The Impartiality of God

2 Therefore you have no excuse or justification, everyone of you who [hypocritically] ^[a]judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge [from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness] are habitually practicing the very same things [which you denounce]. ² And we know that the judgment of God falls justly and in accordance with truth on those who practice such things. ³ But do you think this, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things, and yet do the same yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His verdict? ⁴ Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]? ⁵ But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. ⁶ He will pay back to each person according to his deeds [justly, as his deeds deserve]:^{(A) 7} to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are selfishly ambitious and self-seeking and disobedient to the truth but responsive to wickedness, [there will be] wrath and indignation. ⁹ There will be tribulation and anguish [torturing confinement] for every human soul who does [or permits] evil, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, ¹⁰ but glory and honor and inner peace [will be given] to everyone who habitually does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another].^(B)

¹² For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without [regard to] the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law. ¹³ For it is not those who merely hear the Law [as it is read aloud] who are just or righteous before God, but it is those who [actually] obey the Law who will be ^[b]justified [pronounced free of the guilt of sin and declared acceptable to Him]. ¹⁴ When Gentiles, who do not have the Law [since it was given only to Jews], do ^[c]instinctively the things the Law requires [guided only by their conscience], they are a law to themselves, though they do not have the Law. ¹⁵ They show that the ^[d]essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts; and their conscience [their sense of right and wrong, their moral choices] bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or perhaps defending them ¹⁶ on that day when, ^[e]as my gospel proclaims, God will judge the secrets [all the hidden thoughts and concealed sins] of men through Christ Jesus.^(C)

The Jew Is Condemned by the Law

¹⁷ But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely on the Law [for your salvation] and boast in [your special relationship to] God, ¹⁸ and [if you claim to] know His will and ^[f]approve the things that are ^[g]essential or have a sense of what is excellent, based on your instruction from the Law, ¹⁹ and [if you] are confident that you are a [qualified] guide to the blind [those untaught in theology], a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰ and [that you are] ^[h]a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the [spiritually] ^[i]childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth— ²¹ well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal [in ways that are discrete, but just as sinful]? ²² You who say that one must not commit adultery, ^[j]do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob [pagan] temples [of valuable idols and offerings]?^{(D) 23} You who boast in the Law, do you [repeatedly] dishonor God by ^[k]breaking the Law? ²⁴ For, “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written [in Scripture].^(E)

²⁵ Circumcision [the sign of the covenant of Abraham] is indeed of value if you practice the Law; but if you habitually break the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision [it is meaningless in God’s sight]. ²⁶ So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded [by God] as circumcision? ²⁷ Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps [the spirit of] the Law will judge you who, ^[l]even though you have the written code and circumcision, break the Law. ²⁸ For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical. ²⁹ But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and [true] circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by [the fulfillment of] the letter [of the Law]. His praise is not from men, but from God.

Be Subject to Government

13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God [granted by His permission and sanction], and those which exist have been put in place by God.^{(A) 2} Therefore whoever ^[a]resists [governmental] authority resists the ordinance of God. And those who have resisted it will bring judgment (civil penalty) on themselves. ³ For [civil] authorities are not a source of fear for [people of] good behavior, but for [those who do] evil. Do you want to be unafraid of authority? Do what is good and you will receive approval and commendation. ⁴ For he is God’s servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, [you should] be afraid; for he does not carry the [executioner’s] sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an avenger who brings punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore one must be subject [to civil authorities], not only to escape the punishment [that comes with wrongdoing], but also as a matter of principle [knowing what is right before God]. ⁶ For this same reason you pay taxes, for civil authorities are God’s servants, devoting themselves to governance. ⁷ Pay to all what is due: tax to whom tax is due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.

^8 [b]Owe nothing to anyone except to ^[c]love and seek the best for one another; for he who [unselfishly] loves his neighbor has fulfilled the [essence of the] law [relating to one’s fellowman].^{(B) 9} The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and any other commandment are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”^{(C) 10} Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law.

¹¹ Do this, knowing that this is a critical time. It is already the hour for you to awaken from your sleep [of spiritual complacency]; for our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed [in Christ]. ¹² The night [this present evil age] is almost gone and the day [of Christ’s return] is almost here. So let us fling away the works of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light. ¹³ Let us conduct ourselves properly and honorably as in the [light of] day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and irresponsibility, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for [nor even think about gratifying] the flesh in regard to its improper desires.