28 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;
because, having known God they did not glorify `Him' as God, nor gave thanks, but were made vain in their reasonings, and their unintelligent heart was darkened,
God they profess to know, and in the works they deny `Him', being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work disapproved.
and in all deceitfulness of the unrighteousness in those perishing, because the love of the truth they did not receive for their being saved, and because of this shall God send to them a working of delusion, for their believing the lie, that they may be judged -- all who did not believe the truth, but were well pleased in the unrighteousness.
Wherefore also God did give them up, in the desires of their hearts, to uncleanness, to dishonour their bodies among themselves;
thy dwelling `is' in the midst of deceit, Through deceit they refused to know Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those not knowing God, and to those not obeying the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Your ownselves try ye, if ye are in the faith; your ownselves prove ye; do ye not know your ownselves, that Jesus Christ is in you, if ye be not in some respect disapproved of? and I hope that ye shall know that we -- we are not disapproved of; and I pray before God that ye do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is right, and we may be as disapproved;
because the mind of the flesh `is' enmity to God, for to the law of God it doth not subject itself, for neither is it able; and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God.
`Silver rejected,' they have called to them, For Jehovah hath kicked against them!
for this is unobserved by them willingly, that the heavens were of old, and the earth out of water and through water standing together by the word of God,
Wherefore, having in Christ much boldness to command thee that which is fit --
Cut off have been My people for lack of knowledge, Because thou knowledge hast rejected, I reject thee from being priest to Me, And thou forgettest the law of thy God, I forget thy sons, I also!
For my people `are' foolish, me they have not known, Foolish sons `are' they, yea, they `are' not intelligent, Wise `are' they to do evil, And to do good they have not known.
And hast said, `How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised, And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.
Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
Fear of Jehovah `is' a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
And they say to God, `Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired. What `is' the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
reasonings bringing down, and every high thing lifted up against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Christ,
in whom the god of this age did blind the minds of the unbelieving, that there doth not shine forth to them the enlightening of the good news of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God; for not ourselves do we preach, but Christ Jesus -- Lord, and ourselves your servants because of Jesus; because `it is' God who said, Out of darkness light `is' to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Romans 1
Commentary on Romans 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 1
In this chapter we may observe,
Rom 1:1-7
In this paragraph we have,
Rom 1:8-15
We may here observe,
Rom 1:16-18
Paul here enters upon a large discourse of justification, in the latter part of this chapter laying down his thesis, and, in order to the proof of it, describing the deplorable condition of the Gentile world. His transition is very handsome, and like an orator: he was ready to preach the gospel at Rome, though a place where the gospel was run down by those that called themselves the wits; for, saith he, I am not ashamed of it, v. 16. There is a great deal in the gospel which such a man as Paul might be tempted to be ashamed of, especially that he whose gospel it is was a man hanged upon a tree, that the doctrine of it was plain, had little in it to set it off among scholars, the professors of it were mean and despised, and every where spoken against; yet Paul was not ashamed to own it. I reckon him a Christian indeed that is neither ashamed of the gospel nor a shame to it. The reason of this bold profession, taken from the nature and excellency of the gospel, introduces his dissertation.
Rom 1:19-32
In this last part of the chapter the apostle applies what he had said particularly to the Gentile world, in which we may observe,
Now lay all this together, and then say whether the Gentile world, lying under so much guilt and corruption, could be justified before God by any works of their own.