A.T. Robertson Commentary Romans 1:31

"without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:" — Romans 1:31 (ASV)

Without understanding (ασυνετους). Same word in verse 21.Covenant-breakers (ασυνθετους). Another paronomasia or pun. Α privative and verbal συνθετος from συντιθημ, to put together. Old word, common in LXX (Jeremiah 3:7), men "false to their engagements" (Sanday and Headlam), who treat covenants as "a scrap of paper."

Without natural affection (αστοργους). Late word, α privative and στοργη, love of kindred. In N.T. only here and 2 Timothy 3:3.

Unmerciful (ανελεημονας). From α privative and ελεημων, merciful. Late word, only here in N.T. Some MSS. add ασπονδους, implacable, from 2 Timothy 3:3. It is a terrible picture of the effects of sin on the lives of men and women. The late Dr. R. H. Graves of Canton, China, said that a Chinaman who got hold of this chapter declared that Paul could not have written it, but only a modern missionary who had been to China. It is drawn to the life because Paul knew Pagan Graeco-Roman civilization.