Romans 2

1 THEREFORE thou art inexcusable, O man, even every one that judgeth: for in the very thing wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest art living in the practices of the same things.

You are therefore without excuse, O man, whoever you are who sit in judgement upon others. For when you pass judgement on your fellow man, you condemn yourself; for you who sit in judgement upon others are guilty of the same misdeeds;

2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth, against those who practise such things.

and we know that God's judgement against those who commit such sins is in accordance with the truth.

3 For thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest those who do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

And you who pronounce judgement upon those who do such things although your own conduct is the same as theirs--do you imagine that you yourself will escape unpunished when God judges?

4 Or despisest thou the riches of his kindness and patience and long-suffering, ignorant that this goodness of God is leading thee to repentance?

Or is it that you think slightingly of His infinite goodness, forbearance and patience, unaware that the goodness of God is gently drawing you to repentance?

5 But after thy obdurate and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath at the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

The fact is that in the stubbornness of your impenitent heart you are treasuring up against yourself anger on the day of Anger--the day when the righteousness of God's judgements will stand revealed.

6 who will recompense to every man according to his works;

To each man He will make an award corresponding to his actions;

7 to those who, in the patient practice of good works, seek glory and honour and immortality―eternal life. (aiōnios g166)

to those on the one hand who, by lives of persistent right-doing, are striving for glory, honour and immortality, the Life of the Ages; (aiōnios g166)

8 But to those who are of a contentious spirit, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath;

while on the other hand upon the self-willed who disobey the truth and obey unrighteousness will fall anger and fury, affliction and awful distress,

9 tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth wickedness, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek.

coming upon the soul of every man and woman who deliberately does wrong--upon the Jew first, and then upon the Gentile;

10 But glory and honour and peace be to every man who doeth that which is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek:

whereas glory, honour and peace will be given to every one who does what is good and right--to the Jew first and then to the Gentile.

11 for there is no acceptance of persons with God.

For God pays no attention to this world's distinctions.

12 For as many as have sinned without the law, shall perish also without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;

For all who have sinned apart from the Law will also perish apart from the Law, and all who have sinned whilst living under the Law, will be judged by the Law.

13 for the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be counted righteous;

It is not those that merely hear the Law read who are righteous in the sight of God, but it is those that obey the Law who will be pronounced righteous.

14 (for when the Gentiles, who have not the law naturally, do the things of the law, these, though not having the law, are a law unto themselves:

For when Gentiles who have no Law obey by natural instinct the commands of the Law, they, without having a Law, are a Law to themselves;

15 which exhibit the practice of the law written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing its testimony, and their mutual reasonings at intervals bringing accusations or forming excuses; )

since they exhibit proof that a knowledge of the conduct which the Law requires is engraven on their hearts, while their consciences also bear witness to the Law, and their thoughts, as if in mutual discussion, accuse them or perhaps maintain their innocence--

16 in the day when God shall judge the hidden things of men, according to my gospel by Jesus Christ.

on the day when God will judge the secrets of men's lives by Jesus Christ, as declared in the Good News as I have taught it.

17 Lo! thou art named a Jew, and restest on the law, and boastest in God,

And since you claim the name of Jew, and find rest and satisfaction in the Law, and make your boast in God,

18 and knowest the will of God, and bringest to the test the things that are different, being instructed out of the law;

and know the supreme will, and can test things that differ--being a man who receives instruction from the Law--

19 and hast confidence that thou thyself art a leader of the blind, a light of those who are in darkness,

and have persuaded yourself that, as for you, you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

20 an instructor of the uninformed, a teacher of babes, holding the form of knowledge and of truth in the law.

a schoolmaster for the dull and ignorant, a teacher of the young, because in the Law you possess an outline of real knowledge and an outline of the truth:

21 Thou therefore who teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself? thou that proclaimest aloud that a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

you then who teach your fellow man, do you refuse to teach yourself? You who cry out against stealing, are you yourself a thief?

22 thou that sayest, Do not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that holdest idols in abomination, dost thou commit sacrilege?

You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who loathe idols, do you plunder their temples?

23 thou who gloriest in the law, dishonourest thou God by the transgression of the law?

You who make your boast in the Law, do you offend against its commands and so dishonour God?

24 for the name of God is blasphemed through you among the heathen, as it is written.

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentile nations because of you, as Holy Writ declares.

25 For circumcision indeed is advantageous, if thou practise the law: but if thou art a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision becomes uncircumcision,

Circumcision does indeed profit, if you obey the Law; but if you are a Law-breaker, the fact that you have been circumcised counts for nothing.

26 If then the uncircumcision observe the righteous judgments of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be accounted for circumcision?

In the same way if an uncircumcised man pays attention to the just requirements of the Law, shall not his lack of circumcision be overlooked, and,

27 And the uncircumcision by nature which fulfilleth the law shall condemn thee, who through the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law.

although he is a Gentile by birth, if he scrupulously obeys the Law, shall he not sit in judgement upon you who, possessing, as you do, a written Law and circumcision, are yet a Law-breaker?

28 For not he who is outwardly such, is the Jew; neither is that which is outward in the flesh, circumcision.

For the true Jew is not the man who is simply a Jew outwardly, and true circumcision is not that which is outward and bodily.

29 But he is a Jew who is such inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

But the true Jew is one inwardly, and true circumcision is heart-circumcision--not literal, but spiritual; and such people receive praise not from men, but from God.