Romans 1:28

New Living Translation

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

Parallel Translations

New Century Version
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 to do things they should not do.

New English Translation
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.

Bible in Basic English
And because they had not the mind to keep God in their knowledge, God gave them up to an evil mind, to do those things which are not right;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And as they regarded not to knowe God: euen so God deliuered them vp vnto a leude mynde, that they should do those thinges which were not comely:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And as thei preueden that thei hadden not God in knowyng, God bitook hem in to a repreuable wit, that thei do tho thingis that ben not couenable; that thei ben fulfillid with al wickidnesse,

Young's Literal Translation
And, according as they did not approve of having God in knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mind, to do the things not seemly;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient.

Christian Standard Bible®
And because they did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God, God delivered them over to a worthless mind to do what is morally wrong.

English Revised Version
And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

English Standard Version
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Geneva Bible (1587)
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,

George Lamsa Translation
And as they did not consent in themselves to know God, God has given them over to a weak mind, to do the things which should not be done; as,

Contemporary English Version
Since these people refused even to think about God, he let their useless minds rule over them. That's why they do all sorts of indecent things.

Complete Jewish Bible
In other words, since they have not considered God worth knowing, God has given them up to worthless ways of thinking; so that they do improper things.

Darby Translation
And according as they did not think good to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind to practise unseemly things;

Hebrew Names Version
Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

International Standard Version
Furthermore, because they did not think it worthwhile to retain the full knowledge of God, God gave them over to degraded minds to perform acts that should not be done.Ephesians 5:4;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And as they did not decide in themselves to know Aloha, so did Aloha cause them to be delivered up to a mind of vainness, and to do what is not fit;

Murdock Translation
And as they did not determine with themselves to know God, God gave them over to a vain mind; that they might do what they ought not,

King James Version
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;

Lexham English Bible
And just as they did not see fit to recognize God, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do the things that are not proper,

Easy-to-Read Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper,

Good News Translation
Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do.

World English Bible
Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And as they were not careful to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to an undiscerning mind, to do things not expedient, Filled with all injustice, maliciousness, covetousness, wickedness:

Weymouth's New Testament
And just as they had refused to continue to have a full knowledge of God, so it was to utterly worthless minds that God gave them up, for them to do things which should not be done.

King James Version (1611)
And euen as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge, God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde, to doe those things which are not conuenient:

Literal Translation
And even as they did not think fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do the things not right,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And as they regarded not to knowe God, euen so God gaue the vp in to a lewde mynde, to do those thinges which were not comly,

Mace New Testament (1729)
As they did not seek the favour of God, by worshipping him, God gave them over to a depraved sense, to act unworthy of human nature;

THE MESSAGE
Since they didn't bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose. And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggerers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives. They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded. And it's not as if they don't know better. They know perfectly well they're spitting in God's face. And they don't care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!

Amplified Bible
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive,

American Standard Version
And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

New King James Version
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

New Life Bible
Because they would not keep God in their thoughts anymore, He gave them up. Their minds were sinful and they wanted only to do things they should not do.

New Revised Standard
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, even as they did not approve to be holding, God, in acknowledgment, God gave them up unto a disapproved mind to be doing the things that are not becoming,

Revised Standard Version
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And as it semed not good vnto them to be aknowen of God even so God delivered them vp vnto a leawde mynd yt they shuld do tho thinges which were not comly

Update Bible Version
And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Webster's Bible Translation
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;

Simplified Cowboy Version
Since no one would listen to God's truth or his warnings, he finally turned these hooligans loose with their own depravity.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

Legacy Standard Bible
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to an unfit mind, to do those things which are not proper,

Contextual Overview

¹⁹ They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. ²⁰ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. ²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. ²² Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. ²³ And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. ²⁴ So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. ²⁵ They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. ²⁶ 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. ²⁷ And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. ²⁸ Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as they did: Romans 1:18, Romans 1:21, Job 21:14, Job 21:15, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 1:22, Proverbs 1:29, Proverbs 5:12, Proverbs 5:13, Proverbs 17:16, Jeremiah 4:22, Jeremiah 9:6, Hosea 4:6, Acts 17:23, Acts 17:32, Romans 8:7, Romans 8:8, 1 Corinthians 15:34, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, 2 Corinthians 10:5, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, 2 Peter 3:5

retain: or, acknowledge

a reprobate mind: or, a mind void of judgment, Jeremiah 6:30, 2 Corinthians 13:5-7, 2 Timothy 3:8, Titus 1:16

not convenient: Ephesians 5:4, Philemon 1:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:5 - God Exodus 4:21 - I will harden Exodus 5:2 - I know not Exodus 7:13 - General Leviticus 11:13 - the eagle Deuteronomy 23:17 - sodomite 1 Samuel 2:12 - knew 2 Samuel 18:22 - ready 1 Chronicles 28:9 - know thou Job 15:16 - abominable Job 18:21 - knoweth Job 22:17 - Depart Job 31:27 - my heart Psalms 10:4 - thoughts Psalms 14:1 - no Psalms 14:4 - Have Psalms 28:5 - Because Psalms 50:17 - hatest Psalms 53:1 - said Psalms 69:27 - Add Psalms 79:6 - not known Psalms 82:5 - know not Psalms 95:10 - and they Psalms 107:11 - contemned Psalms 111:2 - that have Proverbs 10:21 - fools Ecclesiastes 3:11 - also Isaiah 1:3 - but Israel Isaiah 5:13 - because Isaiah 27:11 - for it is Isaiah 29:14 - for the wisdom Isaiah 30:11 - cause Isaiah 40:21 - General Isaiah 44:18 - for he hath Isaiah 44:20 - a deceived Jeremiah 4:10 - surely Jeremiah 9:3 - they know Ezekiel 14:5 - estranged Ezekiel 18:24 - and doeth Ezekiel 20:25 - I gave Ezekiel 23:35 - Because Hosea 2:8 - she Hosea 4:1 - nor knowledge Amos 4:5 - for Matthew 13:19 - and understandeth Matthew 21:27 - We cannot tell Matthew 24:39 - General Mark 11:33 - We John 1:5 - General John 7:28 - whom John 15:21 - because John 17:25 - the world Acts 14:16 - suffered Acts 17:30 - the times Romans 3:9 - proved Romans 3:11 - none that understandeth Romans 3:23 - all have 1 Corinthians 1:21 - the world Galatians 4:8 - when Ephesians 1:17 - in the knowledge Ephesians 2:12 - without Ephesians 4:18 - the understanding 1 Thessalonians 4:5 - know 2 Thessalonians 2:11 - for 1 Timothy 4:2 - their Hebrews 3:10 - err 1 John 5:19 - and the

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:3
Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:5
God called the light "day" and the darkness "night." And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

Genesis 1:17
God set these lights in the sky to light the earth,

Genesis 1:18
to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:22
Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 8:17
Release all the animals—the birds, the livestock, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—so they can be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth."

Genesis 9:1
Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.

Genesis 9:7
Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth."

Gill's Notes on the 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 of nature, and yet did not care

to retain God in [their] knowledge; or to own and acknowledge him as God, to worship and glorify him as such; but took every method to erase this knowledge out of their minds, and keep it from others:

God gave them over to a reprobate mind; a vain empty mind, worthless, good for nothing devoid of all true knowledge and judgment; incapable of approving what is truly good, or of disapproving that which is evil; a mind that has lost all conscience of things, and is disapproved of by God, and all good men:

to do those things which are not convenient; which are neither agreeably to the light of nature, nor convenient to, or becoming the honour of human nature; things which the brutes themselves, who are destitute of reason, do not do.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 chose to forsake him, and follow their own passions and lusts.

To retain God ... - To think of him, or to serve and adore him. This was the first step in their sin. It was not that God compelled them; or that he did not give them knowledge; nor even is it said that he arbitrarily abandoned them as the first step; but they forsook him, and as a consequence he gave them up to a reprobate mind.

To a reprobate mind - A mind destitute of judgment. In the Greek the same word is used here, which, in another form, occurs in the previous part of the verse, and which is translated “like.” The apostle meant doubtless to retain a reference to that in this place. “As they did not approve, ἐδοκιμασαν edokimasan, or choose to retain God, etc. he gave them up to a mind disapproved, rejected, reprobate,” ἀδοκιμον adokimon, and he means that the state of their minds was such that God could not approve it. It does not mean that they were reprobate by any arbitrary decree; but that as a consequence of their headstrong passions, their determination to forget him, he left them to a state of mind which was evil, and which he could not approve.

Which are not convenient - Which are not fit or proper; which are disgraceful and shameful; to wit, those things which he proceeds to state in the remainder of the chapter.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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 evidences before them (Romans 1:19; Romans 1:20) of his being and attributes; therefore God gave them over to a REPROBATE mind, εις αδοκιμον νουν, to an UNSEARCHING or undiscerning mind; for it is the same word in both places. They did not reflect on the proofs they had of the Divine nature, and God abandoned them to the operations of a mind incapable of reflection. How men of such powers and learning, as many of the Greek and Roman philosophers and poets really were, could reason so inconsecutively concerning things moral and Divine is truly astonishing. But here we see the hand of a just and avenging God; they abused their powers, and God deprived them of the right use of these powers.