For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that the "natural relations" that were exchanged were not merely biological, but the ones considered honorable and aligned with God's intended design for humanity. The phrase "vile affections" points to passions that lead to deep disgrace, underscoring that the issue isn't just about specific acts, but a spiritual decay that corrupts one's very sense of honor and dignity.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is detailing the consequences of humanity's rejection of God, moving from idolatry to moral decay. Having shown how people exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped creation instead of the Creator, he now reveals how God "gave them up" to increasing impurity. This verse and the next describe specific examples of this moral degradation, first focusing on women and then on men.
When Scripture says God 'gave them up,' what does that really mean? It's more than just stepping back – it's a profound act of judgment.
The phrase 'God gave them up' (παρέδωκε - paredōke) in Romans 1 is a powerful concept. It signifies God's judicial withdrawal of His restraining influence from humanity's sinful desires. It's not that God actively causes sin, but rather that He allows the natural, tragic consequences of humanity's rebellion to unfold fully.
This 'giving up' is presented as a direct response to humanity's deliberate rejection of Him:
As a result, God justly 'gives them up' to the escalating depths of their own sinful desires, leading to 'dishonorable passions' and actions contrary to His design.
Paul uses the terms 'natural' and 'contrary to nature.' What is he pointing to, and why does it matter?
The verse highlights a critical distinction: God's intended design for human relationships versus actions that go against it.
Ask a follow-up
Paul isn't just describing specific acts; he's diagnosing a deeper spiritual issue: a rejection of God's truth and order, leading to a distortion of even basic human instincts and relationships. The "dishonorable passions" (πάθη ἀτιμίας - pathē atimias) are passions that bring shame and disgrace, a direct consequence of forsaking God's honor.
Understand the original words
paredōken · Greek Verb
The act of abandoning or surrendering someone to the consequences of their own sinful desires and choices, reflecting God's judicial withdrawal of restraining grace.
pathē · Greek Noun
Strong, uncontrolled, and unruly desires or cravings, often associated with sinful appetites that override reason and moral restraint.
para physin · Greek Phrase
Behavior, roles, or desires that are inconsistent with the created order and purpose established by God for human beings.
atimias · Greek Noun
Behavior that causes shame or disgrace; it refers to that which is morally ignoble, debasing, or violates the honor due to one's body and station.
Paul's strong words in Romans 1 address the deep moral and spiritual decay he observed in Gentile societies, which had turned away from God and adopted practices contrary to natural order, leading to severe consequences.
c. 70 BC - c. AD 200
Roman Empire's Cultural Dominance
The Roman Empire exerted significant cultural and political influence across the Mediterranean world, shaping societal norms and legal structures. This era saw the spread of Hellenistic culture and Roman law, which would have impacted Jewish communities within the empire and the Gentile societies Paul was engaging with.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The central event of Christianity, Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, profoundly shaped the early church's message and mission. The apostles, including Paul, would have preached this message in the context of Roman rule and diverse cultural practices.
c. AD 50-60— this verse
Paul's Ministry and Letter to the Romans
The Apostle Paul, a key figure in early Christianity, conducted extensive missionary journeys and wrote epistles to various churches. His letter to the Romans, likely written during this period from Corinth or Ephesus, addresses complex theological issues and offers guidance to the church in Rome.
c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome and Nero's Persecution
A devastating fire swept through Rome, leading Emperor Nero to blame and persecute Christians. This event created immense pressure and danger for Christians living in the heart of the empire.
This passage directly prohibits male homosexual acts, providing an Old Testament legal context to Paul's discussion of 'unnatural' sexual relations.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10Paul lists various vices, including those related to sexual immorality, and explicitly states that 'unnatural' sexual offenders will not inherit the kingdom of God, echoing the seriousness of the behavior described in Romans 1.
Genesis 1:27-28This foundational passage establishes God's design for humanity as male and female, intended for procreation and union, which provides the 'natural order' against which the behaviors in Romans 1 are contrasted.
Romans 1:24This verse immediately precedes the text in question and describes God 'giving them up' to impurity, setting the stage for the specific examples of sexual 'dishonor' that follow.
1 Thessalonians 4:4-5Paul contrasts honorable sexual conduct within marriage with 'lustful passion' and 'sexual immorality,' highlighting the concept of honorable use of one's body, which is directly opposed by the 'dishonorable passions' Paul discusses in Romans 1.
meyerRomans 1:26: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:"
Romans 1:26-27 . Διὰ τοῦτο ] Beginning an independent, sentence (against Hofmann, see on Romans 1:25 ), refers to the description οἵτινες .… κτίσαντα contained in Romans 1:25 . The giving up is set forth once more (comp Romans 1:24 , διό ) as the punishment of apostasy, and now indeed with such increasing force of delineation, that out of the ca…
henryRomans 1:26-32: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:"
1:26-32 In the horrid depravity of the heathen, the truth of our Lord's words was shown: Light was come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for he that doeth 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…
This verse highlights that the "natural relations" that were exchanged were not merely biological, but the ones considered honorable and aligned with God's intended design for humanity. The phrase "vile affections" points to passions that lead to deep disgrace, underscoring that the issue isn't just about specific acts, but a spiritual decay that corrupts one's very sense of honor and dignity.
Paul is detailing the consequences of humanity's rejection of God, moving from idolatry to moral decay. Having shown how people exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped creation instead of the Creator, he now reveals how God "gave them up" to increasing impurity. This verse and the next describe specific examples of this moral degradation, first focusing on women and then on men.
Paul is detailing the consequences of humanity's rejection of God, moving from idolatry to moral decay. Having shown how people exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped creation instead of the Creator, he now reveals how God "gave them up" to increasing impurity. This verse and the next describe specific examples of this moral degradation, first focusing on women and then on men.
"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;" — This verse highlights that the "natural relations" that were exchanged were not merely biological, but the ones considered honorable and aligned with God's intended design for humanity. The phrase "v…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026