You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.
Parallel translations
- WEB and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
- KJV And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
- BSB if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,
- NKJV and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
- NASB and are confident that you yourself are a guide to people who are blind, a light to those in darkness,
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
They are confident they can guide the blind and give light to those in darkness. They see themselves as spiritual leaders to others.
Overview
Paul describes the Jew's self-understanding as a guide to the blind and a light to those in darkness, reflecting Israel's calling to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6). Such a role is honorable, but Paul highlights it to expose the gap between claiming to teach others and failing to obey oneself, which he will name directly in vv.21-23.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Rev 3:17–18Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;
- 1 Cor 8:1–2Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
- Isa 49:6Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel? I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
- Isa 5:21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
- Isa 56:10His watchmen are blind. They are all without knowledge. They are all mute dogs. They can’t bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
- Matt 6:23But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
- Prov 26:12Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- John 9:40–41Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”
- Matt 15:14Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
- 1 Cor 4:10We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor.
- John 9:34They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.
- Matt 5:14You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
- Matt 4:16the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.”
- Isa 49:9–10saying to those who are bound, ‘Come out!’; to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!’ “They shall feed along the paths, and their pasture shall be on all treeless heights.
- Luke 1:79to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
- Matt 23:16–26“Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’
- Mark 10:15Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”
- John 7:46–49The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
- Acts 26:18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
- 1 Cor 3:18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
- Phil 2:15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
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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 2:19 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.