Romans 2:23 Meaning and Explanation
“Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The one who boasts in the law dishonors God by breaking that very law.
What Does Romans 2:23 Mean?
Paul draws the questions to a head. The boast of verse seventeen returns, now exposed: you who make your boast of the law, do you dishonor God by breaking it? The pride and the failure stand side by side.
To glory in possessing God's law while living against it brings dishonor on God Himself, not honor. The gift meant to display His holiness instead becomes evidence against the one who flaunts it. Paul shows that privilege without obedience is worse than no privilege at all. What honors God is not boasting in His law but keeping it, letting the life match the claim the lips so gladly make.
Romans 2:23 in the Original Language
kauchaomai (καυχάομαι), 'boast' -- to glory or take pride in something as one's ground of confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 2:23
What does Romans 2:23 mean?
The one who boasts in the law dishonors God by breaking that very law.