⁵ But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict ^(A)wrath on us? (^(B)I speak in a human way.) ⁶ By no means! For then how could ^(C)God judge the world?

⁶ since indeed God considers it ^(A)just ^(B)to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to grant ^(C)relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when ^(D)the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven ^(E)with his mighty angels ^8 (F)in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those ^(G)who do not know God and on those who ^(H)do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the punishment of ^(I)eternal destruction, ^(J)away from^[a] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ^10 (K)when he comes on ^(L)that day ^(M)to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our ^(N)testimony to you ^(O)was believed. ¹¹ To this end we ^(P)always pray for you, that our God may ^(Q)make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every ^(R)work of faith by his power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus ^(S)may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵ Therefore ^(A)do not pronounce judgment before the time, ^(B)before the Lord comes, ^(C)who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. ^(D)Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

³¹ because he has fixed ^(A)a day on which ^(B)he will judge the world ^(C)in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and ^(D)of this he has given assurance to all ^(E)by raising him from the dead.”

² We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. ³ Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you presume on ^(A)the riches of his kindness and ^(B)forbearance and ^(C)patience, ^(D)not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are ^(E)storing up ^(F)wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

^6 (G)He will render to each one according to his works: ⁷ to those who ^(H)by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; ⁸ but for those who are self-seeking^[a] and ^(I)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. ⁹ There will be tribulation and distress ^(J)for every human being who does evil, the Jew ^(K)first and also the Greek, ¹⁰ but glory and honor and ^(L)peace for everyone who does good, ^(M)the Jew first and also the Greek. ¹¹ For ^(N)God shows no partiality.

God's Judgment and the Law

¹² For all who have sinned ^(O)without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For ^(P)it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. ¹⁴ For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, ^(Q)by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the work of the law is ^(R)written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them ^16 (S)on that day when, ^(T)according to my gospel, God judges ^(U)the secrets of men ^(V)by Christ Jesus.

Judgment Before the Great White Throne

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence ^(A)earth and sky fled away, and ^(B)no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and ^(C)books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is ^(D)the book of life. And ^(E)the dead were judged by what was written in the books, ^(F)according to what they had done.

Children of God

²⁸ And now, little children, abide in him, so that ^(A)when he appears ^(B)we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his ^(C)coming.

¹⁷ By this ^(A)is love perfected with us, so that ^(B)we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because ^(C)as he is so also are we in this world.