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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Romans 1:21–22

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Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
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From verse 21

  1. Ephesians 4:17–18Rank 1 from verse 21
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    17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

    18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

  2. 2 Kings 17:15Rank 2 from verse 21
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    15And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them.

  3. Jeremiah 2:5Rank 3 from verse 21
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    5¶ Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

  4. 2 Timothy 3:2Rank 4 from verse 21
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    2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

  5. Psalms 50:23Rank 5 from verse 21
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    23Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

  6. John 3:19Rank 6 from verse 21
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    19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

  7. Revelation 14:7Rank 7 from verse 21
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    7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

  8. 1 Peter 2:9Rank 8 from verse 21
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    9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

  9. Psalms 81:12Rank 9 from verse 21
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    12So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.

  10. Revelation 15:4Rank 10 from verse 21
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    4Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

  11. Jeremiah 16:19Rank 11 from verse 21
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    19O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

  12. Romans 1:19Rank 12 from verse 21
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    19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

  13. Habakkuk 1:15–16Rank 13 from verse 21
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    15They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

    16Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.

  14. Luke 17:15–18Rank 14 from verse 21
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    15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

    16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

    17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

    18There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

  15. Romans 1:28Rank 15 from verse 21
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    28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

  16. Romans 11:10Rank 16 from verse 21
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    10Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

  17. Acts 26:18Rank 17 from verse 21
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    18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

  18. Hosea 2:8Rank 18 from verse 21
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    8For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

  19. Isaiah 60:2Rank 19 from verse 21
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    2For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

  20. Jeremiah 10:14–15Rank 20 from verse 21
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    14Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

    15They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

  21. Jeremiah 10:3–8Rank 21 from verse 21
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    3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

    4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

    5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

    6Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

    7Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

    8But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

  22. Psalms 86:9Rank 22 from verse 21
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    9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

  23. 1 Peter 1:18Rank 23 from verse 21
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    18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

  24. Deuteronomy 28:29Rank 24 from verse 21
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    29And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

  25. Ecclesiastes 7:29Rank 25 from verse 21
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    29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

  26. Genesis 6:5Rank 26 from verse 21
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    5¶ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

  27. Genesis 8:21Rank 27 from verse 21
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    21And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

  28. Isaiah 44:9–20Rank 28 from verse 21
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    9¶ They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

    10Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

    11Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

    12The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

    13The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

    14He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.

    15Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

    16He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:

    17And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

    18They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

    19And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

    20He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

  29. Romans 15:9Rank 29 from verse 21
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    9And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

From verse 22

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:19–21Rank 1 from verse 22
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    19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

    20Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

    21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

  2. Proverbs 26:12Rank 2 from verse 22
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    12Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

  3. Romans 11:25Rank 3 from verse 22
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    25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

  4. Proverbs 25:14Rank 4 from verse 22
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    14Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

  5. Jeremiah 8:8–9Rank 5 from verse 22
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    8How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

    9The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?

  6. 1 Corinthians 3:18–19Rank 6 from verse 22
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    18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

    19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

  7. Jeremiah 10:14Rank 7 from verse 22
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    14Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

  8. Isaiah 47:10Rank 8 from verse 22
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    10¶ For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.

  9. Matthew 6:23Rank 9 from verse 22
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    23But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

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DEFINED WORDS

Romans 1:21

COMBINED MEANING

knew

↗

Perceived, understood, recognized, or was acquainted with.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

glorified

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of glorify, meaning to honour, praise, magnify, exalt, make glorious, display glory in, or cause the excellence and worth of a person or name to be acknowledged.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

neither

↗

1. Also not; nor, introducing or joining a further negative statement or prohibition. 2. Not either, or none, of the alternatives named, commonly in a neither ... nor construction.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

thankful

↗

Grateful; impressed with a sense of kindness received, and ready to acknowledge it.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

vain

↗

Empty, fruitless, ineffective, unprofitable, worthless, false, unsubstantial, or conceited.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

heart

↗

Sense 1: The bodily organ. Sense 2: The inward person: the mind, will, affections, conscience, or moral character.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

darkened

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of darken. Sense 1: To make dark or deprive of light. Sense 2: To obscure in understanding.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Romans 1:22

COMBINED MEANING

wise

↗

Sense 1: Possessing or exercising understanding, knowledge, prudence, judgment, discernment, or skill; also a wise person. Sense 2: In phrases such as in no wise, way, manner, respect, or degree.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fools

↗

Persons lacking wisdom or sound judgment, especially in moral or spiritual conduct.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

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Suggested context · Romans 1:18–25

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1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

1:19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

1:20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

1:21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

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1:22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

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1:23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

1:24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

1:25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

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