Romans 16:18

Authorized King James Version (1611)

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ οὐ δουλεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ· καὶ διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας ἐξαπατῶσιν τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων.

Transliteration

For the such to-the Kyriō of-us Iēsou Christō not douleuousin, but to-the heautōn koilia; and through the chrēstologias and eulogias they-exapatōsin the kardias of-the akakōn.

Grammar Details

• γὰρ: postpositive conjunction - for/because
• τοιοῦτοι: nominative masculine plural demonstrative - such/such ones
• *Kyriō*: dative masculine singular - Lord
• ἡμῶν: genitive plural pronoun - of us/our
• *Iēsou*: dative masculine singular - Jesus
• *Christō*: dative masculine singular - Christ
• οὐ: negative particle - not
• *douleuousin*: present indicative active, 3rd person plural - serve/are slaves to
• ἀλλὰ: adversative conjunction - but
• *heautōn*: genitive plural reflexive pronoun - their own
• *koilia*: dative feminine singular - belly/appetite
• διὰ: preposition with genitive - through/by means of
• *chrēstologias*: genitive feminine singular - smooth talk/fine-sounding words
• *eulogias*: genitive feminine singular - flattery/praise
• *exapatōsin*: present indicative active, 3rd person plural - deceive/mislead
• *kardias*: accusative feminine plural - hearts
• *akakōn*: genitive masculine plural - innocent/unsuspecting

Word Meanings

• *douleuousin*: serve/are slaves to/render service
• *koilia*: belly/appetite/physical desires
• *chrēstologias*: smooth talk/fine-sounding words/plausible speech
• *eulogias*: flattery/praise/blessing
• *exapatōsin*: deceive/mislead/delude
• *kardias*: hearts/minds/inner being
• *akakōn*: innocent/unsuspecting/naive

Referenced Verses

• Phil 3:19 : 19 Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
• Col 2:4 : 4 ¶ And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
• Mic 3:5 : 5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
• 1 Tim 6:5 : 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
• 2 Pet 2:3 : 3 ¶ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
• 2 Tim 3:2-6 : 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
• Matt 7:15 : 15 ¶ ‹Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.›
• Matt 24:11 : 11 ‹And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.›
• Matt 24:24 : 24 ‹For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if› [it were] ‹possible, they shall deceive the very elect.›
• Matt 24:48-51 : 48 ‹But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;› 49 ‹And shall begin to smite› [his] ‹fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;› 50 ‹The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for› [him], ‹and in an hour that he is not aware of,› 51 ‹And shall cut him asunder, and appoint› [him] ‹his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.›
• John 12:26 : 26 ‹If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will› [my] ‹Father honour.›
• Rom 16:19 : 19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all [men]. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
• 2 Cor 2:17 : 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
• 2 Cor 4:2 : 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
• 2 Cor 11:3 : 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
• 2 Cor 11:13-15 : 13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
• Gal 1:10 : 10 ¶ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
• Phil 2:21 : 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
• 2 Tim 2:16-18 : 16 But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
• Mal 1:10 : 10 Who [is there] even among you that would shut the doors [for nought]? neither do ye kindle [fire] on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
• Matt 6:24 : 24 ‹No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.›
• Col 3:24 : 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
• 2 Thess 2:10 : 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
• 1 Sam 2:12-17 : 12 Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 13 And the priests' custom with the people [was, that], when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; 14 And he struck [it] into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. 15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 16 And [if] any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and [then] take [as much] as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, [Nay]; but thou shalt give [it me] now: and if not, I will take [it] by force. 17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
• 1 Sam 2:29 : 29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded [in my] habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
• 2 Chr 18:5 : 5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver [it] into the king's hand.
• 2 Chr 18:12-17 : 12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good. 13 And Micaiah said, [As] the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. 14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand. 15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD? 16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return [therefore] every man to his house in peace. 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee [that] he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
• Ps 19:7 : 7 ¶ The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple.
• Ps 119:130 : 130 ¶ The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
• Prov 8:5 : 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
• Prov 14:15 : 15 ¶ The simple believeth every word: but the prudent [man] looketh well to his going.
• Prov 22:3 : 3 ¶ A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
• Isa 30:10-11 : 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
• Isa 56:10-12 : 10 His watchmen [are] blind: they are all ignorant, they [are] all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 12 Come ye, [say they], I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, [and] much more abundant.
• Jer 8:10-11 : 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, [and] their fields to them that shall inherit [them]: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when [there is] no peace.
• Jer 23:17 : 17 They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
• Jer 28:1-9 : 1 ¶ And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, [and] in the fifth month, [that] Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which [was] of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, 2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: 4 And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD, 6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD'S house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place. 7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people; 8 The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. 9 The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, [then] shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.
• Jer 28:15-17 : 15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD. 17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
• Ezek 13:16 : 16 [To wit], the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and [there is] no peace, saith the Lord GOD.
• Ezek 13:19 : 19 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear [your] lies?
• Hos 4:8-9 : 8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. 9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. 10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. 11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
• Titus 1:10-12 : 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. 12 One of themselves, [even] a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians [are] alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
• Jas 1:1 : 1 ¶ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
• 2 Pet 2:10-15 : 10 ¶ But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous [are they], selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, [as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots [they are] and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
• 2 Pet 2:18-20 : 18 For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, [through much] wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
• 1 John 4:1-3 : 1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
• Jude 1:1 : 1 ¶ Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, [and] called:
• Jude 1:12 : 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds [they are] without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
• Jude 1:16 : 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words], having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
• Rev 1:1 : 1 ¶ The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified [it] by his angel unto his servant John: