Romans 1:23

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.

25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
KJV
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
WEB
and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things.
ASV
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
DARBY
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into [the] likeness of an image of corruptible man and of birds and quadrupeds and reptiles.
BLB
and they changed the glory of the immortal God into the likeness of an image of mortal man and birds and quadrupeds and creeping things.
ÅB
og de byttet bort den uforgjengelige Guds herlighet mot et bilde, en avbildning av et forgjengelig menneske og av fugler og av firbeinte dyr og av krypdyr.
OTB
og byttet ut den udødelige Guds herlighet med bilder som ligner dødelige mennesker og fugler og dyr og krypdyr.
B1930
og byttet den uforgjengelige Guds herlighet bort mot et billede, en avbildning av et forgjengelig menneske og av fugler og av firføtte dyr og av krypdyr.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 106:20

    They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 2:11

    Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

    Read in context
  • Acts 17:29

    Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

    Read in context
  • 1 Peter 4:3

    For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 115:5–8

    They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;

    Read in context
  • Romans 1:25

    They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 135:15–18

    The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 8:10

    So I went in and looked, and engraved all around the wall was every kind of crawling creature and detestable beast, along with all the idols of the house of Israel.

    Read in context