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Therefore dio you are eimi without excuse anapologētos, whoever you are ō, when you ho judge krinō someone else, for gar in en that hos which you judge krinō · ho another heteros, you condemn katakrinō yourself seautou, for gar you ho who judge krinō are practicing prassō the ho same things autos. And de we know oida that hoti the ho judgment krima of ho God theos is eimi according kata to truth alētheia with epi respect to those ho who practice prassō · ho such toioutos things . Do you suppose logizomai, · de this houtos, whoever you are ō, when you ho judge krinō those ho who practice prassō · ho such toioutos things yet kai do poieō them autos yourself, that hoti you sy will escape ekpheugō the ho judgment krima of ho God theos? Or ē do you hold in contempt kataphroneō the ho riches ploutos of ho his autos kindness chrēstotēs and kai · ho forbearance anochē and kai · ho patience makrothumia, not agnoeō knowing that hoti · ho God’ s theos kindness chrēstos · ho is meant to lead agō you sy to eis repentance metanoia? But de because kata of · ho your sy stubbornness sklērotēs and kai your unrepentant heart kardia, you are storing thēsaurizō up wrath orgē for yourself seautou on en the day hēmera of wrath orgē, when kai God’ s theos righteous judgment dikaiokrisia will be revealed apokalypsis, · ho who hos will give apodidōmi to each hekastos person according kata to what ho he autos has done ergon: to those ho who zēteō by kata patiently hypomonē doing good agathos works ergon seek for zēteō glory doxa and kai honor timē and kai immortality aphtharsia, he will give eternal aiōnios life zōē; but de to those ho who are self-seeking ek and kai do not obey apeitheō the ho truth alētheia but de obey peithō · ho unrighteousness adikia, there will be wrath orgē and kai fury thumos. There will be tribulation thlipsis and kai distress stenochōria for epi every pas human anthrōpos being psychē who ho does katergazomai · ho evil kakos, for the Jew Ioudaios first prōton and kai also for the Greek Hellēn, 10 but de glory doxa and kai honor timē and kai peace eirēnē for everyone pas who ho does ergazomai · ho good agathos, for the Jew Ioudaios first prōton and kai also for the Greek Hellēn.

11 For gar there is eimi no ou favoritism prosōpolēmpsia with para · ho God theos: 12 for gar all hosos who have sinned hamartanō apart from the law anomōs will apollymi also kai perish apollymi apart from the law anomōs, and kai all hosos who have sinned hamartanō under en the law nomos will be judged krinō by dia the law nomos; 13 for gar it is not ou the ho hearers akroatēs of the law nomos who are righteous dikaios before para · ho God theos, but alla the ho doers poiētēs of the law nomos who will be declared dikaioō righteous . 14 For gar whenever hotan the Gentiles ethnos, who ho do echō not have echō the law nomos, do poieō by nature physis the ho things required by the ho law nomos, these houtos, although they do not have echō the law nomos, are eimi a law nomos to themselves heautou. 15 They hostis show endeiknymi that the ho work ergon of the ho law nomos is written graptos on en · ho their autos hearts kardia, their autos conscience syneidēsis bearing symmartyreō witness · ho and kai their allēlōn conflicting metaxy · ho thoughts logismos accusing katēgoreō or ē else kai defending apologeomai them , 16 on en the day hēmera when hote God theos judges krinō · ho the ho secrets kryptos of ho everyone anthrōpos according kata to · ho my egō gospel euangelion through dia Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous.

17 But de if ei you sy call yourself eponomazō a Jew Ioudaios, and kai rely epanapauomai on the law nomos, and kai boast kauchaomai in en God theos, 18 and kai know ginōskō his ho will thelēma, and kai approve dokimazō the ho things that excel diapherō because you are instructed katēcheō by ek the ho law nomos, 19 and te are convinced peithō that you yourself seautou are eimi a guide hodēgos of the blind typhlos, a light phōs for those ho who are in en darkness skotos, 20 a corrector paideutēs of the foolish aphrōn, a teacher didaskalos of little nēpios children , having echō in en the ho law nomos the ho embodiment morphōsis of ho knowledge gnōsis and kai of ho truth alētheia 21 you ho, then oun, who teach didaskō others heteros, will you not ou teach didaskō yourself seautou? You ho who preach kēryssō against stealing kleptō, do you steal kleptō? 22 You ho who tell legō others not to commit moicheuō adultery , do you commit moicheuō adultery ? You ho who abhor bdelyssomai · ho idols eidōlon, do you rob temples hierosyleō? 23 You who hos boast kauchaomai in en the law nomos, by dia your ho breaking parabasis of the ho law nomos you dishonor atimazō · ho God theos! 24 For gar as kathōs it is written graphō, “ On account of dia you hymeis the ho name onoma of ho God theos is being blasphemed blasphēmeō among en the ho Gentiles ethnos.” 25 For gar to be sure men, circumcision peritomē is of value ōpheleō if ean you practice prassō the law nomos, but de if ean you are eimi a transgressor parabatēs of the law nomos, · ho your sy circumcision peritomē has become ginomai uncircumcision akrobystia. 26 Therefore oun if ean the ho uncircumcised akrobystia man keeps phylassō the ho righteous dikaiōma requirements of the ho law nomos, will logizomai not ou · ho his autos uncircumcision akrobystia be counted logizomai as eis circumcision peritomē? 27 And kai will krinō not the ho one who teleō by ek nature physis is uncircumcised akrobystia yet fulfills teleō the ho law nomos judge krinō you sy who ho have dia the written gramma code and kai circumcision peritomē yet are a transgressor parabatēs of the law nomos? 28 For gar that person is not ou a ho Jew Ioudaios who is eimi one outwardly en ho, · ho nor oude is · ho circumcision peritomē that which is outward en ho · ho in en the flesh sarx. 29 But alla a person is a Jew Ioudaios who ho is one inwardly en ho, · ho and kai circumcision peritomē is a matter of the heart kardia, by en the Spirit pneuma and not ou by the written gramma code . That person’ s hos · ho praise epainos comes not ou from ek man anthrōpos but alla from ek · ho God theos.

The Impartiality of God

Therefore you have no excuse or justification, everyone of you who [hypocritically] [a]judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge [from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness] are habitually practicing the very same things [which you denounce]. And we know that the judgment of God falls justly and in accordance with truth on those who practice such things. But do you think this, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things, and yet do the same yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His verdict? Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]? But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will pay back to each person according to his deeds [justly, as his deeds deserve]:(A) to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life. But for those who are selfishly ambitious and self-seeking and disobedient to the truth but responsive to wickedness, [there will be] wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and anguish [torturing confinement] for every human soul who does [or permits] evil, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and inner peace [will be given] to everyone who habitually does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another].(B)

12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without [regard to] the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law. 13 For it is not those who merely hear the Law [as it is read aloud] who are just or righteous before God, but it is those who [actually] obey the Law who will be [b]justified [pronounced free of the guilt of sin and declared acceptable to Him]. 14 When Gentiles, who do not have the Law [since it was given only to Jews], do [c]instinctively the things the Law requires [guided only by their conscience], they are a law to themselves, though they do not have the Law. 15 They show that the [d]essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts; and their conscience [their sense of right and wrong, their moral choices] bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or perhaps defending them 16 on that day when, [e]as my gospel proclaims, God will judge the secrets [all the hidden thoughts and concealed sins] of men through Christ Jesus.(C)

The Jew Is Condemned by the Law

17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely on the Law [for your salvation] and boast in [your special relationship to] God, 18 and [if you claim to] know His will and [f]approve the things that are [g]essential or have a sense of what is excellent, based on your instruction from the Law, 19 and [if you] are confident that you are a [qualified] guide to the blind [those untaught in theology], a light to those who are in darkness, 20 and [that you are] [h]a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the [spiritually] [i]childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth— 21 well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal [in ways that are discrete, but just as sinful]? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, [j]do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob [pagan] temples [of valuable idols and offerings]?(D) 23 You who boast in the Law, do you [repeatedly] dishonor God by [k]breaking the Law? 24 For, “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written [in Scripture].(E)

25 Circumcision [the sign of the covenant of Abraham] is indeed of value if you practice the Law; but if you habitually break the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision [it is meaningless in God’s sight]. 26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded [by God] as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps [the spirit of] the Law will judge you who, [l]even though you have the written code and circumcision, break the Law. 28 For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and [true] circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by [the fulfillment of] the letter [of the Law]. His praise is not from men, but from God.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 2:1 This is not a prohibition of judgment, nor is it a command to stop using godly wisdom, common sense, and moral courage together with God’s written word to discern right from wrong, to distinguish between morality and immorality, and to judge doctrinal truth. There are many judgments that are not only legitimate, but are commanded (cf John 7:24; 1 Cor 5:5, 12; Gal 1:8, 9; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 10); however, you cannot judge another if you are committing the same type of sin.
  2. Romans 2:13 Because of one’s personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, God graciously credits His righteousness to the believer. Justification denotes a legal standing with God as designated only by God. God declares a believer to be acquitted or innocent, then designates the believer to be brought into right standing before Him.
  3. Romans 2:14 Lit by nature.
  4. Romans 2:15 Lit work of the Law.
  5. Romans 2:16 Lit according to my gospel.
  6. Romans 2:18 Or discerningly distinguish between the things which differ.
  7. Romans 2:18 Or excellent.
  8. Romans 2:20 Or an instructor.
  9. Romans 2:20 Lit infants.
  10. Romans 2:22 In Judaism at that time, one of the leading schools of thought (that of Hillel) taught that a man could divorce his wife for any reason, such as cooking a bad meal. Paul may have in mind men who use a flimsy excuse to divorce their wives, with the real intent of marrying another woman. In God’s eyes, this is an act of adultery.
  11. Romans 2:23 The Pharisees were distorting and breaking God’s law by giving their own interpretations priority over the plain meaning of the Scriptures.
  12. Romans 2:27 Lit through the letter.