God’s Righteous Judgment
1 Therefore you have ch. 1:20no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For 2 Sam. 12:5-7;[John 8:7]; See Matt. 7:2in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on ch. 9:23;10:12the riches of his kindness and ch. 3:25forbearance and ch. 9:22;[Ex. 34:6] patience, Isa. 30:18;2 Pet. 3:9,15;Rev. 2:21not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are [Deut. 32:34]; See James 5:3storing up Ps. 110:5wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 Job 34:11;Ps. 62:12;Prov. 24:12;Jer. 17:10;32:19;See Matt. 16:27He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who See Luke 8:15by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking2:8 Or contentious and 2 Thess. 2:12do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress Ezek. 18:20for every human being who does evil, the Jew See 1 Pet. 4:17first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and Isa. 57:19peace for everyone who does good, See ch. 1:16the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For See Acts 10:34God shows no partiality.
God’s Judgment and the Law
12 For all who have sinned 1 Cor. 9:21without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For See James 1:22,23it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, See ch. 1:19by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is Jer. 31:33written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 [ch. 3:6;14:10;1 Cor. 4:5]; See Acts 10:42; 17:31on that day when, ch. 16:25;2 Tim. 2:8;[Gal. 1:11;1 Tim. 1:11] according to my gospel, God judges Eccles. 12:14the secrets of men ch. 16:25;[1 Tim. 1:11;2 Tim. 2:8]by Christ Jesus.
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and ver. 23;Mic. 3:11;[ch. 9:4;John 5:45]rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are [Job 29:15;Matt. 15:14;23:16;John 9:39-41]a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law 2 Tim. 3:5;[Gal. 4:19;2 Tim. 1:13] the embodiment of Luke 11:52knowledge and truth— 21 Matt. 23:3-28;[Ps. 50:16-21;Matt. 15:1-9]you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you Acts 19:37;[Mal. 3:8]rob temples? 23 You who See ver. 17;ch. 3:27boast in the law [Mal. 1:6]dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, Cited from Isa. 52:5as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed [2 Sam. 12:14;Ezek. 36:20,23;2 Pet. 2:2]among the Gentiles because of you."
25 For circumcision indeed is of value Gal. 5:3if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if Eph. 2:11;[ch. 3:30] a man who is uncircumcised keeps ch. 1:32;8:4the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded2:26 Or counted as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically2:27 Or is by nature uncircumcised but keeps the law See Matt. 12:41will condemn you who have ver. 29;ch. 7:6;2 Cor. 3:6the written code2:27 Or the letter and circumcision but break the law. 28 For ch. 9:6-8;[Gal. 6:15] no one is a Jew [ver. 17]who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one See 1 Pet. 3:4inwardly, and [Deut. 10:16;30:6;Jer. 4:4;Acts 7:51;Phil. 3:3;Col. 2:11] circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. 2 Cor. 10:18;1 Thess. 2:4;[Gal. 1:10]His praise is not from man but from God.