What are dishonorable passions (Romans 1:26)?

In Romans 1:18–32, the apostle Paul describes the consequences of people turning away from God and suppressing the truth about Him. Despite God’s clear revelation of Himself through creation, men and women worshipped other gods and created beings. This led to moral corruption. Paul explains, “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:26–27, ESV, emphasis added).

The ESV uses the phrase “dishonorable passions,” while the NIV translates it as “shameful lusts” and the KJV renders it “vile affections.” In Romans 1:26, the phrase refers to desires that are disgraceful, degrading, or morally unacceptable according to God’s holy standards. In the context of Romans 1, Paul uses the term to depict sexual desires and acts that deviate from God’s design for human sexuality.

Specifically, Paul mentions both women and men engaging in sexual relations that are “contrary to nature” (ESV). In other words, they indulge in acts outside of heterosexual relationships (Genesis 1:27–28; 2:18–25). God gave people over to their sinful passions because they had “exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25).

While Paul first focuses on homosexual desires and behaviors, dishonorable passions can also apply to any strong desires that lead a person away from God’s will. He goes on to say, “Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning… They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 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” (Romans 1:28–32, NLT).

Paul’s use of the term “dishonorable passions” also highlights the contrast between God’s original purpose for human relationships and behaviors that result from rejecting Him. When people turn away from God, their desires and passions become disordered. This leads them to pursue behaviors that are not only against God’s commands but also bring shame or dishonor.

In The Bible Exposition Commentary, Warren Wiersbe writes, “From idolatry to immorality is just one short step. If man is his own god, then he can do whatever he pleases and fulfill his desires without fear of judgment. We reach the climax of man’s battle with God’s truth when man exchanges the truth of God for ‘the lie’ and abandons truth completely. ‘The lie’ is that man is his own god, and he should worship and serve himself and not the Creator” (Vol. 1. Victor Books, 1996, p. 519).

Paul uses similar terms elsewhere, connecting idolatry to dishonorable passions. He warns, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:5).

The Bible condemns homosexual sin, calling it grievous, perverse, and unnatural (Genesis 18:20–33; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10). Paul uses the term dishonorable passions in Romans 1:26 to identify homosexual or same-sex attraction and behavior, which are not God’s design. Yet the term can also apply more broadly to any desires that lead to actions contrary to God’s will. Paul’s words show the outcome of rejecting God’s truth and the ensuing moral decline.