Romans 2:22

New Living Translation

You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou that saist, A man should not commit adulterie, doest thou commit adulterie? thou that abhorrest idoles, committest thou sacrilege?

Christian Standard Bible®
You who say, “You must not commit adultery”—do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob their temples?

Hebrew Names Version
You who say a man shouldn't commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Darby Translation
thou that sayest [man should] not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Easy-to-Read Version
You say they must not commit adultery, but you yourself are guilty of that sin. You hate idols, but you steal them from their temples.

Amplified Bible
You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob [pagan] temples [of valuable idols and offerings]?

American Standard Version
thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?

Berean Standard Bible
You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Contemporary English Version
You say people should be faithful in marriage. But are you faithful? You hate idols, yet you rob their temples.

Complete Jewish Bible
Saying, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? Detesting idols, do you commit idolatrous acts?

International Standard Version
As you forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? As you abhor idols, do you rob temples?Malachi 3:8;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
and who sayest they should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery ? And thou who condemnest idols, dost thou despoil the sanctuary ? [fn]

Murdock Translation
And thou who sayest, Men must not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? And thou who contemnest idols, dost thou plunder the sanctuary?

King James Version (1611)
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie, doest thou commit adulterie? thou that abhorrest idols, doest thou commit sacriledge?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thou that sayest a man shoulde not commit adulterie, breakest wedlocke. Thou abhorrest idoles, and yet robbest God of his honour.

English Revised Version
thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?

King James Version
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Lexham English Bible
The one who says not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one who abhors idols, do you rob temples?

Literal Translation
The one saying not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one detesting the idols, do you rob temples?

New Century Version
You say that others must not take part in adultery, but you are guilty of that sin. You hate idols, but you steal from temples.

New English Translation
You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

New King James Version
You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

New Revised Standard
You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
That sayest - Do not commit adultery! Art thou, committing adultery? That abhorrest sacrilege, Art thou, robbing temples?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou, that sayest men should not commit adultery, committest adultery: thou, that abhorrest idols, committest sacrilege:

George Lamsa Translation
You say, Men must not commit adultery, yet you commit adultery. You despise idols, yet you rob the sanctuary.

Good News Translation
You say, "Do not commit adultery"—but do you commit adultery? You detest idols—but do you rob temples?

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Thou that sayst, a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Weymouth's New Testament
You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who loathe idols, do you plunder their temples?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou that techist that me schal `do no letcherie, doist letcherie? Thou that wlatist maumetis, doist sacrilegie?

World English Bible
You who say a man shouldn't commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Revised Standard Version
You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Thou sayst a man shuld not commit advoutry: and thou breakest wedlocke. Thou abhorrest ymages and robbest God of his honoure.

Update Bible Version
you that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? you that detest idols, do you rob temples?

Young's Literal Translation
thou who art preaching not to steal, dost thou steal? thou who art saying not to commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou who art abhorring the idols, dost thou rob temples?

Bible in Basic English
You who say that a man may not be untrue to his wife, are you true to yours? you who are a hater of images, do you do wrong to the house of God?

New American Standard Bible
You who say that one is not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who loathe idols, do you rob temples?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thou sayest, that a man shulde not breake wedlocke, and thou breakest wedlocke. Thou abhorrest ymages, and robbest God of his honoure.

Mace New Testament (1729)
you who preach against stealing, do you steal? you who declaim against adultery, do you commit adultery? you who abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege?

New Life Bible
You say that no one should do sex sins. Do you do sex sins? You hate false gods. Do you rob the houses where they are kept?

Simplified Cowboy Version
You say to remain faithful in marriage, but your thoughts betray your preachin'. You say to stay away from idols, but your saddlebags are piled full of them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Legacy Standard Bible
You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God's law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. ¹⁸ You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. ¹⁹ You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. ²⁰ You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God's law gives you complete knowledge and truth. ²¹ Well then, if you teach others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? ²² You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? ²³ You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. ²⁴ No wonder the Scriptures say, "The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you." ²⁵ The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. ²⁶ And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God declare them to be his own people?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

adultery: Jeremiah 5:7, Jeremiah 7:9, Jeremiah 7:10, Jeremiah 9:2, Ezekiel 22:11, Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:4, James 4:4

sacrilege: Malachi 1:8, Malachi 1:14, Malachi 3:8, Mark 11:17

Reciprocal: Leviticus 18:20 - General Leviticus 26:1 - Ye shall Deuteronomy 7:26 - but thou shalt Luke 4:23 - Physician John 8:9 - being Acts 5:3 - to keep Acts 19:34 - they knew

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.

Genesis 2:9
The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:19
So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.

Psalms 127:1

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of Solomon.

Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

Proverbs 18:22
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord .

Proverbs 19:14
Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.

1 Timothy 2:13
For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve.

Hebrews 13:4
Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,.... Adultery here is to be taken not figuratively for adulterating the word of God, and mixing it with their own inventions; but literally for the sin of adultery, and that not in heart only, but in act:

dost thou commit adultery? an iniquity which greatly prevailed among the Jews at this time of day; hence Christ calls them "an adulterous generation", Matthew 12:39; and that to such a degree, that by the advice of their great Rabbi, R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, they left off the trial of the suspected woman, cases of this nature being so very numerous: and this sin prevailed not only among the common people, but among their principal doctors; as may be learnt from their own writings, and from that conviction of this iniquity which the Scribes and Pharisees were brought under by Christ, when the woman, taken in adultery, was had before him by them, John 8:9.

Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? for though at this time they abhorred idolatry, to which their forefathers were so much inclined, and so often fell into, yet they were guilty of sacrilege; by violating the worship of God, and polluting it with their own inventions; by pillaging or withholding, or not offering the sacrifices they ought; and by plundering the temple, and converting the sacred things of it to their own use.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Dost thou commit adultery? - There is no doubt that this was a crime very common among the Jews; see the Matthew 12:39 note; John 8:1-11 notes. The Jewish Talmud accuses some of the most celebrated of their Rabbies, by name, of this vice. (Grotius.) Josephus also gives the same account of the nation.

Thou that abhorrest idols - It was one of the doctrines of their religion to abhor idolatry. This they were everywhere taught in the Old Testament; and this they doubtless inculcated in their teaching. It was impossible that they could recommend idolatry.

Dost thou commit sacrilege? - Sacrilege is the crime of violating or profaning sacred things; or of appropriating to common purposes what has been devoted to the service of religion. In this question, the apostle shows remarkable tact and skill. He could not accuse them of idolatry, for the Jews, after the Babylonish captivity, had never fallen into it. But then, though they had not the form, they might have the spirit of idolatry. That spirit consisted in withholding from the true God what was his due, and bestowing the affections upon something else. This the Jews did by perverting from their proper use the offerings which were designed for his honor; by withholding what he demanded of tithes and offerings; and by devoting to other uses what was devoted to him, and which properly belonged to his service. That this was a common crime among them is apparent from Malachi 1:8, Malachi 1:12-14; Malachi 3:8-9. It is also evident from the New Testament that the temple was in many ways desecrated and profaned in the time of our Saviour; notes, Matthew 21:12-13.