Romans 2
American Standard Version
2 Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest [a]another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things. 2 [b]And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things. 3 And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise 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 for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 who will render to every man according to his works: 7 to them that by [c]patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life: 8 but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, 9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek; 10 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek: 11 for there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as [d]have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and as many as [e]have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law; 13 for not the hearers of the law are [f]just before God, but the doers of the law shall be [g]justified; 14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; 15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and [h]their [i]thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); 16 in the day when God [j]shall judge the secrets of men, according to my [k]gospel, by Jesus Christ.
17 But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God, 18 and knowest [l]his will, and [m]approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness, 20 [n]a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth; 21 thou therefore that 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 rob temples? 23 thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God? 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, [o]even as it is written. 25 For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. 26 If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision? 27 and shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Footnotes
- Romans 2:1 Greek the other.
- Romans 2:2 Many ancient authorities read For.
- Romans 2:7 Or, stedfastness
- Romans 2:12 Greek sinned.
- Romans 2:12 Greek sinned.
- Romans 2:13 Or, righteous
- Romans 2:13 Or, accounted righteous: and so elsewhere.
- Romans 2:15 Or, their thoughts accusing or else excusing them one with another
- Romans 2:15 Or, reasonings. 2 Cor. 10:5
- Romans 2:16 Or, judgeth
- Romans 2:16 See marginal note on 1:1.
- Romans 2:18 Or, the Will
- Romans 2:18 Or, dost distinguish the things that differ
- Romans 2:20 Or, an instructor
- Romans 2:24 Isa. 52:5.
Romans 2
New King James Version
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you are (A)inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, (B)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 (C)the riches of His goodness, (D)forbearance, and (E)longsuffering, (F)not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your [a]impenitent heart (G)you are [b]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who (H)“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 (I)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 (J)first and also of the [c]Greek; 10 (K)but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For (L)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 (M)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 (N)work of the law written in their hearts, their (O)conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 (P)in the day when God will judge the secrets of men (Q)by Jesus Christ, (R)according to my gospel.
The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles
17 [d]Indeed (S)you are called a Jew, and (T)rest[e] on the law, (U)and make your boast in God, 18 and (V)know His will, and (W)approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and (X)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, (Y)having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 (Z)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, (AA)do you rob temples? 23 You who (AB)make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For (AC)“the name of God is (AD)blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Circumcision of No Avail
25 (AE)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, (AF)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, (AG)judge you who, even with your [f]written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For (AH)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 (AI)who is one inwardly; and (AJ)circumcision is that of the heart, (AK)in the Spirit, not in the letter; (AL)whose [g]praise is not from men but from God.
Footnotes
- 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 2
Young's Literal Translation
2 Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man -- every one who is judging -- for in that in which thou dost judge the other, thyself thou dost condemn, for the same things thou dost practise who art judging,
2 and we have known that the judgment of God is according to truth, upon those practising such things.
3 And dost thou think this, O man, who art judging those who such things are practising, and art doing them, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 or the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, dost thou despise? -- not knowing that the goodness of God doth lead thee to reformation!
5 but, according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou dost treasure up to thyself wrath, in a day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who shall render to each according to his works;
7 to those, indeed, who in continuance of a good work, do seek glory, and honour, and incorruptibility -- life age-during;
8 and to those contentious, and disobedient, indeed, to the truth, and obeying the unrighteousness -- indignation and wrath,
9 tribulation and distress, upon every soul of man that is working the evil, both of Jew first, and of Greek;
10 and glory, and honour, and peace, to every one who is working the good, both to Jew first, and to Greek.
11 For there is no acceptance of faces with God,
12 for as many as without law did sin, without law also shall perish, and as many as did sin in law, through law shall be judged,
13 for not the hearers of the law [are] righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be declared righteous: --
14 For, when nations that have not a law, by nature may do the things of the law, these not having a law -- to themselves are a law;
15 who do shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also witnessing with them, and between one another the thoughts accusing or else defending,
16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my good news, through Jesus Christ.
17 Lo, thou art named a Jew, and dost rest upon the law, and dost boast in God,
18 and dost know the will, and dost approve the distinctions, being instructed out of the law,
19 and hast confidence that thou thyself art a leader of blind ones, a light of those in darkness,
20 an instructor of foolish ones, a teacher of babes, having the form of the knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou, then, who art teaching another, thyself dost thou not teach?
22 thou who art preaching not to steal, dost thou steal? thou who art saying not to commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou who art abhorring the idols, dost thou rob temples?
23 thou who in the law dost boast, through the transgression of the law God dost thou dishonour?
24 for the name of God because of you is evil spoken of among the nations, according as it hath been written.
25 For circumcision, indeed, doth profit, if law thou mayest practise, but if a transgressor of law thou mayest be, thy circumcision hath become uncircumcision.
26 If, therefore the uncircumcision the righteousness of the law may keep, shall not his uncircumcision for circumcision be reckoned?
27 and the uncircumcision, by nature, fulfilling the law, shall judge thee who, through letter and circumcision, [art] a transgressor of law.
28 For he is not a Jew who is [so] outwardly, neither [is] circumcision that which is outward in flesh;
29 but a Jew [is] he who is [so] inwardly, and circumcision [is] of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of God.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
