Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,
Parallel translations
- WEB Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
- KJV Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
- NKJV Professing to be wise, they became fools,
- NASB Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
- NLT Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Claiming to be wise, they became fools. Human pride apart from God leads to genuine foolishness.
Overview
Paul exposes the irony of fallen wisdom: those who pride themselves on their insight, while rejecting God, are actually fools. True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). This verse sets up the description of idolatry that follows, where humanity's supposed wisdom collapses into worshiping created things.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Cor 1:19–21For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
- Prov 26:12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- Rom 11:25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
- Prov 25:14Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.
- Jer 8:8–9How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception?
- 1 Cor 3:18–19Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
- Jer 10:14Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
- Matt 6:23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
- Isa 47:10You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray; you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 1:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.