Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
31 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
King James Version · 1611
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. <sup>have: or, consent with</sup>
33 words · Formal / word-for-word
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
28 words · Essentially literal
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
28 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
The Message · 2002
And it's not as if they don't know better. They know perfectly well they're spitting in God's face. And they don't care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!
34 words · Contemporary paraphrase
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
34 words · Most literal English translation
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Romans 1:32 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.