For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul isn't just saying "be good"; he's urging you to be actively wise about discerning what's truly good, while remaining completely untainted and unfamiliar with evil, like a pure, unmixed substance. This isn't about naive ignorance but a practiced purity that, having encountered evil, still refuses to be corrupted by it.
For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is wrapping up his letter, and after warning the Roman believers about false teachers who cause division, he reassures them. He acknowledges their strong obedience to the faith they’ve learned, which brings him joy and confidence, but he still urges them to be both discerning about what is good and pure, avoiding any entanglement with evil.
Paul starts by praising the Romans' obedience, a good reputation indeed! But then he pivots, urging them to be wise. What's the connection?
Paul celebrates the Romans' obedience, acknowledging it's widely known. This obedience isn't just passive following; it's a testament to their commitment to the truth they've learned. It's a foundation of trust.
However, he doesn't stop there. He wants them to possess a discernment – to be 'wise unto that which is good.' This means actively understanding what truly promotes good and aligns with God's will. It's about being sharp, knowledgeable, and discerning in all things good.
This isn't just about knowing what to do, but how to do it effectively and wisely.
Paul contrasts being 'wise as to good' with being 'simple concerning evil.' Does 'simple' mean naive or unaware?
The word Paul uses for 'simple concerning evil' is fascinating. It doesn't mean being ignorant or unaware of evil's existence. Instead, it carries the sense of being 'unmixed,' 'uncontaminated,' or 'innocent' in relation to evil.
Think of it like this: You can be fully aware of the dangers of a disease without actively participating in or being infected by it. The Roman believers were to be like that with evil – not harboring it, not plotting it, and not being corrupted by it, even if they understood its existence.
This is a state of active purity, maintained through resistance and a strengthened love for good and hatred for evil, rather than a passive lack of knowledge.
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Understand the original words
hypakoē · Greek Noun
The act of submitting one's life, will, and conduct to the truth and commandments of God as revealed through the gospel.
Paul's letter to the Romans was written during a time when the church was still relatively young and navigating its identity within the vast Roman Empire. The churches were growing, but so were the challenges from both internal divisions and external pressures, making Paul's counsel on wisdom and discernment crucial for their survival and spiritual maturity.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
The foundational event of Christianity, leading to the formation of the early church and the spread of the Gospel.
c. AD 30-50
Early Spread of the Gospel
The apostles and early believers begin to preach the Gospel throughout Judea, Samaria, and into the wider Roman Empire, establishing numerous churches.
c. AD 49
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal council that addressed the inclusion of Gentiles into the Christian faith, clarifying crucial theological and practical issues that impacted church practice and unity.
c. AD 50-57
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul undertakes extensive missionary journeys, establishing churches and strengthening believers in various regions, including Corinth and Ephesus.
c. AD 57-59— this verse
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
While under house arrest in Rome, Paul continues to teach and write letters to various churches, including the letter to the Romans.
c. AD 62-67
Persecution Under Nero
Christians in Rome face severe persecution, highlighting the dangers and challenges faced by believers in the Roman Empire.
Jesus instructs his disciples to be 'wise as serpents and innocent as doves,' a parallel to Paul's exhortation for believers to be wise about good and innocent concerning evil.
Philippians 2:15This passage calls believers to be 'blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,' echoing the call for purity and discernment.
1 Corinthians 14:20Paul tells the Corinthians not to be 'children in your thinking; be mature in everything, but especially in what is good, while being infants in evil,' which strongly resonates with the idea of growing in wisdom about good and remaining untainted by evil.
1 Peter 3:11Peter urges believers to 'turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it,' highlighting the active pursuit of good and avoidance of evil that Paul encourages.
ellicottRomans 16:19: "For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil."
(19) No harm has been done as yet. Still it is well to be upon your guard. Simple concerning evil.—This is not at all the same word as that which is translated “simple” above. The first is that freedom from dishonest motives which makes a man an unsuspecting and easy prey for designing persons, and applies rather t…
vincentRomans 16:19: "For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil."
Simple (ἀκεραίους)See on harmless, Matthew 10:16.
Paul isn't just saying "be good"; he's urging you to be actively wise about discerning what's truly good, while remaining completely untainted and unfamiliar with evil, like a pure, unmixed substance. This isn't about naive ignorance but a practiced purity that, having encountered evil, still refuses to be corrupted by it.
Paul is wrapping up his letter, and after warning the Roman believers about false teachers who cause division, he reassures them. He acknowledges their strong obedience to the faith they’ve learned, which brings him joy and confidence, but he still urges them to be both discerning about what is good and pure, avoiding any entanglement with evil.
Paul is wrapping up his letter, and after warning the Roman believers about false teachers who cause division, he reassures them. He acknowledges their strong obedience to the faith they’ve learned, which brings him joy and confidence, but he still urges them to be both discerning about what is good and pure, avoiding any entanglement with evil.
"For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil." — Paul isn't just saying "be good"; he's urging you to be actively wise about discerning what's truly good, while remaining completely untainted and unfamiliar with evil, like a pure, unmixed substance…
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Last reviewed October 2026