Romans 2

1 So if you judge others you don't have any excuse, whoever you are! For in whatever way you condemn others, you're judging yourself, because you're doing the same things.

Therefore you are without excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.

2 We know that God's judgment on those who do such things is based on truth.

Now we know that the judgment of God is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things.

3 When you judge them do you really think that you however can avoid God's judgment?

And do you think this, you who judge those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

4 Or is it that you're treating his wonderful kindness, tolerance, and patience with contempt, not realizing that God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repent?

Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

5 Due to your hard-hearted attitude and your refusal to repent, you're making things far worse for yourself on the day of retribution when God's judgment is demonstrated to be absolutely right.

But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

6 God will make sure everyone receives what they deserve according to what they've done.

who "will pay back to everyone according to their works:"

7 Those who have kept on trying to do what is good and right will receive glory and honor, immortality and eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality -- everlasting life. (aiōnios g166)

8 But those who think only of themselves, rejecting the truth and deliberately choosing to do evil, will receive punishment and furious hostility.

But to those who are self-seeking, and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness -- wrath and anger,

9 Everyone who does evil will have trouble and suffering—the Jewish people first, and the foreigners too.

affliction and distress, on every human being who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

10 But everyone who does good will have glory, honor, and peace—the Jewish people first, and the foreigners too.

But glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

11 God has no favorites.

For there is no partiality with God.

12 Those who sin even though they don't have the written law are still lost, while those who sin that do have the written law will be condemned by that law.

For as many as have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

13 Just listening to what the law says doesn't make you right in God's sight. It's those who do what the law says who are made right.

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.

14 The foreigners don't have the written law, but when they instinctively do what it says, they are following the law even without having the written law.

For when the non-Jews who do not have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,

15 In this way they show how the law works that's written in their minds. As they think about what they're doing, their conscience either accuses them for doing wrong or defends them for doing what is good and right.

since they show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them,

16 The good news I share is that a day is coming when God will judge, through Jesus Christ, everyone's secret thoughts.

in the day when God will judge the secrets of people, according to my Good News, by Christ Jesus.

17 What about you who call yourself a Jew? You rely on the written law and boast about having a special relationship to God.

But if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God,

18 You know what he wants; you do what's right because you've been taught from the law.

and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

19 You're absolutely sure that you can guide the blind, and that you are a light to those in the dark.

and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

20 You think you can set ignorant people straight, a teacher of “children,” because you know from the law all the truth there is to know.

a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth.

21 So if you're busy teaching others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell people not to steal, but are you stealing?

You therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

22 You tell people not to commit adultery, but are you committing adultery? You tell people not to worship idols, but do you profane temples?

You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples?

23 You boast about having the law, but don't you misrepresent God by breaking it?

You who boast in the law, do you, by disobeying the law, dishonor God?

24 As Scripture says, “God's character is defamed among the foreigners because of you.”

For because of you the name of God is blasphemed among the nations, just as it is written.

25 Being circumcised has value only if you do what the law says. But if you break the law, your circumcision is as worthless as those who are not circumcised at all.

For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

26 If a man who is not circumcised keeps the law, he should be considered as being circumcised even though he's not.

If therefore the uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, won't his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

27 The uncircumcised foreigners who keep the law will condemn you if you break the law, even though you have the written law and circumcision.

Won't the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law?

28 It's not what's on the outside that makes you a Jew; it's not the physical sign of circumcision.

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;

29 What makes you a Jew is on the inside, a “circumcision of the heart” that doesn't follow the letter of the law but the Spirit. Someone like that is looking for praise from God, not from people.

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, by the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from people, but from God.