Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 1:30

"backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents," — Romans 1:30 (ASV)

Haters of God.—Rather, perhaps, hated by God. There seem to be no examples of the active sense. The Apostle apparently throws in one emphatic word summing up the catalogue as far as it has gone; he then resumes with a new class of sins. Until now, he has spoken chiefly of sins of malice; now he turns to sins of pride.

Despiteful, proud, boasters.—The three words correspond to the distinction between act, thought, and word. The first distinctly implies insolence in outward bearing; it is the word translated “injurious” in 1 Timothy 1:13. The second is a strong self-esteem mixed with contempt for others. (See 2 Timothy 3:2.) The third is used especially of boastfulness or braggadocio in language.