Romanos 2

God’s Righteous Judgment

1 Therefore, every one of you  * 2:1 Lit Therefore, O man, every one,* 2:1 Lk 12:14; Rm 9:20 who judges is without excuse.  * 2:1 Rm 1:20 For when you judge another,  * 2:1 2Sm 12:5–7; Mt 7:1; Rm 14:22 you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think — anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same — that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness,  * 2:4 Rm 11:22 restraint,  * 2:4 Rm 3:25 and patience,  * 2:4 Ex 34:6; Rm 9:22; 1Tm 1:16; 1Pt 3:20; 2Pt 3:15 not recognizing  * 2:4 Or patience, because you do not recognize that God’s kindness  * 2:4 2Pt 3:9 is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath  * 2:5 Dt 32:34; Pr 1:18 for yourself in the day of wrath,  * 2:5 Ps 110:5; 2Co 5:10; 2Th 1:5; Jd 6 when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works:  * 2:6 Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12,* 2:6 Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12; Mt 16:277 eternal life  * 2:7 1Co 15:42,50,53 to those who by persistence in doing good  * 2:7 Lk 8:15; Heb 10:36 seek glory, honor,  * 2:7 Heb 2:7; 1Pt 1:7 and immortality;  * 2:7 Mt 25:468 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking  * 2:8 2Co 12:20; Gl 5:20; Php 2:3; Jms 3:14,16 and disobey the truth  * 2:8 2Th 2:12 while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress  * 2:9 Rm 8:35 for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;  * 2:9 Ac 3:26; Rm 1:16; 1Pt 4:1710 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no favoritism with God.  * 2:11 Dt 10:17; Ac 10:34

12 For all who sin without the law  * 2:12 1Co 9:21 will also perish without the law, and all who sin under  * 2:12 Lit in the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law  * 2:13 Mt 7:21,24; Jn 13:17; Jms 1:22 are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.  * 2:13 Or acquitted14 So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law,  * 2:14 Ac 10:35; Rm 1:19 do  * 2:14 Or who do not have the law, instinctively do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law  * 2:15 The code of conduct required by the law is written on their hearts.  * 2:15 Rm 2:27 Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them  * 2:15 Internal debate, either in a person or among the pagan moralists16 on the day when God judges  * 2:16 Ac 10:42; 17:31; Rm 3:6; 14:10 what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.  * 2:16 Rm 16:25; 1Co 15:1; Gl 1:11; 1Tm 1:11; 2Tm 2:8

Jewish Violation of the Law

17 Now if  * 2:17 Other mss read Look— you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law,  * 2:17 Mc 3:11; Jn 5:45; Rm 9:4 and boast in God, 18 and know his will, and approve the things that are superior,  * 2:18 Php 1:10 being instructed from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth  * 2:20 Is 2:1–4; 42:6–7; 49:6 in the law —  21 you then, who teach another,  * 2:21 Mt 23:3–7 don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, "You must not steal" — do you steal? 22 You who say, "You must not commit adultery" — do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples?  * 2:22 Ac 19:3723 You who boast in the law,  * 2:23 Mc 3:11; Jn 5:45; Rm 9:4 do you dishonor God by breaking the law?  * 2:23 Or you dishonor God by breaking the law.24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.* 2:24 Is 52:5,* 2:24 Is 52:5; Ezk 36:20–23; 2Pt 2:2

Circumcision of the Heart

25 Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.  * 2:25 Jr 4:4; 9:2526 So if an uncircumcised  * 2:26 Rm 3:30; 1Co 7:19; Eph 2:11 man keeps the law’s requirements,  * 2:26 Rm 8:4 will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you  * 2:27 Mt 12:41 who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly,  * 2:28 Jn 8:39; Rm 9:6; Gl 6:15 and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly,  * 2:29 Php 3:3; Col 2:11 and circumcision is of the heart — by the Spirit, not the letter.  * 2:29 Or heart — spiritually, not literally,* 2:29 Rm 7:6; 2Co 3:6 That person’s praise is not from people but from God.  * 2:29 Jn 5:44; 12:43; 1Co 4:5; 2Co 10:18