Romans 2:8 Meaning and Explanation
“But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →For those who are self-seeking and reject the truth to follow unrighteousness, there is indignation and wrath.
What Does Romans 2:8 Mean?
Paul now describes the opposite life. These are the contentious, those who strive against the truth rather than yielding to it, and who give their obedience instead to unrighteousness. Notice that both ways involve obedience; the question is what one obeys.
Their portion is indignation and wrath. The contrast with verse seven is stark and deliberate: two roads, two ends. Paul is not consigning anyone to despair but setting the choice plainly before every heart. Truth asks to be obeyed, not merely admired, and the direction of a life is set by what it finally bows to.
Romans 2:8 in the Original Language
eritheia (ἐριθεία), 'contentious' -- selfish ambition or factious self-seeking that puts one's own interest against the truth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 2:8
What does Romans 2:8 mean?
For those who are self-seeking and reject the truth to follow unrighteousness, there is indignation and wrath.