Romans 2
Christian Standard Bible
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore, every one of you[a](A) who judges is without excuse.(B) For when you judge another,(C) you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness,(D) restraint,(E) and patience,(F) not recognizing[b] that God’s kindness(G) is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath(H) for yourself in the day of wrath,(I) when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works:[c](J) 7 eternal life(K) to those who by persistence in doing good(L) seek glory, honor,(M) and immortality;(N) 8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking(O) and disobey the truth(P) while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress(Q) for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;(R) 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no favoritism with God.(S)
12 For all who sin without the law(T) will also perish without the law, and all who sin under[d] the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law(U) are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.[e] 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law,(V) do[f] what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law[g] is written on their hearts.(W) Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them[h] 16 on the day when God judges(X) what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.(Y)
Jewish Violation of the Law
17 Now if[i] you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law,(Z) and boast in God, 18 and know his will, and approve the things that are superior,(AA) being instructed from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth(AB) in the law— 21 you then, who teach another,(AC) don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal”—do you steal? 22 You who say, “You must not commit adultery”—do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples?(AD) 23 You who boast in the law,(AE) do you dishonor God by breaking the law?[j] 24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.[k](AF)
Circumcision of the Heart
25 Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.(AG) 26 So if an uncircumcised(AH) man keeps the law’s requirements,(AI) will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you(AJ) who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly,(AK) and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly,(AL) and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter.[l](AM) That person’s praise is not from people but from God.(AN)
Footnotes
- 2:1 Lit Therefore, O man, every one
- 2:4 Or patience, because you do not recognize
- 2:6 Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12
- 2:12 Lit in
- 2:13 Or acquitted
- 2:14 Or who do not have the law, instinctively do
- 2:15 The code of conduct required by the law
- 2:15 Internal debate, either in a person or among the pagan moralists
- 2:17 Other mss read Look—
- 2:23 Or you dishonor God by breaking the law.
- 2:24 Is 52:5
- 2:29 Or heart—spiritually, not literally
Romans 2
King James Version
2 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
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