Romans 2:12-3:8

English Standard Version

God's Judgment and the Law

¹²For all who have sinned ^(A)without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³For ^(B)it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. ¹⁴For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, ^(C)by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵They show that the work of the law is ^(D)written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them ¹⁶^(E)on that day when, ^(F)according to my gospel, God judges ^(G)the secrets of men ^(H)by Christ Jesus.

¹⁷But if you call yourself a Jew and ^(I)rely on the law and boast in God ¹⁸and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; ¹⁹and if you are sure that you yourself are ^(J)a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law ^(K)the embodiment of ^(L)knowledge and truth— ²¹^(M)you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? ²²You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you ^(N)rob temples? ²³You who ^(O)boast in the law ^(P)dishonor God by breaking the law. ²⁴For, ^(Q)as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed ^(R)among the Gentiles because of you.”

²⁵For circumcision indeed is of value ^(S)if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. ²⁶So, if ^(T)a man who is uncircumcised keeps ^(U)the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded^[a] as circumcision? ²⁷Then he who is physically^[b] uncircumcised but keeps the law ^(V)will condemn you who have ^(W)the written code^[c] and circumcision but break the law. ²⁸For ^(X)no one is a Jew ^(Y)who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹But a Jew is one ^(Z)inwardly, and ^(AA)circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. ^(AB)His praise is not from man but from God.

God's Righteousness Upheld

3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? ²Much in every way. To begin with, ^(AC)the Jews were entrusted with ^(AD)the oracles of God. ³^(AE)What if some were unfaithful? ^(AF)Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? ⁴By no means! ^(AG)Let God be true though ^(AH)every one were a liar, as it is written,

^(AI)“That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you ^(AJ)are judged.”

⁵But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict ^(AK)wrath on us? (^(AL)I speak in a human way.) ⁶By no means! For then how could ^(AM)God judge the world? ⁷But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, ^(AN)why am I still being condemned as a sinner? ⁸And why not ^(AO)do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.