Romans 1:28

Even as. — Rightly translated in the Authorised version: “as” is not here equivalent to “because,” but means rather, just in like proportion as. The degree of God’s punishment corresponded exactly to the degree of man’s deflection from God.

Did not like. — There is a play upon words here with “reprobate” in the clause following which cannot be retained in English. “As they reprobated the knowledge of God, so He gave them up to a reprobate mind.” As they would have nothing to do with Him, so He would have nothing to do with them. “Reprobate” means, properly, tried and found wanting, and therefore cast away as worthless.

To retain God in their knowledge. — The word for knowledge here means “exact,” “advanced,” “thorough knowledge.” They refused to hold the true idea of God so as to grow and increase in the knowledge of it.

Those things which are not convenient. — That which is unbecoming, disgraceful.

Fornication. — This word is wanting in the best MSS. and should be omitted, as also the word “implacable” in Romans 1:31.

Wickedness,... maliciousness. — These two words appear to be related together, so that the latter expresses rather the vicious disposition — vicious in the special sense, the disposition to do hurt to others — the former rather the active exercise of it. Similar catalogues of sins are given in other of St. Paul’s Epistles, as, for example, 2 Cor. 12:30; Galatians 5:19 et seq.; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Timothy 1:9; 2 Timothy 3:2 et seq.

Murder, debate. — By “full of murder” the Apostle means “full of murderous thoughts.” “Debate” is the spirit of strife and contention generally; not as the English would seem to imply, specially verbal contention.