Unbelief and Its Consequences

¹⁸ For ^(A)the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who ^(B)suppress the truth ^[a]in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because ^(C)that which is known about God is evident ^[b]within them; for God made it evident to them. ²⁰ For ^(D)since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, ^(E)being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. ²¹ For even though they knew God, they did not ^[c]honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became ^(F)futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ^22 (G)Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and ^(H)exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and ^[d]crawling creatures.

²⁴ Therefore ^(I)God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be ^(J)dishonored among them. ²⁵ For they exchanged the truth of God for ^[e]a ^(K)lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, ^(L)who is blessed ^[f]forever. Amen.

²⁶ For this reason ^(M)God gave them over to ^(N)degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is ^[g]unnatural, ²⁷ and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, ^(O)men with men committing ^[h]indecent acts and receiving in ^[i]their own persons the due penalty of their error.

²⁸ And just as they did not see fit ^[j]to acknowledge God any longer, ^(P)God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

The Impartiality of God

2 Therefore you have ^(A)no excuse, ^[a](B)everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which ^(C)you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ² And we know that the judgment of God ^[b]rightly falls upon those who practice such things. ³ But do you suppose this, ^(D)O man, ^[c]when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you think lightly of ^(E)the riches of His ^(F)kindness and ^(G)tolerance and ^(H)patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But ^[d]because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart ^(I)you are storing up wrath for yourself ^(J)in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ^6 (K)who will render to each person according to his deeds: ⁷ to those who by ^(L)perseverance in doing good seek for ^(M)glory and honor and ^(N)immortality, ^(O)eternal life; ⁸ but to those who are ^(P)selfishly ambitious and ^(Q)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. ⁹ There will be ^(R)tribulation and distress ^[e]for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew ^(S)first and also of the Greek, ¹⁰ but ^(T)glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew ^(U)first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For ^(V)there is no partiality with God.

¹² For all who have sinned ^[f](W)without the Law will also perish ^[g]without the Law, and all who have sinned ^[h]under the Law will be judged ^[i]by the Law; ¹³ for it is ^(X)not the hearers ^[j]of the Law who are ^[k]just before God, but the doers ^[l]of the Law will be justified. ¹⁴ For when Gentiles who do not have ^[m]the Law do ^[n](Y)instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having ^[o]the Law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵ in that they show ^(Z)the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, ¹⁶ on the day when, ^(AA)according to my gospel, ^(AB)God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.