Romans 1:19-23

1:19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, ¹  because God has made it plain to them. 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 ²  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 ³  were darkened. 1:22 Although they claimed ⁴  to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings ⁵  or birds or four-footed animals ⁶  or reptiles.

[1:19]  ¹ tn Grk “is manifest to/in them.”

[1:20]  ² tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:21]  ³ tn Grk “heart.”

[1:22]  ⁴ tn The participle φάσκοντες (faskonte") is used concessively here.

[1:23]  ⁵ tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (afqarto", “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (fqarto", “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).

[1:23]  ⁶ sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.