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God’s Wrath against Sin
Romans 1:18–32 explains why God’s wrath is revealed against human sin. Paul describes people rejecting what God has made known, exchanging his truth for false worship, and living out the results in attitudes, actions and approval of evil.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
This part of Romans is a section of letter-teaching about God’s wrath, human knowledge of God, and human unrighteousness. The passage moves in order from what God has revealed, to humanity’s refusal to honour him, to repeated statements that God gave them up to the consequences of their chosen ways.
Romans 1:18–32Main takeaway
Romans 1:18–32 teaches that rejecting God’s truth leads to false worship, distorted thinking and many forms of unrighteous living.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01God’s wrath and what people already knowPaul begins by saying God’s wrath is revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness because people suppress the truth.
Explanation
Paul begins by saying God’s wrath is revealed against ungodliness and unrighteousness because people suppress the truth. He then says something about God is known because God revealed it to them. His invisible qualities, including everlasting power and divinity, are perceived through what has been made, leaving people without excuse.
02Refusing honour and trading God’s gloryAlthough people knew God, they did not glorify him or give thanks. Their reasoning became empty and their hearts were darkened.
Explanation
Although people knew God, they did not glorify him or give thanks. Their reasoning became empty and their hearts were darkened. Claiming wisdom, they became fools. Paul describes an exchange here: the glory of the incorruptible God was traded for images shaped like people and animals.
03God gave them up to dishonour and false worshipBecause of this, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness and dishonour.
Explanation
Because of this, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness and dishonour. Paul explains the exchange again: they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator. This shows false worship shaping bodily and moral life.
04God gave them up to passions and a corrupted mindPaul repeats that God gave them up, first to vile passions and then to a reprobate mind. He names same-sex sexual acts as part of this description and says people received a due penalty of their error.
Explanation
Paul repeats that God gave them up, first to vile passions and then to a reprobate mind. He names same-sex sexual acts as part of this description and says people received a due penalty of their error. He then connects rejecting God in knowledge with doing what is not fitting.
05A wide list of sins and approving evilThe passage ends with a long list of unrighteous behaviour, including envy, murder, deceit, arrogance, disobedience to parents and lack of mercy.
Explanation
The passage ends with a long list of unrighteous behaviour, including envy, murder, deceit, arrogance, disobedience to parents and lack of mercy. Paul says such people know God’s ordinance about these practices being worthy of death, yet they both do them and approve others who do the same.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01According to this passage, how has God made something of himself known to people?
Look for the statements about what God revealed and what can be perceived through creation, then answer using Paul’s wording as closely as you can.
02What exchanges does Paul say people made, and why are those exchanges important in the flow of the passage?
Notice the repeated language of trading or exchanging, then trace how it moves from worship to conduct.
03How does the passage connect doing evil with approving evil?
Read the final verse carefully and compare it with the list before it to see that Paul mentions both practice and approval.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Romans 1:18–32
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.
20For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.
21Because knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.
24Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves;
25who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.
27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
28Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
30backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.