Romans 2:21

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

You then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ὁ οὖν διδάσκων ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν, κλέπτεις;

Transliteration

Therefore ho didaskōn heteron, seauton not you didaskeis? ho kēryssōn not to kleptein, you klepteis?

Grammar Details

• *ho didaskōn*: article + participle, present active, nominative, masculine, singular - the one teaching
• *heteron*: adjective used as noun, accusative, masculine, singular - another
• *seauton*: reflexive pronoun, accusative, masculine, singular - yourself
• *didaskeis*: verb, present indicative, 2nd person singular - you teach
• *ho kēryssōn*: article + participle, present active, nominative, masculine, singular - the one preaching
• *kleptein*: verb, present infinitive - to steal
• *klepteis*: verb, present indicative, 2nd person singular - you steal

Word Meanings

• *didaskōn*: teaching/instructing
• *heteron*: another/other person
• *didaskeis*: teach/instruct
• *kēryssōn*: preaching/proclaiming/heralding
• *kleptein*: to steal/take secretly
• *klepteis*: steal/take secretly

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  You therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  But thou which teachest another teachest not thy selfe. Thou preachest a man shuld not steale: and yet thou stealest.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Now teachest thou other, and teachest not thy selfe. Thou preachest that a man shulde not steale, and thou stealest.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Thou therefore, which teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe? thou that preachest, A man should not steale, doest thou steale?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest not thy selfe? Thou preachest a man shoulde not steale, yet thou stealest.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  You therefore who teach another, don't you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn't steal, do you steal?

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Thou, then, who art teaching another, thyself dost thou not teach?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  You who give teaching to others, do you give it to yourself? you who say that a man may not take what is not his, do you take what is not yours?

• World English Bible (2000)

  You therefore who teach another, don't you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn't steal, do you steal?

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

Referenced Verses

• Matt 23:3-9 : 3 So do and observe whatever they tell you, but do not do as they do, for they say things but do not practice them. 4 They tie up heavy and unbearable burdens, and place them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. They make their phylacteries broad and their tassels long. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by others. 8 But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore, you will receive a greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are. 16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.' 17 You fools and blind! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And you say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is obligated.' 19 You fools and blind! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore, whoever swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint, dill, and cumin but have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may also become clean. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all impurity. 28 So too, on the outside you appear righteous to people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
• Mic 3:11 : 11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the LORD, saying, 'Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.'
• Ps 50:16-21 : 16 But to the wicked God says: 'What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you join him, and you associate with adulterers. 19 You let your mouth speak evil, and your tongue devises deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. 21 These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought I was like you. But I will rebuke you and lay the case before your eyes.
• Luke 12:47 : 47 That servant who knew his master’s will and did not prepare or act according to his will, will be beaten with many blows.
• Luke 19:22 : 22 He said to him, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?'
• 1 Cor 9:27 : 27 Rather, I discipline my body and bring it under control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
• Gal 6:13 : 13 For even those who are circumcised do not keep the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so they can boast about your flesh.
• Titus 2:1-7 : 1 As for you, speak the things that are consistent with sound teaching. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance. 3 Likewise, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of good things. 4 They are to encourage the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, committed to their homes, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be slandered. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In all things, present yourself as an example of good works, with integrity, dignity, and incorruptibility in your teaching.
• Isa 56:11 : 11 Yet the dogs are greedy; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; all of them turn to their own way, each seeking his own gain from every quarter.
• Ezek 22:12-13 : 12 In you, they accept bribes to shed blood; they take interest and increase unlawfully. You have gained profit in extorting your neighbors, and you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign LORD. 13 See, I will strike my hands together in anger at the dishonest gain you have made and the bloodshed that has been done in your midst.
• Ezek 22:27 : 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and destroy lives to make unjust gain.
• Amos 8:4-6 : 4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy and seek to destroy the poor of the land, 5 saying, 'When will the new moon be over, so we may sell grain, and the Sabbath end, so we may market wheat, making the ephah small and the shekel large, and falsifying the scales with deceit? 6 Buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, even selling the sweepings of the wheat.'
• Matt 21:13 : 13 and he said to them, 'It is written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a den of thieves!'
• Luke 4:23 : 23 Jesus said to them, 'Surely you will quote this proverb to me: “Physician, heal yourself!” and say, “Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.”'
• Luke 11:46 : 46 Jesus replied, 'Woe to you as well, experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, yet you yourselves do not touch these burdens with even one finger.'