Romans 2:12-16

Expanded Bible

¹² ·People [or For all those] who do not have the law [^CGentiles without the written law of Moses] and who are sinners will ·be lost [perish], although they do not have the law. And, in the same way, those who have the law [^CJews who have the law of Moses] and are sinners will be judged by the law. ¹³ Hearing the law does not make people ·right with [righteous/justified before] God. It is those who obey the law who will be ·right with [justified/declared righteous before] him. ¹⁴ (·Those who are not Jews [Gentiles] do not have the law, but when they ·freely [by nature; instinctively] do what the law commands, they ·are the law for themselves [or reveal their awareness of God’s law]. This is true even though they do not have the law [^Cthe written law of Moses]. ¹⁵ They show that ·in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, just as the law commands [^Lthe requirements of the law are written on their hearts]. And they show this by their consciences [^Lbearing witness]. Sometimes their thoughts ·tell them they did wrong [^Laccuse them], and sometimes their thoughts ·tell them they did right [defend them].) ¹⁶ ·All these things [or This] will happen on the day when, according to ·my Gospel [the Good News I preach], God, through Christ Jesus, will judge people’s secret thoughts.