Romans 2:1-3:20

Lexham English Bible

The Righteous and Impartial Judgment of God

2 Therefore you are without excuse, O man, every one of you who passes judgment. For in that which you pass judgment on someone else, you condemn yourself, for you who are passing judgment are doing the same things. ² Now we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who do such things. ³ But do you think this, O man who passes judgment on those who do such things, and who does the same things, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you despise the wealth of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who will reward each one according to his works: ⁷ to those who, by perseverance in good work, seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, ⁸ but to those who act from selfish ambition and who disobey the truth, but who obey unrighteousness, wrath and anger. ⁹ There will be affliction and distress for every human being^[a] who does evil, of the Jew first and of the Greek, ¹⁰ but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and to the Greek. ¹¹ For 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 under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.^{[b] 14} For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, although they^[c] do not have the law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵ who show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts one after another accusing or even defending them ¹⁶ on the day when God judges the secret things of people, according to my gospel, through^[d] Christ Jesus.

Jews also Condemned by the Law

¹⁷ But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God ¹⁸ and know his will and approve the things that are superior, because you^[e] are instructed by the law, ¹⁹ and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of those in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth in the law. ²¹ Therefore, the one who teaches someone else, do you not teach yourself? The one who preaches not to steal, do you steal? ²² The one who says not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one who abhors idols, do you rob temples? ²³ Who boast in the law, by the transgression of the law you dishonor God!^{[f] 24} For just as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”^[g]

²⁵ For circumcision is of value if you do the law, but if you should be a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶ Therefore, if the uncircumcised person follows the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be credited for circumcision? ²⁷ And the uncircumcised person by nature who carries out the law will judge you who, though provided with the precise written code^[h] and circumcision are a transgressor of the law. ²⁸ For the Jew is not one outwardly^[i], nor is circumcision outwardly^[j], in the flesh. ²⁹ But the Jew is one inwardly^[k], and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter, whose praise is not from people but from God.

Jews Still Have an Advantage

3 Therefore, what is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the use of circumcision? ² Much in every way. For first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. ³ What is the result^[l] if some refused to believe? Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? ⁴ May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written,

⁵ But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, is not unjust, is he? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.) ⁶ May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? ⁷ But if by my lying, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still condemned as a sinner? ⁸ And why not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, in order that good may come of it? Their^[o] condemnation is just!

The Entire World Guilty of Sin

⁹ What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, ¹⁰ just as it is written,

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. ²⁰ For by the works of the law no person will be declared righteous^[u] before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.