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KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Romans 2:21–25

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
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PASSAGE SELECTION

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Choose up to 10 verses in this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

25 Essential passages are open for comparison.

Reference depth

From verse 21

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:27Rank 1 from verse 21
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    27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

  2. Matthew 23:3–28Rank 2 from verse 21
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    3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

    4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

    5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

    6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

    7And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

    8But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

    9And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

    10Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

    11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

    12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

    13¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

    14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

    15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

    16Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

    17Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

    18And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

    19Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

    20Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

    21And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

    22And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

    23Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

    24Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

    25Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

    26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

    27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

    28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

  3. Luke 12:47Rank 3 from verse 21
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    47And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

  4. Micah 3:11Rank 4 from verse 21
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    11The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.

  5. Luke 11:46Rank 5 from verse 21
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    46And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

From verse 22

  1. Malachi 3:8Rank 1 from verse 22
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    8¶ Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

  2. Matthew 12:39Rank 2 from verse 22
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    39But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

  3. Acts 19:37Rank 3 from verse 22
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    37For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

  4. Ezekiel 22:11Rank 4 from verse 22
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    11And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.

  5. James 4:4Rank 5 from verse 22
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    4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

From verse 23

  1. James 4:16–17Rank 1 from verse 23
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    16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

    17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

  2. Romans 2:17Rank 2 from verse 23
    Open

    17Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

  3. John 5:45Rank 3 from verse 23
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    45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

  4. Romans 3:2Rank 4 from verse 23
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    2Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

  5. Romans 9:4Rank 5 from verse 23
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    4Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

From verse 24

  1. Ezekiel 36:20–23Rank 1 from verse 24
    Open

    20And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land.

    21¶ But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.

    22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

    23And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

  2. Isaiah 52:5Rank 2 from verse 24
    Open

    5Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

  3. 2 Peter 2:2Rank 3 from verse 24
    Open

    2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

  4. Lamentations 2:15–16Rank 4 from verse 24
    Open

    15All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

    16All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

  5. 2 Samuel 12:14Rank 5 from verse 24
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    14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

From verse 25

  1. Galatians 5:3–6Rank 1 from verse 25
    Open

    3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

    4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

    5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

    6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

  2. Jeremiah 4:4Rank 2 from verse 25
    Open

    4Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

  3. Acts 7:51Rank 3 from verse 25
    Open

    51¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

  4. Galatians 6:15Rank 4 from verse 25
    Open

    15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

  5. Deuteronomy 30:6Rank 5 from verse 25
    Open

    6And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Romans 2:21

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

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

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

teachest

↗

Second-person singular present form of teach, meaning to instruct, inform, train, show, counsel, or communicate knowledge or doctrine.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

another

↗

1. In "one another" and like reciprocal or distributive constructions, each the other, or one in relation to the other or others. 2. One other, one more, or a different or additional person or thing.

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

COMBINED MEANING

preachest

↗

Second-person singular present form of preach, meaning to proclaim, announce, publish, declare, or teach a message openly.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

should

↗

A verb expressing duty, propriety, expectation, intention, purpose, condition, appointed outcome, or a future event viewed from another time or statement.

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

COMBINED MEANING

steal

↗

Sense 1: To take and carry away wrongfully or secretly. Sense 2: To withdraw, pass, or move away secretly or unperceived.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

dost

↗

Sense 1: Do: perform, act, or carry out. Sense 2: Used as an auxiliary verb.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Romans 2:22

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

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

COMBINED MEANING

sayest

↗

Second-person singular present form of say. To speak, declare, tell, or express.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

should

↗

A verb expressing duty, propriety, expectation, intention, purpose, condition, appointed outcome, or a future event viewed from another time or statement.

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

COMBINED MEANING

commit

↗

To do or perpetrate; to entrust, deliver, consign, or place in custody.

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

COMBINED MEANING

dost

↗

Sense 1: Do: perform, act, or carry out. Sense 2: Used as an auxiliary verb.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

idols

↗

False objects of worship or devotion; images treated as gods.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sacrilege

↗

The robbing, violating, or profaning of what is devoted to sacred use.

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

DEFINED WORDS

Romans 2:23

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

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

COMBINED MEANING

boast

↗

Sense 1: To glory, exult, or speak confidently concerning oneself, another, or that in which one trusts. Sense 2: An expression or ground of glorying or confidence.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

law

↗

Sense 1: An authoritative rule, command, ordinance, instruction, standard, or body of requirements. Sense 2: The writings containing such instruction. Sense 3: A governing principle, power, regular order, or civil rule. Sense 4: In family compounds, relationship by marriage.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

breaking

↗

The act or process of parting, opening, bursting, demolishing, violating, dividing, or beginning to break forth.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Romans 2:24

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

name

↗

Sense 1: A word, appellation, or designation by which a person or thing is called or known. Sense 2: The person or persons named or represented. Sense 3: Reputation, character, renown, or remembrance. Sense 4: The authority, behalf, or standing represented by a name. Sense 5: As a verb, to call, designate, or mention by name.

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

COMBINED MEANING

blasphemed

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of blaspheme, meaning to speak evil, reproachfully, contemptuously, or cursedly against God, a person, or sacred things.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Cawdrey 1604

COMBINED MEANING

you

↗

The second-person plural pronoun referring to those being addressed.

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

COMBINED MEANING

written

↗

Past-tense or past-participial form of write (to set down, record, or communicate in letters or writing).

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Romans 2:25

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

circumcision

↗

Sense 1: The cutting off of the foreskin. Sense 2: Persons identified with that bodily sign.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Bullokar 1616

COMBINED MEANING

thou

↗

The singular second-person subject pronoun, meaning you when directly addressing one person, being, or individually treated addressee.

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

COMBINED MEANING

keep

↗

To guard, watch, protect, preserve, secure, retain, possess, hold, maintain, support, tend, manage, observe, obey, fulfil, celebrate, continue in, refrain from, or remain faithful to a person, place, trust, command, promise, way, time, or thing.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

law

↗

Sense 1: An authoritative rule, command, ordinance, instruction, standard, or body of requirements. Sense 2: The writings containing such instruction. Sense 3: A governing principle, power, regular order, or civil rule. Sense 4: In family compounds, relationship by marriage.

Meaning drawn from: Direct Scripture definition · 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

breaker

↗

1. One who breaks through or opens a way. 2. One who violates a law.

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

COMBINED MEANING

made

↗

Formed, caused, prepared, appointed, or brought into a stated condition.

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

COMBINED MEANING

uncircumcision

↗

Sense 1: The state of not being circumcised. Sense 2: Uncircumcised persons considered as a group.

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

READ BEFORE AND AFTER

Surrounding Verses

Nearby Scripture remains separate from the selected passage until you add it.

20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

21Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Selected passage

22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Selected passage

23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

Selected passage

24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Selected passage

25For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Selected passage

26Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

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