Romans 2  International Standard Version

God will Judge Everyone

2 Therefore, you have no excuse—every one of you who judges. For when you pass judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, practice the very same things. ² Now we know that God’s judgment against those who act like this is based on^[a] truth. ³ So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on those who practice these things and then do them yourself, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or are you unaware of his rich kindness, forbearance, and patience, that it is God’s kindness that is leading you to repent?

⁵ But because of your stubborn and unrepentant heart you are reserving wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. ⁶ For he will repay everyone according to what that person has done: ⁷ eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by patiently doing good; ⁸ but wrath and fury for those who in their selfish pride refuse to believe the truth and practice wickedness instead. ⁹ There will be suffering and anguish for every human being who practices doing evil, for Jews first and for Greeks as well. ¹⁰ But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who practices doing good, initially for Jews but also for Greeks as well, ¹¹ because God does not show partiality.

¹² For all who have sinned apart from the Law will also perish apart from the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law. ¹³ For it is not merely those who hear the Law who are righteous in God’s sight. No, it is those who follow the Law, who will be justified. ¹⁴ For whenever gentiles, who do not possess the Law, do instinctively what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the Law. ¹⁵ They show that what the Law requires is written in their hearts, a fact to which their own consciences testify, and their thoughts will either accuse or excuse them ¹⁶ on that day when God, through Jesus the Messiah,^[b] will judge people’s secrets according to my gospel.

Who is a Jew?

¹⁷ Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the Law, and boast about God, ¹⁸ and know his will, and approve of what is best because you have been instructed in 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 ignorant people, and a teacher of infants because you have the full content of knowledge and truth in the Law— ²¹ as you teach others, do you fail to teach yourself? As you preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² As you forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? As you abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ As you boast about the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law? ²⁴ As it is written, “God’s name is being blasphemed among the gentiles because of you.”^[c]

²⁵ For circumcision is valuable if you observe the Law, but if you break the Law, your having been circumcised has no more value than if you were uncircumcised. ²⁶ So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision will be regarded as circumcision, won’t it? ²⁷ The man who is uncircumcised physically but who keeps the Law will condemn you who break the Law, even though you have the written Law^[d] and circumcision. ²⁸ For a person is not a Jew because of his appearance, nor is circumcision something just external and physical. ²⁹ No, a person is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, brought about by the Spirit, not by a written law.^[e] That person’s praise will come from God, not from people.