Romans 1:23

“and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of a corruptible human being and of birds and of four-footed animals and of creeping things.”
Romans 1:23 · direct translation from the Greek

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andκαὶexchangedἤλλαξανthe gloryτὴν δόξανof the incorruptibleτοῦ ἀφθάρτουGodθεοῦforἐνthe likenessὁμοιώματιof an imageεἰκόνοςof a corruptibleφθαρτοῦhuman beingἀνθρώπουandκαὶof birdsπετεινῶνandκαὶof four-footed animalsτετραπόδωνandκαὶof creeping things.ἑρπετῶν

Allusion · Psalms 106:20

Go to Psalms 106:20

Both texts say that they exchanged the glory (of God) for the image of an animal: in the psalm, the golden calf.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

ἤλλαξανēllaxanG236יָּמִירוּyamiruH4171“exchange”
δόξανdoxanG1391כְּבוֹדָkevodaH3519“glory”

Romans 1:23, word by word

exchangedἤλλαξανēllaxan

change

Change, exchange one thing for another.

Where else “ēllaxan” appears

the gloryδόξανdoxan

glory

The greatness and splendor of God.

Where else “doxan” appears

of the incorruptibleἀφθάρτουaphthartou

imperishable

Imperishable, incorruptible.

Where else “aphthartou” appears

Godθεοῦtheou

God

The Creator and Lord of all, the one God of Israel.

Where else “theou” appears

the likenessὁμοιώματιhomoiōmati

likeness

Likeness: something made like something else, a form or resemblance.

Where else “homoiōmati” appears

of an imageεἰκόνοςeikonos

image

Image, likeness.

Where else “eikonos” appears

of a corruptibleφθαρτοῦphthartou

perishable

Perishable, corruptible: what decays and dies.

Where else “phthartou” appears

human beingἀνθρώπουanthrōpou

mortal

Humans, weak before God.

Where else “anthrōpou” appears

of birdsπετεινῶνpeteinōn

bird

Bird.

Where else “peteinōn” appears

of four-footed animalsτετραπόδωνtetrapodōn

four-footed animal

Four-footed animal, a quadruped.

Where else “tetrapodōn” appears

of creeping thingsἑρπετῶνherpetōn

reptile, creeping thing

Reptile: an animal that creeps along the ground.

Where else “herpetōn” appears

Translation note

An allusion to Psalm 106:20.

The context

22Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

23 · This verse (above)

24Therefore God handed them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

Read all of Romans 1

To study Romans 1 in a group

1. What it says
How does Paul introduce himself at the start of the letter, and what does he say he is not ashamed of? (vv. 1, 16)
2. What it means
Paul says God's invisible qualities are perceived in what he made (vv. 19-20). What do you think he means by that?
3. How I live it
Paul was not ashamed of the good news (v. 16). How can you speak naturally and respectfully about what you value most?

How to use it