Romans 2
English Standard Version
God's Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you have (A)no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For (B)in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 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 (C)the riches of his kindness and (D)forbearance and (E)patience, (F)not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are (G)storing up (H)wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 (I)He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who (J)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 (K)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress (L)for every human being who does evil, the Jew (M)first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and (N)peace for everyone who does good, (O)the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For (P)God shows no partiality.
God's Judgment and the Law
12 For all who have sinned (Q)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 (R)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, (S)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 (T)written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 (U)on that day when, (V)according to my gospel, God judges (W)the secrets of men (X)by Christ Jesus.
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and (Y)rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are (Z)a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law (AA)the embodiment of (AB)knowledge and truth— 21 (AC)you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you (AD)rob temples? 23 You who (AE)boast in the law (AF)dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, (AG)as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed (AH)among the Gentiles because of you.”
25 For circumcision indeed is of value (AI)if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if (AJ)a man who is uncircumcised keeps (AK)the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded[b] as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically[c] uncircumcised but keeps the law (AL)will condemn you who have (AM)the written code[d] and circumcision but break the law. 28 For (AN)no one is a Jew (AO)who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one (AP)inwardly, and (AQ)circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. (AR)His praise is not from man but from God.
Footnotes
- Romans 2:8 Or contentious
- Romans 2:26 Or counted
- Romans 2:27 Or is by nature
- Romans 2:27 Or the letter
Romans 2
Common English Bible
Jews are without excuse
2 So every single one of you who judge others is without any excuse. You condemn yourself when you judge another person because the one who is judging is doing the same things. 2 We know that God’s judgment agrees with the truth, and his judgment is against those who do these kinds of things. 3 If you judge those who do these kinds of things while you do the same things yourself, think about this: Do you believe that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you have contempt for the riches of God’s generosity, tolerance, and patience? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is supposed to lead you to change your heart and life? 5 You are storing up wrath for yourself because of your stubbornness and your heart that refuses to change. God’s just judgment will be revealed on the day of wrath. 6 God will repay everyone based on their works.[a] 7 On the one hand, he will give eternal life to those who look for glory, honor, and immortality based on their patient good work. 8 But on the other hand, there will be wrath and anger for those who obey wickedness instead of the truth because they are acting out of selfishness and disobedience. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 10 But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 11 God does not have favorites.
12 Those who have sinned outside the Law will also die outside the Law, and those who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law. 13 It isn’t the ones who hear the Law who are righteous in God’s eyes. It is the ones who do what the Law says who will be treated as righteous. 14 Gentiles don’t have the Law. But when they instinctively do what the Law requires they are a Law in themselves, though they don’t have the Law. 15 They show the proof of the Law written on their hearts, and their consciences affirm it. Their conflicting thoughts will accuse them, or even make a defense for them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the hidden truth about human beings through Christ Jesus.
Jews will be judged as well
17 But,
if you call yourself a Jew;
if you rely on the Law;
if you brag about your relationship to God;
18 if you know the will of God;
if you are taught by the Law so that you can figure out the things that really matter;
19 if you have persuaded yourself that you are:
a guide for the blind;
a light to those who are in darkness;
20 an educator of the foolish;
a teacher of infants (since you have the full content of knowledge and truth in the Law);
21 then why don’t you who are teaching others teach yourself?
If you preach, “No stealing,” do you steal?
22 If you say, “No adultery,” do you commit adultery?
If you hate idols, do you rob temples?
23 If you brag about the Law, do you shame God by breaking the Law? 24 As it is written: The name of God is discredited by the Gentiles because of you.[b]
25 Circumcision is an advantage if you do what the Law says. But if you are a person who breaks the Law, your status of being circumcised has changed into not being circumcised. 26 So if the person who isn’t circumcised keeps the Law, won’t his status of not being circumcised be counted as if he were circumcised? 27 The one who isn’t physically circumcised but keeps the Law will judge you. You became a lawbreaker after you had the written Law and circumcision. 28 It isn’t the Jew who maintains outward appearances who will receive praise from God, and it isn’t people who are outwardly circumcised on their bodies. 29 Instead, it is the person who is a Jew inside, who is circumcised in spirit, not literally. That person’s praise doesn’t come from people but from God.
Footnotes
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible