Romans 1:18-3:20
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
The Guilt of Humankind
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21 for though they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, they are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters,[a] insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious towards parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 They know God’s decree, that those who practise such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practise them.
The Righteous Judgement of God
2 Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 You say,[b] ‘We know that God’s judgement on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.’ 3 Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgement of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgement will be revealed. 6 For he will repay according to each one’s deeds: 7 to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honour and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
12 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 the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.
The Jews and the Law
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God 18 and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, 19 and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, 21 you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You that boast in the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’
25 Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. 29 Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.
3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much, in every way. For in the first place the Jews[c] were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written,
‘So that you may be justified in your words,
and prevail in your judging.’[d]
5 But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), ‘Let us do evil so that good may come’? Their condemnation is deserved!
None Is Righteous
9 What then? Are we any better off?[e] No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, 10 as it is written:
‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who has understanding,
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless;
there is no one who shows kindness,
there is not even one.’
13 ‘Their throats are opened graves;
they use their tongues to deceive.’
‘The venom of vipers is under their lips.’
14 ‘Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.’
15 ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery are in their paths,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.’
18 ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes.’
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For ‘no human being will be justified in his sight’ by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
Footnotes
- Romans 1:30 Or God-hated
- Romans 2:2 Gk lacks You say
- Romans 3:2 Gk they
- Romans 3:4 Gk when you are being judged
- Romans 3:9 Or at any disadvantage?
Romans 1:18-3:20
New King James Version
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
18 (A)For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and (B)unrighteousness of men, who [a]suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because (C)what may be known of God is [b]manifest [c]in them, for (D)God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world (E)His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [d]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but (F)became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 (G)Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the (H)incorruptible (I)God into an image made like [e]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 (J)Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, (K)to dishonor their bodies (L)among themselves, 25 who exchanged (M)the truth of God (N)for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to (O)vile passions. For even their [f]women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the [g]men, leaving the natural use of the [h]woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things (P)which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, [i]sexual immorality, wickedness, [j]covetousness, [k]maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 [l]undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, [m]unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, (Q)knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things (R)are deserving of death, not only do the same but also (S)approve of those who practice them.
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you are (T)inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, (U)for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise (V)the riches of His goodness, (W)forbearance, and (X)longsuffering, (Y)not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your [n]impenitent heart (Z)you are [o]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who (AA)“will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and (AB)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew (AC)first and also of the [p]Greek; 10 (AD)but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For (AE)there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for (AF)not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the (AG)work of the law written in their hearts, their (AH)conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 (AI)in the day when God will judge the secrets of men (AJ)by Jesus Christ, (AK)according to my gospel.
The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles
17 [q]Indeed (AL)you are called a Jew, and (AM)rest[r] on the law, (AN)and make your boast in God, 18 and (AO)know His will, and (AP)approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and (AQ)are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, (AR)having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 (AS)You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, (AT)do you rob temples? 23 You who (AU)make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For (AV)“the name of God is (AW)blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Circumcision of No Avail
25 (AX)For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, (AY)if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, (AZ)judge you who, even with your [s]written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For (BA)he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew (BB)who is one inwardly; and (BC)circumcision is that of the heart, (BD)in the Spirit, not in the letter; (BE)whose [t]praise is not from men but from God.
God’s Judgment Defended
3 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because (BF)to them were committed the [u]oracles of God. 3 For what if (BG)some did not believe? (BH)Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 (BI)Certainly not! Indeed, let (BJ)God be [v]true but (BK)every man a liar. As it is written:
(BL)“That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (BM)(I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then (BN)how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, (BO)“Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their [w]condemnation is just.
All Have Sinned(BP)
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that (BQ)they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
(BR)“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their(BS) throat is an open [x]tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
(BT)“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose(BU) mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their(BV) feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There(BW) is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever (BX)the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that (BY)every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become [y]guilty before God. 20 Therefore (BZ)by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Footnotes
- Romans 1:18 hold down
- Romans 1:19 evident
- Romans 1:19 among
- Romans 1:20 divine nature, deity
- Romans 1:23 perishable
- Romans 1:26 Lit. females
- Romans 1:27 Lit. males
- Romans 1:27 Lit. female
- Romans 1:29 NU omits sexual immorality
- Romans 1:29 greed
- Romans 1:29 malice
- Romans 1:31 without understanding
- Romans 1:31 NU omits unforgiving
- Romans 2:5 unrepentant
- Romans 2:5 storing
- Romans 2:9 Gentile
- Romans 2:17 NU But if
- Romans 2:17 rely
- Romans 2:27 Lit. letter
- Romans 2:29 A play on words—Jew is literally praise.
- Romans 3:2 sayings, Scriptures
- Romans 3:4 Found true
- Romans 3:8 Lit. judgment
- Romans 3:13 grave
- Romans 3:19 accountable
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
