Romans 2
Legacy Standard Bible
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you are (A)without excuse, (B)O man, everyone 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 [a]rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you presume this, (D)O man—who passes judgment on those who practice such things and does the same—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of (E)the riches of His (F)kindness and (G)forbearance and (H)patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But [b]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 repay to each according to his works: 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 anger. 9 There will be (R)affliction and turmoil [c]for every soul of man who works out evil, of the Jew (S)first and also of the Greek, 10 but (T)glory and honor and peace to everyone who works 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 [d](W)without the Law will also perish [e]without the Law, and all who have sinned [f]under the Law will be judged [g]by the Law. 13 For it is (X)not the hearers [h]of the Law who are [i]just before God, but the doers [j]of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have [k]the Law (Y)naturally do the things of the Law, these, not having [l]the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they demonstrate (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.
The Jew Is Judged by the Law
17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and (AC)rely [m]upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and [n](AD)approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a [o]corrector of the foolish, a teacher of [p]the immature, having in the Law (AE)the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, (AF)who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who [q]preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you (AG)rob temples? 23 You who (AH)boast [r]in the Law, through your transgression of the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For “(AI)the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (AJ)because of you,” just as it is written.
25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you (AK)practice [s]the Law, but if you are a transgressor [t]of the Law, (AL)your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 (AM)So if (AN)the [u]uncircumcised man (AO)observes the righteous requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And (AP)he who is physically uncircumcised, if he [v]fulfills the Law, will he not (AQ)judge you who, through the letter of the Law and circumcision, are a transgressor [w]of the Law? 28 For (AR)he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But (AS)he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and (AT)circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the (AU)Spirit, not by the letter; (AV)and his praise is not from men, but from God.
Footnotes
- Romans 2:2 Lit is according to truth against
- Romans 2:5 Or in accordance with
- Romans 2:9 Lit upon
- Romans 2:12 Or without law
- Romans 2:12 Or without law
- Romans 2:12 Or under law
- Romans 2:12 Or by law
- Romans 2:13 Or of law
- Romans 2:13 Or righteous
- Romans 2:13 Or of law
- Romans 2:14 Or law
- Romans 2:14 Or law
- Romans 2:17 Or upon law
- Romans 2:18 Or distinguish between the things which differ
- Romans 2:20 Or instructor
- Romans 2:20 Lit infants
- Romans 2:21 Or proclaim
- Romans 2:23 Or in law
- Romans 2:25 Or law
- Romans 2:25 Or of law
- Romans 2:26 Lit uncircumcision
- Romans 2:27 Or completes, cf. James 2:8
- Romans 2:27 Or of law
Romans 2
International Children’s Bible
You People Also Are Sinful
2 If you think that you can judge others, then you are wrong. You too are guilty of sin. You judge people, but you do the same bad things they do. So when you judge them, you are really judging yourself guilty. 2 God judges those who do wrong things. And we know that God’s judging is right. 3 You judge those who do wrong, but you do wrong yourselves. Do you think you will be able to escape the judgment of God? 4 God has been very kind to you, and he has been patient with you. God has been waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of his kindness. Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so that you will change your hearts and lives. 5 But you are hard and stubborn and refuse to change. So you are making your own punishment greater and greater on the day God shows his anger. On that day all people will see God’s right judgments. 6 God will reward or punish every person for what he has done. 7 Some people live for God’s glory, for honor, and for life that has no end. They live for those things by always continuing to do good. God will give life forever to them. 8 But other people are selfish and refuse to follow truth. They follow evil. God will give them his punishment and anger. 9 He will give trouble and suffering to everyone who does evil—to the Jews first and also to the non-Jews. 10 But God will give glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does good—to the Jews first and also to the non-Jews. 11 For God judges all people in the same way.
12 People who have God’s law and those who have never heard of the law are all the same when they sin. Those who do not have the law and are sinners will be lost. And, in the same way, people who have the law and are sinners will be judged by the law. 13 Hearing the law does not make people right with God. The law makes people right with God only if they obey what the law says. 14 (The non-Jews do not have the law. But when they freely do things that the law commands, then they are the law for themselves. This is true even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, just as the law commands. And they also show this by the way they feel about right and wrong. Sometimes their thoughts tell them they did wrong. And sometimes their thoughts tell them they did right.) 16 All these things will happen on the day when God will judge the secret thoughts of people’s hearts. The Good News that I preach says that God will judge everyone through Christ Jesus.
The Jews and the Law
17 What about you? You call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law of Moses and brag that you are close to God. 18 You know what God wants you to do. And you know the things that are important because you have learned the law. 19 You think you are a guide for the blind and a light for those who are in darkness. 20 You think you can show foolish people what is right and teach those who know nothing. You have the law; so you think you know everything and have all truth. 21 You teach other people. So why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal. But you yourselves steal. 22 You say that others must not take part in adultery. But you yourselves are guilty of that sin. You hate idols. But you steal from temples. 23 You brag about having God’s law. But you bring shame to God by breaking his law. 24 It is written in the Scriptures: “The non-Jews speak against God’s name because of you Jews.”[a]
25 If you follow the law, then your circumcision has meaning. But if you break the law, then it is as if you were never circumcised. 26 The non-Jews are not circumcised. But if they do what the law says, then it is as if they were circumcised. 27 You Jews have the written law and circumcision, but you break the law. So those who are not circumcised in their bodies, but still obey the law, will show that you are guilty.
28 A person is not a true Jew if he is only a Jew in his physical body. True circumcision is not only on the outside of the body. 29 A person is a true Jew only if he is a Jew inside. True circumcision is done in the heart by the Spirit, not by the written law. Such a person gets praise from God, not from other people.
Footnotes
- 2:24 “The non-Jews . . . Jews.” Quotation from Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:20.
Romans 2
King James Version
2 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
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