Romans 2:12-3:20
New American Standard Bible
12 For all who have sinned [a](A)without the Law will also perish [b]without the Law, and all who have sinned [c]under the Law will be judged [d]by the Law; 13 for it is (B)not the hearers [e]of the Law who are [f]righteous before God, but the doers [g]of the Law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have [h]the Law [i](C)instinctively perform the requirements of the Law, these, though not having [j]the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show (D)the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, (E)according to my gospel, (F)God will judge the secrets of mankind through Christ Jesus.
The Jews under the Law
17 But if you call yourself a [k]Jew and (G)rely [l]upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and [m](H)distinguish the things that matter, being instructed from the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to people who are blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 a [n]corrector of the foolish, a teacher of [o]the immature, possessing in the Law (I)the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth— 21 you, therefore, (J)who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who [p]preach that one is not to steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one is not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who loathe idols, do you (K)rob temples? 23 You who (L)boast [q]in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For “(M)the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (N)because of you,” just as it is written.
25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you (O)practice [r]the Law; but if you are a violator [s]of the Law, (P)your circumcision has turned into uncircumcision. 26 (Q)So if (R)the [t]uncircumcised man (S)keeps the requirements of the Law, will his uncircumcision not be regarded as circumcision? 27 And (T)he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not (U)judge you who [u]though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a violator [v]of the Law? 28 For (V)he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But (W)he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and (X)circumcision is of the heart, by the (Y)Spirit, not by the letter; (Z)and his praise is not from people, but from God.
All the World Guilty
3 Then what [w]advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect. First, that (AA)they were entrusted with the (AB)actual words of God. 3 What then? If (AC)some [x]did not believe, their [y]unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 [z](AD)Far from it! Rather, God must prove to be true, though every person be found (AE)a liar, as it is written:
5 But if our unrighteousness [ab](AG)demonstrates the righteousness of God, (AH)what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? ((AI)I am speaking from a human viewpoint.) 6 (AJ)Far from it! For otherwise, how will (AK)God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie (AL)the truth of God abounded to His glory, (AM)why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say (just as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “(AN)Let’s do evil that good may come of it”? [ac]Their condemnation is deserved.
9 What then? [ad](AO)Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both (AP)Jews and (AQ)Greeks are (AR)all under sin; 10 as it is written:
“(AS)There is no righteous person, not even one;
11 There is no one who understands,
There is no one who seeks out God;
12 They have all turned aside, together they have become [ae]corrupt;
There is no one who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 “(AT)Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“(AU)The venom of [af]asps is under their lips”;
14 “(AV)Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 “(AW)Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And they have not known the way of peace.”
18 “(AX)There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the (AY)Law says, it speaks to (AZ)those who are [ag]under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and (BA)all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because (BB)by the works [ah]of the Law [ai]none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for [aj](BC)through the Law comes [ak]knowledge of sin.
Footnotes
- Romans 2:12 Or without law
- Romans 2:12 Or without law
- Romans 2:12 Or under law
- Romans 2:12 Or by law
- Romans 2:13 Or of law
- Romans 2:13 Or just
- Romans 2:13 Or of law
- Romans 2:14 Or law
- Romans 2:14 Lit by nature
- Romans 2:14 Or law
- Romans 2:17 Or Judean
- Romans 2:17 Or upon law
- Romans 2:18 Or approve
- Romans 2:20 Or instructor
- Romans 2:20 Lit infants
- Romans 2:21 Or proclaim
- Romans 2:23 Or in law
- Romans 2:25 Or law
- Romans 2:25 Or of law
- Romans 2:26 Lit uncircumcision
- Romans 2:27 Lit through the letter
- Romans 2:27 Or of law
- Romans 3:1 Lit is the advantage of the Jew
- Romans 3:3 Or were unfaithful
- Romans 3:3 Or unfaithfulness
- Romans 3:4 Lit May it never happen! And so throughout the ch
- Romans 3:4 Or in Your judging
- Romans 3:5 I.e., by requiring His judgment
- Romans 3:8 Lit Whose
- Romans 3:9 Or Are we worse
- Romans 3:12 Or depraved
- Romans 3:13 I.e., venomous snakes
- Romans 3:19 Lit in
- Romans 3:20 Or of law
- Romans 3:20 Lit no flesh
- Romans 3:20 Or through law
- Romans 3:20 Or recognition
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