Romans 1:31

Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING, COVENANT-BREAKERS, [ asunetous (G801), asunthetous (G802)] - another alliteration (see the note at Romans 1:29), WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, [IMPLACABLE]. The evidence against this bracketed word is decisive. (It is found only in C K L with D ***-a late corrector-with several cursives and versions; whereas it is missing in 'Aleph (') A B D * E G, the Old Latin and Vulgate, and the Memphitic version. Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Tregelles omit it.) UNMERCIFUL. Green translates this verse with ingenious terseness and uniformity, though the imp...

31._Without the feelings of humanity _are they who have put off the first affections of nature towards their own relations. As he mentions the want of _mercy _as an evidence of human nature being depraved, [Augustine ], in arguing against the Stoics, concludes, that mercy is a Christian virtue....

26-32 In the horrid depravity of the heathen, the truth of our Lord's words was shown: "Light was come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for he that doeth evil hateth the light." The truth was not to their taste. And we all know how soon a man will contrive, against the strongest evidence, to reason himself out of the belief of what he dislikes. But a man cannot be brought to greater slavery than to be given up to his own lusts. As the Gentiles did not like to keep God in their knowledge, they committed crimes wholly against reason and their own welfare. The nature of man, whether pagan or Christian, is still the same; and the charges of the apostle apply more or less to the state and character of men at all times, till they are brought to full submission to the faith of Christ, and renewed by Divine power. There never yet was a man...

Verse 31. _WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING_] ασυνετους, from α, _negative_, and συνετος, _knowing_; persons incapable of comprehending what was spoken; destitute of capacity for spiritual things. _COVENANT - BREAKERS_] ασυνθετους, from α, _negative_, and συντιθημυι, _to make an agreement_; persons who could be bound by no _oath_, because, properly speaking, they had _no God_ to witness or avenge their misconduct. As every covenant, or agreement, is made as in the presence of God, so he that opposes the being and doctrine of God is incapable of being bound by any covenant; he can give no pledge for his conduct. _WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION_] αστοργους; without that attachment which nature teaches the young of all animals to have to their mothers, and the mothers to have for their young. The heathens, in general, have made no scruple to _expose_ the children they did not think proper to

WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING - Inconsiderate, or foolish; see Romans 1:21. COVENANT BREAKERS - Perfidious; false to their contracts. WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTIONS - This expression denotes the lack of affectionate regard toward their children. The attachment of parents to children is one of the strongest in nature, and nothing can overcome it but the most confirmed and established wickedness. And yet the apostle charges on the pagan generally the lack of this affection. He doubtless refers here to the practice so common among pagans of exposing their children, or putting them to death. This crime, so abhorrent to all the feelings of humanity, was common among the pagan, and is still. The Canaanites, we are told...

EXPOSITION ROMANS 1:1 I. INTRODUCTORY. ROMANS 1:1 A. _Salutation_ with long interposed parenthesis, suggested by "gospel of God." The parenthesis, expressing thoughts of which the writer's mind is full, intimates the purport of the coming treatise. It also intimates his claim, afterwards more fully asserted (Romans 15:15, seq.), to demand a hearing from the Roman Church. It is St. Paul's way, when full of an idea, thus to interrupt his sentences at the suggestion of a word. Somewhat similar interpositions are found in the opening salutations of Galatians and Titus, especially in the latter; but this is peculiar for its l

WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING,.... Of God, of his nature and worship, of things divine and even moral, being given up to a reprobate mind: COVENANT BREAKERS; had no regard to private or public contracts: WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION; to their parents, children, relations and friends: IMPLACABLE; when once offended there was no reconciling of them: UNMERCIFUL; had no pity and compassion to persons in distress....

ROMANS 1:31 avsto,rgouj {A} Recalling a similar catalog of vices in 2 Timothy 3:2-5, where a;storgoj is followed by avspo,ndoj, copyists inserted the latter word in Romans, some before avsto,rgouj (33 1913), and others after (a C Y _al_)....

2. THE NEED OF SALVATION DEMONSTRATED. The Whole World Guilty and Lost. Chapter 1:18-3:20. CHAPTER 1:18-32. _ 1. Wrath Revealed from Heaven. 18._ 2. Gentile Knowledge of God. 19-20. 3. Turning from God to Idolatry. 21-23. 4. God Gave Them Up to Corruption. 24-32. Romans 1:18 God now demonstrates that the whole world is destitute of righteousness and needs salvation. Romans 1:18; Romans 2:1; Romans 3:1 is parenthetical, showing the moral condition of the whole race, away from God and lost and therefore under wrath. In this verse we read that wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodli

Mankind is in a ruinous plight: GOD'S ANGER, which is His righteousness reacting against wrong, rests upon the race. ROMANS 1:18_ A_. The Divine wrath is being revealed from heaven in action against all impiety and unrighteousness of men. The revelation is apparent in the moral outcome of irreligion described in Romans 1:21 an apocalypse more appalling than earthquake or famine. Romans 1:18 _b_ - Romans 1:20. Man is responsible for his perdition: in committing unrighteousness men hold down the truth; they ignore the knowledge of God lodged in conscience (cf....