SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:31
necios, desleales, sin afecto natural, implacables, sin misericordia;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 1:31
Verse 31. Without understanding] asunetouv, from a, negative, and sunetov, knowing; persons incapable of comprehending what was spoken; destitute of capacity for spiritual things. Covenant-breakers] asunqetouv, from a, negative, and suntiqhmui, to make an agreement; persons who could be bound by no oath, because, properly speaking, they had no God to witness or avenge their misconduct. As every covenant, or agreement, is made as in the presence of God, so he that opposes the being and doctrine of God is incapable of being bound by any covenant; he can give no pledge for his conduct.
Without natural affection] astorgouv; without that attachment which nature teaches the young of all animals to have to their mothers, and the mothers to have for their young. The heathens, in general, have made no scruple to expose the children they did not think proper to bring up, and to despatch their parents when they were grown old or past labour.
Implacable] aspondouv, from a, negative; and spondh, A LIBATION. It was customary among all nations to pour out wine as a libation to their gods, when making a treaty. This was done to appease the angry gods, and reconcile them to the contracting parties. The word here shows a deadly enmity; the highest pitch of an unforgiving spirit; in a word, persons who would not make reconciliation either to God or man.
Unmerciful] anelehmonav; those who were incapable, through the deep-rooted wickedness of their own nature, of showing mercy to an enemy when brought under their power, or doing any thing for the necessitous, from the principle of benevolence or commiseration.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. Without understanding , etc..] Of God, of his nature and worship, of things divine and even moral, being given up to a reprobate mind: covenant breakers ; had no regard to private or public contracts: without natural affection ; to their parents, children, relations and friends: implacable ; when once offended there was no reconciling of them: unmerciful ; had no pity and compassion to persons in distress.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 26-32 - In the horrid depravity of the heathen, the truth of our Lord's word was shown: "Light was come into the world, but men loved darknes rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for he that doet evil hateth the light." The truth was not to their taste. And we all know how soon a man will contrive, against the strongest evidence, to reason himself out of the belief of what he dislikes. But a man cannot be brought to greater slavery than to be given up to his own lusts. A the Gentiles did not like to keep God in their knowledge, the committed crimes wholly against reason and their own welfare. The nature of man, whether pagan or Christian, is still the same; and the charges of the apostle apply more or less to the state and character of men at all times, till they are brought to full submission to the fait of Christ, and renewed by Divine power. There never yet was a man, wh had not reason to lament his strong corruptions, and his secret dislik to the will of God. Therefore this chapter is a call to self-examination, the end of which should be, a deep conviction of sin and of the necessity of deliverance from a state of condemnation __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ασυνετους 801 A-APM ασυνθετους 802 A-APM αστοργους 794 A-APM ασπονδους 786 A-APM ανελεημονας 415 A-APM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:31 {Without understanding} (asunetous). Same word in verse #21. {Covenant-breakers} (asunqetous). Another paronomasia or pun. a privative and verbal sunthetos from suntiqemi, to put together. Old word, common in LXX (#Jer 3:7), men "false to their engagements" (Sanday and Headlam), who treat covenants as "a scrap of paper." {Without natural affection} (astorgous). Late word, a privative and storg, love of kindred. In N.T. only here and #2Ti 3:3. {Unmerciful} (anelemonas). From a privative and eleemwn, merciful. Late word, only here in N.T. Some MSS. add aspondous, implacable, from #2Ti 3:3. It is a terrible picture of the effects of Sin on the lives of men and women. The late Dr. R. H. Graves of Canton, China, said that a Chinaman who got hold of this chapter declared that Paul could not have written it, but only a modern missionary who had been to China. It is drawn to the life because Paul knew Pagan Graeco-Roman civilization.
