Romans 1:28 (ASV)

Passage

And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Nearby Context

Romans 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:

Romans 1:27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.

Romans 1:28 And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Romans 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Romans 1:30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "even", "refused", "knowledge", "gave", "reprobate", "mind", "things", and "fitting". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "even" and "refused", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 27's "and likewise also the men leaving the..." into verse 29's "being filled with all unrighteousness wickedness covetousness...", so "even" and "refused" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "even" and "refused" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.