Romans 1:21

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Because {G1360} that, when they knew {G1097} God {G2316}, they glorified {G1392} him not {G3756} as {G5613} God {G2316}, neither {G2228} were thankful {G2168}; but {G235} became vain {G3154} in {G1722} their {G846} imaginations {G1261}, and {G2532} their {G846} foolish {G801} heart {G2588} was darkened {G4654}.

Complete Jewish Bible

because, although they know who God is, they do not glorify him as God or thank him. On the contrary, they have become futile in their thinking; and their undiscerning hearts have become darkened.

Berean Standard Bible

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

American Standard Version

because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Romans 1:21 serves as a pivotal indictment of humanity's foundational sin: despite possessing an inherent knowledge of God, they deliberately chose not to honor Him as God nor express gratitude. This willful suppression of truth led to a profound intellectual and spiritual decay, resulting in their reasoning becoming futile and their hearts being plunged into spiritual darkness, setting the stage for the subsequent descent into unrighteousness.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a crucial link in Paul's theological argument in the opening chapters of Romans, establishing the universal need for God's righteousness. It immediately follows Paul's declaration in [Romans 1:18](/romans/1-18 "Romans 1:18 - God's Wrath Revealed Against Ungodliness") that God's wrath is being revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. Paul then explains *why* humanity is without excuse: [Romans 1:19-20](/romans/1-19-20 "Romans 1:19-20 - God's Invisible Attributes Clearly Seen in Creation") assert that God's eternal power and divine nature are clearly perceived through the created world. Romans 1:21 then details humanity's culpable response to this undeniable revelation: not merely ignorance, but an active, culpable failure to rightly acknowledge and respond to the God they knew. This failure is the root cause from which the specific acts of unrighteousness detailed in [Romans 1:24-32](/romans/1-24-32 "Romans 1:24-32 - God Gives Them Over to Their Sins") flow, demonstrating the progression from spiritual rebellion to moral depravity.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Paul is addressing a diverse audience in Rome, including both Jews and Gentiles. While the immediate context of [Romans 1:18-32](/romans/1-18-32 "The Depravity of Humanity") primarily describes Gentile sin, the principles apply universally. In the Greco-Roman world, various philosophical schools debated the nature of divinity, and polytheistic religions were prevalent. Despite intellectual pursuits and religious rituals, Paul argues that even those with sophisticated thought systems or elaborate pantheons failed to grasp and honor the one true God, whose existence and power were evident in creation. Their cultural practices, including widespread idolatry and moral laxity, were symptomatic of this fundamental spiritual rebellion. Paul's critique is not merely of specific sins but of the underlying spiritual condition of humanity that refused to acknowledge its Creator and Giver of all good things.

* **Key Themes:** Romans 1:21 introduces several profound themes that resonate throughout the book and the New Testament. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Natural Revelation**, emphasizing that God has made Himself known to all humanity through creation, leaving no one without excuse ([Romans 1:19-20](/romans/1-19-20 "God's Attributes Revealed in Creation")). Secondly, it underscores the **Suppression of Truth**, showing that humanity's problem is not a lack of knowledge, but a willful rejection and active suppression of the truth they inherently possess. This deliberate turning away leads to the third theme: **Idolatry's Root**. The failure to glorify God as God and to be thankful is identified as the foundational sin that leads to all forms of idolatry and unrighteousness, as humanity exchanges the glory of the incorruptible God for created things, as described in [Romans 1:23](/romans/1-23 "Romans 1:23 - Exchanging God's Glory for Idols"). Finally, the verse introduces the theme of **Judicial Hardening and Spiritual Decay**, where God's just judgment for humanity's rebellion is seen in the internal consequences: futile thinking and darkened hearts. This internal corruption is a direct result of their refusal to honor God, leading to a downward spiral of moral degradation, a concept further elaborated in [Romans 1:24-32](/romans/1-24-32 "God Gives Them Over").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **knew (Greek, _ginṓskō'_):** This verb signifies more than mere intellectual acquaintance; it often implies an experiential or relational knowledge. In this context, it suggests humanity had a genuine, undeniable apprehension of God's existence and attributes, derived from the clear evidence of creation. It's not a saving knowledge, but a foundational awareness that should have led to appropriate worship and gratitude.
* **glorified (Greek, _doxázō'_):** To "glorify" means to honor, praise, magnify, or attribute supreme worth and splendor to someone. The failure to glorify God "as God" indicates a refusal to acknowledge His unique, supreme, and sovereign position as Creator and Sustainer. It's a withholding of the honor and adoration due to Him alone, a foundational act of rebellion.
* **imaginations (Greek, _dialogismós'_):** This term refers to inner reasonings, thoughts, deliberations, or even disputes within oneself. When these "imaginations" became "vain" (futile, empty, purposeless), it signifies that humanity's intellectual pursuits and mental processes, when divorced from the truth of God, became inherently unproductive, misguided, and ultimately meaningless in discerning ultimate reality or true purpose.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Because that, when they knew God":** This opening clause establishes the premise of human culpability. It asserts that humanity was not ignorant of God; rather, they possessed an intrinsic and evident knowledge of Him, a knowledge that should have compelled a specific response.
* **"they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful":** This is the core indictment, detailing humanity's twofold failure. Firstly, they refused to ascribe to God the honor, worship, and supreme position that belongs to Him alone as the Creator. Secondly, they withheld gratitude, failing to acknowledge Him as the source of all blessings and the Giver of life itself. This lack of worship and thankfulness represents a fundamental spiritual rebellion.
* **"but became vain in their imaginations":** This clause describes the immediate consequence of their spiritual rebellion. Their internal thought processes, their reasonings and deliberations, became empty, futile, and purposeless. Without God as the ultimate reference point, their intellectual pursuits lost their true direction and became distorted, leading to a worldview based on falsehoods rather than truth.
* **"and their foolish heart was darkened":** This describes a deeper, more profound consequence. The "heart" (kardia) in biblical thought represents the core of one's being—the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral understanding. By rejecting the light of God's truth, their inner being became "darkened," signifying a progressive spiritual blindness, a diminished capacity to discern spiritual realities, moral good, and divine truth, leading to intellectual and moral confusion.

#### Literary Devices
Paul employs several effective literary devices in Romans 1:21 to convey his powerful message. The verse exhibits clear **Parallelism**, particularly in the two negative clauses ("glorified him not as God, neither were thankful") and the two subsequent consequences ("became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened"). This structure emphasizes the dual nature of humanity's failure and its resulting internal corruption. The phrase "their foolish heart was darkened" uses **Metaphor** and **Symbolism**. "Darkened" is a metaphor for spiritual and intellectual blindness, symbolizing a state of ignorance and moral confusion that results from turning away from the light of God's truth. The "heart" is symbolic of the inner core of a person's being, encompassing their intellect, will, and emotions, highlighting that the corruption is not merely external but deeply internal. Furthermore, the verse demonstrates a clear **Cause and Effect** relationship, where the refusal to glorify and thank God is presented as the direct cause of the intellectual futility and spiritual darkness that humanity experiences.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Romans 1:21 profoundly articulates the essence of humanity's fallen condition: a deliberate, culpable rejection of God despite inherent knowledge of Him. It reveals that the root of all unrighteousness is not merely ignorance, but an active suppression of truth, leading to a fundamental misorientation of the human heart and mind. This failure to glorify God as God and to express gratitude is the wellspring of idolatry and moral decay, demonstrating that true worship and thankfulness are not optional but essential responses to the Creator. The verse underscores the concept of judicial hardening, where God, in His justice, gives humanity over to the consequences of their choices, allowing their minds to become futile and their hearts to be darkened as a direct result of their rebellion. This theological truth highlights the gravity of humanity's sin and the righteousness of God's judgment against it.

* [Psalm 19:1-4](/psalms/19-1-4 "Psalm 19:1-4 - God's Revelation in Creation")
* [Ephesians 4:17-19](/ephesians/4-17-19 "Ephesians 4:17-19 - The Futility of Gentile Thinking")
* [Jeremiah 2:5](/jeremiah/2-5 "Jeremiah 2:5 - Following Worthless Idols")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Romans 1:21 serves as a stark mirror, reflecting the human tendency to acknowledge God's existence without truly honoring or thanking Him. In a world saturated with information and self-focus, it is easy to become "vain in our imaginations," pursuing knowledge and understanding that is detached from divine truth, leading to a "darkened heart." This verse challenges us to examine the posture of our own hearts and minds. Do we genuinely glorify God in our daily lives, attributing to Him the supreme worth and adoration He deserves, not just with our lips but with our actions and priorities? Are we cultivating a spirit of profound thankfulness for His ceaseless provision, grace, and revelation, or do we take His blessings for granted? When we fail to center our thoughts and affections on God, our intellectual pursuits can become futile, and our spiritual discernment can wane, leaving us vulnerable to deception and moral confusion. This verse calls us to a conscious, daily commitment to worship God as God and to live lives overflowing with gratitude, ensuring that His light illuminates our understanding and guides our every step.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does my daily life demonstrate glorification and thankfulness to God, or where might I be falling short?**
* **In what areas of my thinking or pursuits might I be allowing "vain imaginations" to take root, distracting me from God's truth?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate a heart that is more consistently thankful and receptive to God's light, preventing spiritual darkness?**

### FAQ

**Does "knew God" in Romans 1:21 imply saving knowledge?**

Answer: No, the "knowledge" referred to in [Romans 1:21](/romans/1-21 "Romans 1:21 - Humanity's Failure to Glorify God") is not necessarily a saving, relational knowledge of God, but rather a general, undeniable awareness of His existence, power, and divine nature. As explained in [Romans 1:19-20](/romans/1-19-20 "Romans 1:19-20 - God's Invisible Attributes Clearly Seen in Creation"), God has made Himself evident through the created world, leaving all humanity without excuse. This knowledge is an intellectual and intuitive apprehension that should have led to worship and gratitude, but instead, humanity willfully suppressed it, leading to the consequences described in the verse.

**What does it mean for their "heart was darkened"?**

Answer: The phrase "their foolish heart was darkened" signifies a profound spiritual and moral consequence of humanity's rebellion against God. The "heart" in biblical understanding refers to the core of one's being—the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and moral understanding. When it became "darkened," it means that humanity's inner being, once capable of discerning spiritual truth, became progressively blind, ignorant, and morally confused. This is not merely a lack of information but a judicial consequence of their deliberate rejection of God's light. As they refused to glorify God and be thankful, God "gave them over" to their own choices, leading to a diminished capacity to perceive spiritual reality and moral good, as further elaborated in [Romans 1:24-32](/romans/1-24-32 "Romans 1:24-32 - God Gives Them Over to Their Sins").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Romans 1:21 vividly describes humanity's tragic descent into spiritual darkness due to their refusal to glorify God and be thankful, despite knowing Him. This fallen state, characterized by vain imaginations and darkened hearts, sets the stage for the glorious revelation of Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate answer to humanity's predicament, for He is the perfect image of the invisible God ([Colossians 1:15](/colossians/1-15 "Colossians 1:15 - Christ, the Image of God")), the one who perfectly glorified the Father in His life, death, and resurrection ([John 17:4](/john/17-4 "John 17:4 - Jesus Glorifies the Father")). Where humanity failed to acknowledge and give thanks, Christ offered perfect obedience and thanksgiving. He is the "light of the world" ([John 8:12](/john/8-12 "John 8:12 - Jesus, the Light of the World")) who came to dispel the very darkness that enveloped the "foolish heart" of fallen humanity. Through His atoning sacrifice, He reconciles us to God, enabling us to truly "know" Him in a saving, relational way ([John 17:3](/john/17-3 "John 17:3 - Eternal Life is Knowing God")). By His Spirit, He transforms our "vain imaginations" into thoughts captive to Him ([2 Corinthians 10:5](/2_corinthians/10-5 "2 Corinthians 10:5 - Taking Every Thought Captive to Christ")) and illuminates our "darkened hearts" with the light of the gospel ([2 Corinthians 4:6](/2_corinthians/4-6 "2 Corinthians 4:6 - God's Light in Our Hearts")). In Christ, we are empowered to truly glorify God with our lives ([1 Corinthians 6:20](/1_corinthians/6-20 "1 Corinthians 6:20 - Glorifying God in Your Body")) and live lives overflowing with genuine thankfulness ([Colossians 3:17](/colossians/3-17 "Colossians 3:17 - Doing All in Christ's Name with Thankfulness")), reversing the curse of Romans 1:21 and restoring humanity to its intended purpose.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ephesians 4:17

¶ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Ephesians 4:18

Having 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 Kings 17:15

And 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.

Psalms 50:23

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth [his] conversation [aright] will I shew the salvation of God.

Jeremiah 2:5

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?

2 Timothy 3:2

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Revelation 14:7

Saying 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.