Romans 1:20-21

1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people ¹  are without excuse. 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts ²  were darkened.

Romans 3:11

3:11 there is no one who understands,

there is no one who seeks God.

Proverbs 18:2

18:2 A fool takes no pleasure ³  in understanding

but only in disclosing ⁴  what is on his mind. ⁵ 

Isaiah 27:11

27:11 When its branches get brittle, ⁶  they break;

women come and use them for kindling. ⁷ 

For these people lack understanding, ⁸ 

therefore the one who made them has no compassion on them;

the one who formed them has no mercy on them.

Jeremiah 4:22

4:22 The Lord answered, ⁹ 

“This will happen ¹⁰  because my people are foolish.

They do not know me.

They are like children who have no sense. ¹¹ 

They have no understanding.

They are skilled at doing evil.

They do not know how to do good.”

Matthew 15:16

15:16 Jesus ¹²  said, “Even after all this, are you still so foolish?

¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Grk “heart.”

³ sn This expression forms an understatement (tapeinosis); the opposite is the point – he detests understanding or discernment.

⁴ tn The Hitpael infinitive construct בְּהִתְגַּלּוֹת (bÿhitgalot) functions nominally as the object of the preposition. The term means “reveal, uncover, betray.” So the fool takes pleasure “in uncovering” his heart.

⁵ tn Heb “his heart.” This is a metonymy meaning “what is on his mind” (cf. NAB “displaying what he thinks”; NRSV “expressing personal opinion”). This kind of person is in love with his own ideas and enjoys spewing them out (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 515). It is the kind of person who would ask a question, not to learn, but to show everyone how clever he is (cf. TEV).

⁶ tn Heb “are dry” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).

⁷ tn Heb “women come [and] light it.” The city is likened to a dead tree with dried up branches that is only good for firewood.

⁸ tn Heb “for not a people of understanding [is] he.”

⁹ tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation to show clearly the shift in speaker. Jeremiah has been speaking; now the Lord answers, giving the reason for the devastation Jeremiah foresees.

¹⁰ tn Heb “For….” This gives the explanation for the destruction envisaged in 4:20 to which Jeremiah responds in 4:19, 21.

¹¹ tn Heb “They are senseless children.”

¹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.