, Paul proceeds immediately to state. Sinners of all kinds are frequently spoken of as fools in the Scriptures. In the sense in which it is thus used, the word is applied to them as void of understanding or moral sense; as idolaters, and as wicked; Psalms 14:1; Proverbs 26:4; Proverbs 1:17, Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 14:8-9. The senses in which this word here is applied to the pagan are,

1. That their speculations and doctrines were senseless; and,
2. That their conduct was corrupt.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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.