Think lightly (Despise = KJV, have contempt = NET) (2706) (kataphroneo from kata = down + phroneo = to think, have understanding <> phren = mind, faculty of perceiving and judging) literally means to think down upon and so to despise, scorn, hold in contempt, not care for because it is thought to be without value. It means to "think little of". The idea is to look down on someone or something with contempt or aversion, with the implication that one considers the object of little value or as unworthy of one’s notice or consideration. To despise something is to look down on it as inferior and not worth consideration or care. It is to disdain it and treat it with contempt as being worthless. Kataphroneo is present tense indicating that this contemptuous attitude is continuous and not just a one time thought. Active voice emphasizes that this attitude/action is a personal, conscious, willful choice and thus they are fully accountable. One has to agree with J. B. Lightfoot who wrote "The blackest of sin is not righteousness violated, but mercy despised." NIDNTT records that in classic Greek kataphroneo was... "a common word, used with a single or double gen. or, more rarely, with the accusative in the general sense of acting in a way that shows contempt or disregard for somebody or something, or for somebody on account of something....In the Septuagint (LXX), kataphroneo usually renders (the Hebrew words) bûz and bazâh. Objects of contempt include God (Hos. 6:7), one’s father (Gen. 27:12), one’s mother (Prov. 23:22), the ways of the law (Proverbs 19:16 - "He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless [despises - kataphroneo - present tense] of his ways will die). Such contempt was, of course, profoundly impious." (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan) Moulton and Milligan write that kataphroneo “does not denote a mere feeling of contempt—it is active.” Kataphroneo is used 9 times in the NAS and is translated as - despise, 5; despising, 1; disrespectful, 1; look down, 1; think lightly, 1. Matthew 6:24 (note) "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 18:10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven. Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Romans 2:4 (note) Or do you think lightly (KJV = "despisest") of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 1 Corinthians 11:22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God, and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. 1 Timothy 6:2 And let those who have believers as their masters not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but let them serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles. Hebrew 12:2 (note) fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 2Peter 2:10 (note) and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, Kataphroneo is used 11 times in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) - Ge 27:12; Prov. 13:13, 15; 18:3; 19:16; 23:22; 25:9; Jer. 2:36; Hos. 6:7; Hab. 1:13; Zeph. 1:12 One use in the LXX somewhat parallels the use in Romans 2:4 The one who despises (Kataphroneo - present tense) the word (God's Word) will be in debt to it, but the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded." (Proverbs 13:13) In another passage Solomon records that He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless (despises - kataphroneo - present tense) of his ways will die. (Proverbs 19:16) Kataphroneo is used in Mt 6:24 (note) of despising the master one is not devoted to. "No one (no exceptions) can (is able or has the inherent power to) serve (as a slave serves with total devotion, dedication and duty the master) two masters (kurios - have absolute ownership, supreme authority, uncontrolled power); for either he will hate (detest or dislike strongly with the implication of aversion and hostility) the one and love (Love unconditionally and sacrificially not from affection but based on a decision of the will) the other, or he will hold (hold oneself face to face with) to one and despise (kataphroneo) the other. You cannot (is able or has the inherent power to) serve God and mammon (comprehensive word for all kinds of possessions, earnings, gains = materialism)." Jesus used kataphroneo in a good sense, the writer of Hebrews explaining that... for the joy set before Him despising (kataphroneo) the shame (of the Cross) (Heb 12:2-note). Peter pointed out some of the characteristics of false teachers explaining they were men who... indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise (kataphroneo) authority (2Pe 2:10- note). Other things that are despised or looked down on are God’s church (1Cor 11:22), Christ’s little ones (Mt. 18:10), a youthful leader, or a leader for his youth (1Ti 4:12-note) - where Paul says to Timothy who was being despised "Paul says, “Stop allowing anyone to despise you". In other words assert the dignity of your office even though men may think you young to hold it) and Christian masters of slaves (1Ti 6:2 -Christian slaves are exhorted not to despise their Christian masters, because they (the masters) are brethren). Note how the original Greek construction of this verse places the riches of His kindness at beginning of the sentence for emphasis. God’s failure to zap people when they sin isn’t evidence of His disinterest. It’s evidence of His kindness. Paul points out that the Jew & the moralist is presuming upon the goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God, which all should have brought the them into a humble repentance instead of an attitude of superiority. They think of the “kindness, tolerance and patience” of God as if it were a kind of "divine OK" on the course he has chosen, rather than seeing it as a chance for repentance. No one should assume he is all right with God just because life is easy for him at a given time. God calls people through sunshine as well as through rain. The Jews and "religious" moralists are continually looking down their noses not just at the pagans described in Romans 1 but even worse at God Himself! Hodge comments that to "despise" means... "to hold a low opinion. To despise God’s goodness is to form such a wrong idea of it as to suppose that it gives a license to sin — to imagine that God will not punish, either because he is so patient or because his goodness towards us is so great that we will escape even though others perish." (Hodge, C. Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, 1835) Spurgeon observes that Sin is always on the downward grade, so that when a man proceeds a certain length he inevitably goes beyond it. The person addressed by the apostle first thought to escape judgment, and then he came to think lightly of the goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God. He thinks he shall escape in the future, and because of that he despises the present goodness and longsuffering of the Most High. Of course he does. If he does not believe in the terrors of the world to come for himself, he naturally reckons it to be a small thing to have been spared their immediate experience. Barren tree as he is, he does not believe that he will ever be cut down, and therefore he feels no gratitude to the dresser of the vineyard for pleading, "Let it alone yet another year, till I dig about it, and dung it." I wish, as God shall help me, to drive hard at the consciences of men upon this matter. I would be to you, my careless friend, what Jonah was to Nineveh: I would warn you, and bestir you to repentance. Oh that the Holy Ghost would make this sermon effectual for the arousing of every unsaved soul that shall hear or read it! (Earnest Expostulation) OF THE RICHES OF HIS KINDNESS (KJV = GOODNESS): e tou ploutou tes chrestotetos autou: (Ro 11:22- note, Titus 3:4-note) See Torrey's Goodness of God See God's Attribute -Goodness