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You Who Know More Truth And Judge Others By It Are Also Without Excuse

Therefore you are without-excuse, O human— everyone judging. For in what[a] you are judging the other person, you are condemning yourself; for you, the one judging, are practicing the same things! And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon[b] the ones practicing such things.

Do You Think You Will Escape God’s Judgment When You Do The Same Things?

But are you thinking this, O human— the one judging the ones practicing such things and doing them [yourself]— that you will escape the judgment of God? Or are you disregarding the riches of His goodness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the good thing of God is leading you to repentance? But in-accordance-with your hardness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing-up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous-judgment of God, Who will render to each one according to his works— to the ones seeking glory and honor and immortality in accordance with endurance in good work, He will render eternal life; but to the ones indeed disobeying the truth and obeying unrighteousness out of selfish-interest[c], there will be wrath and fury.

There Is No Respect of Persons With God Regarding Sin And Judgment

There will be affliction and distress upon every soul of the person[d] committing evil— both of the Jew first and of the Greek. 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace to everyone working good— both to the Jew first and to the Greek. 11 For there is no respect-of-persons with God. 12 For all who sinned without-Law will also perish without-Law, and all who sinned under[e] the Law will be judged by the Law. 13 For not the hearers of law[f] are righteous before God, but the doers of law will be declared-righteous.

For Gentiles Will Be Judged By Their Own Standards Insofar As They Agree With God’s

14 For whenever Gentiles, the ones not having the Law, are doing by nature the things of the Law, these ones not having the Law are a law to themselves, 15 who are demonstrating[g] the work of the Law written in their hearts— their conscience bearing co-witness and their thoughts accusing or even defending between one another 16 on the day when God judges the hidden things of people according to my good-news, through Christ Jesus.

And Jews Will Be Judged By The Law They Rely Upon

17 But if you call-yourself a Jew, and rely upon the Law, and boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things mattering[h]— being instructed out of the Law— 19 and are confident as to yourself that you are a guide of blind ones, a light of the ones in darkness, 20 a corrector of foolish ones, a teacher of children, one having the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the Law, 21 then— the one teaching another, are you not teaching yourself ? The one proclaiming not to steal, do you steal? 22 The one saying not to commit-adultery, do you commit-adultery? The one detesting idols, do you rob-temples?

Their Transgression of The Law Dishonors God

23 You who are boasting in the Law are dishonoring God through transgression of the Law. 24 For “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you”, just as it has been written [in Isa 52:5].

Circumcision Will Not Help Transgressors

25 For circumcision profits if you practice the Law— but if you are a transgressor of the Law your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So if the uncircumcised one keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And the uncircumcised one by nature who is fulfilling the Law will judge you, the transgressor of the Law with the letter[i] and circumcision! 28 For the Jew in the visible thing is not a Jew, nor is the circumcision in the visible[j] thing in the flesh circumcision, 29 but the Jew in the hidden thing is a Jew, and circumcision is of the heart, by[k] the Spirit not the letter— whose praise is not from people, but from God.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 2:1 Or, For while.
  2. Romans 2:2 That is, it is truly upon them.
  3. Romans 2:8 Or, self-seeking, selfish-ambition.
  4. Romans 2:9 That is, every soul belonging to the class defined as ‘the person committing evil’; every individual in this category, both Jew and Gentile.
  5. Romans 2:12 Or, in the sphere of, in the domain of.
  6. Romans 2:13 This is lowercase because it applies to both groups in v 12 in the different senses Paul defines next.
  7. Romans 2:15 Or, showing, proving.
  8. Romans 2:18 Or, being worth more, being more valuable, and thus excellent, superior, essential.
  9. Romans 2:27 That is, the written code, the Law.
  10. Romans 2:28 That is, the outward, open, public things.
  11. Romans 2:29 Or, in the spirit.

God’s Righteous Judgment

You, therefore, have no excuse,(A) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.(B) Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches(C) of his kindness,(D) forbearance(E) and patience,(F) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?(G)

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath(H), when his righteous judgment(I) will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a](J) To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor(K) and immortality,(L) he will give eternal life.(M) But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,(N) there will be wrath and anger.(O) There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:(P) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;(Q) 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.(R) 11 For God does not show favoritism.(S)

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law(T) will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey(U) the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law,(V) they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets(W) through Jesus Christ,(X) as my gospel(Y) declares.

The Jews and the Law

17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;(Z) 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?(AA) 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?(AB) 23 You who boast in the law,(AC) do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[b](AD)

25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law,(AE) but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.(AF) 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements,(AG) will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?(AH) 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you(AI) who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,(AJ) nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.(AK) 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,(AL) by the Spirit,(AM) not by the written code.(AN) Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 2:6 Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12
  2. Romans 2:24 Isaiah 52:5 (see Septuagint); Ezek. 36:20,22
  3. Romans 2:27 Or who, by means of a