Romans 1:29

Being filled with all unrighteousness,.... From hence, to the end of the chapter, follows a large and black list and catalogue of the sad characters of the Gentiles, and of the best men they had

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Being filled with all unrighteousness , [

Now follow the sins against the second table, which reigned amongst the Gentiles; amongst which unrighteousness is as the fountain, from whence the rest as streams do flow. This is the genus that comprehends all the evils hereafter enumerated. It is not to be supposed that all the following vices were found in every individual person; but the meaning is, that all were guilty of some, and some were guilty of all of them. Fornication, wickedness; in the Greek there is all elegant paronomasia, porneia, ponhria. So there are two more in the following verses, fyonou, fonou, asunetoi, asunyetoi. The design of the apostle is, to set down a particular vice; therefore, instead of wickedness, some read troublesomeness, or a desire to procure trouble and molestation to another. The devil is called oo ponhrov, the troublesome one. Maliciousness; or, mischievousness, the better to distinguish it from envy. Malignity; or, morosity and churlishness, taking all things in the worser part. Whisperers: whisperers speak evil privily of others; backbiters, openly.

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Ver. 29. With all unrighteousness] The mother of all the ensuing misrule. Wickedness] The Syrian saith, "bitterness." See Jeremiah 2:19. The word πονηρια may be rendered troublesomeness, as the devil is called οπονηρος, the troublesome one, the molester of God’ s people; restless in himself and disquieting others. Envy, murder] Three such alliterations are found in this black beadroll. The apostle seems delighted with them, as was likewise the prophet Isaiah. Of which noble two, I may well say as one doth of Demosthenes and Cicero, Demosthenes Ciceroni praeripuit ne esset primus orator, Cicero Demostheni, ne solus. Malignity] Or, morosity, crossness, ill conditions; or an evil disposition, that taketh everything the worst way; whereas a better disposition would make a better exposition, and take things by the right handle. Whisperers] These are worse than backbiters, because they work underground, like as the wind that creeps in the chinks and crevices in a wall, or the cracks in a window, prove commonly more dangerous than a storm that meets a man in the face upon the champaign. A vento percolato, et ab inimico reconciliato libera nos. πορνεια, πονηρια. φθονου, φονου. ασυνετους, ασυνθετους. κακοηθεια, κακια. A list of persons to be specially prayed for �D

(24-32) Hence they fell into a still lower depth; for, in anger at their perversion of the truth, God refrained from checking their downward course. He left them to follow their own evil bent. Their idolatry developed into shameless immorality and unnatural crimes. At last the extreme limit was reached. As they voluntarily forsook God, so He forsook them. They ran through the whole catalogue of sins, and the cup of their iniquity was full. In the passage taken as a whole, three steps or stages are indicated: (1) Romans 1:18-23, idolatry; (2) Romans 1:24-27, unnatural sins allowed by God as the punishment for this idolatry; (3) Romans 1:28-32, a still more complete and radical depravity also regarded as penally inflicted. The first step is taken by the free choice of man, but as the breach gradually widens, the wrath of God is more and more revealed. He interferes less and less to save a sinful world from its fate. It is to be noted that the Apostle speaks in general terms, and the precise proportions of human depravity and of divine judicial impulse are not to be clearly determined.

Verse 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness] αδικια, every vice contrary to justice and righteousness. Fornication] πορνεια, all commerce between the sexes out of the bounds of lawful marriage. Some of the best MSS. omit this reading; and others have ακαθαρσια, uncleanness. Wickedness] πονηρια, malignity, that which is oppressive to its possessor and to its object; from πονος, labour, toil, c. Covetousness] πλεονεξια, from πλειον, more, and εξω, I will have the intense love or lust of gain; the determination to be rich; the principle of a dissatisfied and discontented soul. Maliciousness] κακια, malice, ill-will; what is radically and essentially vicious. Full of envy] φθονου, from φθινω, to wither, decay, consume, pine away, c. "pain felt and malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness in another." A fine personification of this vice is found in OVID METAM. lib. ii. ver. 768-781, which I shall here insert, with Mr. Addison's elegant and nervous translation. ------------------Videt intus edentem Vipereas carnes, vitiorum alimenta suorum Invidiam: visaque oculos avertit. At illa Surgit humo pigra: semesarumque relinquit Corpora serpentum, passuque incedit inerti. Utgue deam vidit formaque armisque decoram, Ingemuit: vultumque ima ad suspiria duxit. Pallor in ORE sedet: macies in CORPORE toto: Nusquam recta acies: livent rubigine dentes: Pectora felle virent: lingua est suffusa veneno. Risus abest, nisi quem visi movere dolores: Nec fruitur somno, vigilacibus excita curis: Sed videt ingratos, intabescitque videndo Successus hominum; carpitgue et carpitur una; Suppliciumque suum est. -----A poisonous morsel in her teeth she chewed, And gorged the flesh of vipers for her food. Minerva loathing, turned away her eye. The hideous monster, rising heavily, Came stalking forward with a sullen pace, And left her mangled offals on the place. Soon as she saw the goddess gay and bright, She fetched a groan at such a cheerful sight. Livid and meagre were her looks, her eye In foul distorted glances turned awry; A hoard of gall her inward parts possessed, And spread a greenness o'er her canker'd breast; Her teeth were brown with rust, and from her tongue In dangling drops the stringy poison hung. She never smiles but when the wretched weep; Nor lulls her malice with a moment's sleep: Restless in spite while watchful to destroy, She pines and sickens at another's joy; Foe to herself, distressing and distressed, She bears her own tormentor in her breast. Murder] φονου, taking away the life of another by any means; mortal hatred; for he that hates his brother in his heart is a murderer. Debate] εριδος, contention, discord, c. Of this vile passion the Greeks made a goddess. Deceit] δολου, lying, falsity, prevarication, imposition, c. from δελω, to take with a bait. Malignity] κακοηθειας, from κακος, evil, and ηθος, a custom bad customs, founded in corrupt sentiment, producing evil habits, supported by general usage. It is generally interpreted, a malignity of mind, which leads its possessor to put the worst construction on every action; ascribing to the best deeds the worst motives.

29. fornication] This word is to be omitted.maliciousness] Same word as 1 Peter 2:1, (where E. V. “malice,”) 16. The Gr. is a wider word than these English words; evil in its largest sense, but specially, moral evil.full of envy] Lit. brimful; a word as strong as possible.malignity] Our “ill-nature” exactly.

Being filled - That is, the things which he specifies were common or abounded among them. This is a strong phrase, denoting that these things were so often practiced as that it might be said they were full of them.

29. Filled with all unrighteousness—When the sensual vices prevail the cruel and bloody vices are sure to accompany.