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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
Christian Standard Bible
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore, every one of you[a](A) who judges is without excuse.(B) For when you judge another,(C) you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness,(D) restraint,(E) and patience,(F) not recognizing[b] that God’s kindness(G) is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath(H) for yourself in the day of wrath,(I) when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works:[c](J) 7 eternal life(K) to those who by persistence in doing good(L) seek glory, honor,(M) and immortality;(N) 8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking(O) and disobey the truth(P) while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress(Q) for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;(R) 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no favoritism with God.(S)
12 For all who sin without the law(T) will also perish without the law, and all who sin under[d] the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law(U) are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.[e] 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law,(V) do[f] what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law[g] is written on their hearts.(W) Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them[h] 16 on the day when God judges(X) what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.(Y)
Jewish Violation of the Law
17 Now if[i] you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law,(Z) and boast in God, 18 and know his will, and approve the things that are superior,(AA) being instructed from 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 the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth(AB) in the law— 21 you then, who teach another,(AC) don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal”—do you steal? 22 You who say, “You must not commit adultery”—do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples?(AD) 23 You who boast in the law,(AE) do you dishonor God by breaking the law?[j] 24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.[k](AF)
Circumcision of the Heart
25 Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.(AG) 26 So if an uncircumcised(AH) man keeps the law’s requirements,(AI) will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you(AJ) who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly,(AK) and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly,(AL) and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter.[l](AM) That person’s praise is not from people but from God.(AN)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2:1 Lit Therefore, O man, every one
- 2:4 Or patience, because you do not recognize
- 2:6 Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12
- 2:12 Lit in
- 2:13 Or acquitted
- 2:14 Or who do not have the law, instinctively do
- 2:15 The code of conduct required by the law
- 2:15 Internal debate, either in a person or among the pagan moralists
- 2:17 Other mss read Look—
- 2:23 Or you dishonor God by breaking the law.
- 2:24 Is 52:5
- 2:29 Or heart—spiritually, not literally
Romans 2
The Message
God Is Kind, but Not Soft
2 1-2 Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Every time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn’t so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you’ve done.
3-4 You didn’t think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he’s such a nice God, he’d let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
5-8 You’re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it’s going to blaze hot and high, God’s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what’s coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God’s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
9-11 If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won’t give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
12-13 If you sin without knowing what you’re doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you’re doing, that’s a different story entirely. Merely hearing God’s law is a waste of your time if you don’t do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God.
14-16 When outsiders who have never heard of God’s law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God’s law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God’s yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God’s yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences.
Religion Can’t Save You
17-24 If you’re brought up Jewish, don’t assume that you can lean back in the arms of your religion and take it easy, feeling smug because you’re an insider to God’s revelation, a connoisseur of the best things of God, informed on the latest doctrines! I have a special word of caution for you who are sure that you have it all together yourselves and, because you know God’s revealed Word inside and out, feel qualified to guide others through their blind alleys and dark nights and confused emotions to God. While you are guiding others, who is going to guide you? I’m quite serious. While preaching “Don’t steal!” are you going to rob people blind? Who would suspect you? The same with adultery. The same with idolatry. You can get by with almost anything if you front it with eloquent talk about God and his law. The line from Scripture, “It’s because of you Jews that the outsiders frown on God,” shows it’s an old problem that isn’t going to go away.
25-29 Circumcision, the surgical ritual that marks you as a Jew, is great if you live in accord with God’s law. But if you don’t, it’s worse than not being circumcised. The reverse is also true: The uncircumcised who keep God’s ways are as good as the circumcised—in fact, better. Better to keep God’s law uncircumcised than break it circumcised. Don’t you see: It’s not the cut of a knife that makes a Jew. You become a Jew by who you are. It’s the mark of God on your heart, not of a knife on your skin, that makes a Jew. And recognition comes from God, not legalistic critics.
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Read full chapterThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson