Romans 1:26 (DBY)

Passage

For this reason God gave them up to vile lusts; for both their females changed the natural use into that contrary to nature;

Nearby Context

Romans 1:24 Wherefore God gave them up [also] in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, to dishonour their bodies between themselves:

Romans 1:25 who changed the truth of God into falsehood, and honoured and served the creature more than him who had created [it], who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Romans 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to vile lusts; for both their females changed the natural use into that contrary to nature;

Romans 1:27 and in like manner the males also, leaving the natural use of the female, were inflamed in their lust towards one another; males with males working shame, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error which was fit.

Romans 1:28 And according as they did not think good to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind to practise unseemly things;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "reason", "gave", "vile", "lusts", "both", "females", "changed", and "natural". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "reason" and "gave", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 25's "who changed the truth of God into..." into verse 27's "and in like manner the males also...", so "reason" and "gave" 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 "reason" and "gave" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.