What Does Romans 1:32 Mean?
Who, knowing God's judgment of alignment, that those who do such things weigh as much as death, not only do them, but also take pleasure in those who practice them.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.THE KEY
The verse treats approval as a way of joining an act, even when someone else does it.
THE MEANING
You can recognize God’s judgment that these acts are worthy of death and still do them or approve those who do. Recognition alone does not prevent participation; approval joins you to another person’s act.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that knowing God’s judgment automatically keeps a person from participating. The verse places knowing beside both action and approval, so recognition by itself does not guarantee alignment.
THE ROOT
συνευδοκοῦσιν
syneudokousin
GROWS FROM
δοκ- (dok-), from δοκέω (dokeō)
To think or seem; in this compound, to approve or agree with.
“have pleasure” in this verse is syneudokousin. This is pleasure as joined approval: the word’s “with,” “well,” and “think” elements make the favorable judgment accompany what another person does. The verse presents that approval as participation alongside the act, beyond doing it oneself.
ALSO GROWS
eudokia: good pleasure, favor
εὐδοκία
This related word carries the favorable judgment contained in approval.
syneudokeō: approve with, consent
συνευδοκέω
This is the verb used in the verse; its “with” sense brings the approver alongside the person acting.
ἐπιγνόντες
epignontes
GROWS FROM
γνω- (gnō-), from γινώσκω (ginōskō)
To know, recognize, perceive; a knowing by encounter, not information alone.
The word names recognition of God’s judgment, yet the verse places that recognition beside both doing and approval. Knowing is present, but it does not by itself describe what a person chooses or endorses.
ALSO GROWS
ginōskō: know, perceive
γινώσκω
This base verb carries the knowing at the heart of the word used here.
gnōsis: knowledge
γνῶσις
The related noun shows the same root extending into knowledge itself.
THE PATTERN
Recognizing wrongdoing does not prevent complicity when approval joins the doer.
When you see a thief, you take pleasure in him, and your portion is with adulterers.For the one who bids him rejoice shares in common with his evil works.THE THREAD
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.Both verses use the Greek knowing-root: Romans speaks of recognizing God’s judgment, while John joins knowing truth with freedom. The shared root reveals a distinction between recognizing something and being freed through knowing it.
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