Romans 1:31 (KJV)

Passage

Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Nearby Context

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

Romans 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Romans 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "without", "understanding", "covenantbreakers", "natural", "affection", "implacable", and "unmerciful". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "without" and "understanding", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 30's "Backbiters haters of God despiteful proud boasters..." into verse 32's "Who knowing the judgment of God that...", so "without" and "understanding" 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 "without" and "understanding" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.