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Romans 1:23

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

And {G2532} changed {G236} the glory {G1391} of the uncorruptible {G862} God {G2316} into {G1722} an image {G1504} made like {G3667} to corruptible {G5349} man {G444}, and {G2532} to birds {G4071}, and {G2532} fourfooted beasts {G5074}, and {G2532} creeping things {G2062}.

In fact, they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere images, like a mortal human being, or like birds, animals or reptiles!

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

Commentary

Romans 1:23 is part of Paul's powerful indictment against humanity's willful rejection of God, which he argues is the root cause of societal and moral decay. This specific verse highlights the central act of rebellion: exchanging the true knowledge and worship of the eternal God for created things.

Context

This verse follows Paul's assertion in Romans 1:20 that God's eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen in creation, leaving humanity without excuse. Despite this clear revelation, people suppressed the truth and refused to glorify God or give thanks. Verse 23 describes the consequence of this refusal – a deliberate turning away from the Creator to worship the created.

Key Themes

  • Idolatry: The core theme is the practice of idolatry in its various forms, replacing the worship of the living God with images or concepts derived from the created world.
  • Exchange of Glory: It highlights a tragic exchange – trading the immeasurable, eternal "glory of the uncorruptible God" for representations of finite, corruptible creation. This exchange is fundamental to the perversion of worship.
  • Corruption of Worship: The verse shows how the object of worship descends from the divine to the human, then to animals and even lower forms, illustrating the spiritual degradation that results from rejecting God.

Linguistic Insights

The word "changed" (Greek: allasso) implies an active, deliberate exchange or transformation. It's not a passive slipping away, but a decisive act of substituting one thing for another. The "glory" (Greek: doxa) refers to the visible manifestation of God's nature, power, and majesty – that which evokes awe and worship.

Cross-References

This verse echoes Old Testament warnings against idolatry, such as found in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4). It also relates to other New Testament passages that speak of the natural human tendency to worship created things rather than the Creator, a theme Paul addresses elsewhere, for instance, when speaking about the nature of true worship in Philippians 3:19.

Reflection and Application

While literal images of birds and beasts might seem outdated forms of worship today, the principle remains relevant. Modern idolatry often involves placing ultimate trust, value, and devotion in things other than God – such as wealth, power, status, relationships, ideologies, or even self. This verse serves as a timeless warning against allowing anything created to take the place that belongs only to the uncorruptible God in our lives and hearts. True worship involves acknowledging and valuing God's true glory above all else.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 106:20 (17 votes)

    Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.

  • Jeremiah 2:11 (11 votes)

    Hath a nation changed [their] gods, which [are] yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for [that which] doth not profit.

  • Acts 17:29 (10 votes)

    Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

  • Romans 1:25 (9 votes)

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

  • 1 Peter 4:3 (7 votes)

    For the time past of [our] life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

  • Ezekiel 8:10 (7 votes)

    So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.

  • Psalms 115:5 (6 votes)

    They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: