Romans 1:20

20 There are things about him that people cannot see -- his eternal power and all the things that make him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse for the bad things they do.

Romans 1:20 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 1:20

For the invisible things of him
Not the angels, the invisible inhabitants of heaven: nor the unseen glories of another world; nor the decrees of God; nor the persons in the Godhead; but the perfections of God, or his "properties", as the Arabic version reads it; and which are explained by "his eternal power and Godhead": these,

from the creation of the world are clearly seen;
this is no new discovery, but what men have had, and might, by the light of nature, have enjoyed ever since the world was created; these

being understood,
in an intellectual way, by the discursive faculty of the understanding,

by the things that are made;
the various works of creation; all which proclaim the being, unity, and perfections of God their Creator,

so that they are without excuse;
the very Heathens, who have only the light of nature, and are destitute of a revelation, have no colour or pretext for their idolatrous practices, and vicious lives; nor have they, nor will they have anything to object to God's righteous judgment against them, or why they should not be condemned.

Romans 1:20 In-Context

18 God's anger is shown from heaven against all the evil and wrong things people do. By their own evil lives they hide the truth.
19 God shows his anger because some knowledge of him has been made clear to them. Yes, God has shown himself to them.
20 There are things about him that people cannot see -- his eternal power and all the things that make him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse for the bad things they do.
21 They knew God, but they did not give glory to God or thank him. Their thinking became useless. Their foolish minds were filled with darkness.
22 They said they were wise, but they became fools.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.