Romans 2

1 [God will severely punish non-Jewish people who habitually do evil things, because he has clearly revealed that he is angry with them]. So, [when God judges people], he will not excuse any one of you Jews [to whom I am writing]. You [(sg)] say that [God should] punish [non-Jews for doing evil things]. But when any one of you says that, it is you yourself whom you are saying that God should punish, because you [(sg)] do [some of] the same [evil] things [that the non-Jews do].

There is therefore no excuse for thee, O man, that judgest thy neighbor; for by judging thy neighbor, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest, dost practise the same things.

2 We know very well that God will judge and punish fairly [non-Jewish] people who do such [evil] things.

And we know that the judgment of God is in accordance with truth, in regard to those who practise these things.

3 So, you who [say God should punish] others for doing evil things yet you do evil things yourself, (you should certainly not think that you yourself will be able to escape from being punished by God!/do you think that you yourself will be able to escape from being punished by God?) [RHQ]

And what thinkest thou, O man, that judgest those who practise these things, while practising them thyself, that thou wilt escape the judgment of God?

4 And you should not say, “God is acting very tolerantly and patiently toward me, [so I do not need to stop sinning] [DOU].” (You should realize that God is acting in a kind manner [toward you] in order to encourage you [(sg)] to turn away from your sinful behavior!/Do you not realize that God is acting in a kind manner [toward you] in order to encourage you [(sg)] to turn away from your sinful behavior?) [RHQ]

Or wilt thou abuse the riches of his benevolence, and his long suffering, and the opportunity which he giveth thee? And dost thou not know, that the benevolence of God should bring thee to repentance?

5 But instead, by your stubbornly refusing to turn away from your sinful behavior [DOU], you are causing [MET] God to punish you even more severely. [He will do that] at the time when he shows that he is angry and judges people fairly.

But, because of the hardness of thy unrepenting heart, thou art treasuring up a store of wrath against the day of wrath, and against the revelation of the righteous judgment of God:

6 God will pay back everyone according to [what they deserve for] what they have done.

who will recompense to every man, according to his deeds;

7 [Specifically], some people, by continuing to doing good things, strive to be highly honored [by God] [DOU] and to receive a life that will not end. [God will reward them by enabling them] to live forever. (aiōnios g166)

to them who, by perseverance in good works, seek for glory and honor and immortality, to them he will give life eternal; (aiōnios g166)

8 But some people act in a selfish way and refuse to believe that [what God says is] true, and they do the things that [God says] are wrong. [God will] punish them very severely [DOU, MTY].

but to them who are obstinate and obey not the truth, but obey iniquity, to them he will retribute wrath and ire.

9 He will cause everyone who habitually does evil deeds to suffer greatly, [with the result that they will become severely] distressed [DOU]. This certainly will happen to the Jews [who refuse to accept God’s message, because God gave them the privilege to be his special people], but it will also happen to the non-Jews.

And tribulation and anguish will be to every man that doeth evil; to the Jews first, and also to the Gentiles:

10 But [God will] greatly reward spiritually [MET, DOU] every person who habitually does good deeds. He will [certainly] do this for the Jews [because God chose them as his special people], but he will also do it for the non-Jews.

but glory and honor and peace to every one that doeth good; to the Jews first, and also to the Gentiles.

11 God [will do this fairly], because people’s status does not influence him.

For there is no respect of persons with God:

12 Although [non-Jews do not have] the laws that [God gave to Moses], all [non-Jews] who sin will be eternally separated from God. He will [not consider whether or not they knew] the laws that he [gave to Moses]. And all the [Jews] who have sinned in spite of knowing the laws that [God gave to Moses will also be punished] {[God will also punish them]}. [They will be punished for disobeying] God’s laws.

for those without law, who sin, will also perish without law; and those under the law, who sin, will be judged by the law,

13 [It is right for them to be punished] {[God to punish them]} [because] it is not those who [merely] know God’s laws whom he considers to be righteous. On the contrary, it is only those who continually have obeyed [all] (of [God’s] laws/of the laws that [God gave to Moses]) (whom God will consider righteous/whose record of sins God will erase).

(for not the hearers of the law, are righteous before God; but the doers of the law are justified;

14 Whenever the non-Jews, who do not have the laws [God gave to Moses], naturally obey those laws, [they prove that] they have a law within their own minds, even though they do not have the laws [God gave to Moses].

for if Gentiles who have not the law, shall, by their nature, do the things of the law; they, while without the law, become a law to themselves:

15 They show that they know in their own minds what God [commands in his] laws [MET], as each person in his very own conscience either accuses or excuses/defends himself [concerning his own behavior].

and they show the work of the law, as it is inscribed on their heart; and their conscience beareth testimony to them, their own reflections rebuking or vindicating one another, )

16 God [will punish people] at the time when he will judge them according to what they have thought and done. He will judge them [even] for the things that they have done secretly. He will judge people by [authorizing] Christ Jesus [to judge them]. This is [what I tell people when] I preach the gospel to them.

in the day in which God will judge the secret actions of men, as my gospel teacheth, by Jesus the Messiah.

17 [Now I have something to say to any one of] you [Jews to whom I am writing]: You [(sg)] boast about yourself saying, “I am a Jew.” You [(sg)] trust [that God will save you because you possess] the laws [that he gave to Moses]. You boast that [you belong to] God.

But if thou, who art called a Jew, and reposest thyself on the law, and gloriest in God,

18 You know what God desires. Because you have been taught {[people] have taught you} [God’s] laws, you are able to know which things are right and to choose to do them.

that thou knowest his good pleasure, and discernest obligations, because thou art instructed in the law;

19 You are certain that you [are able to] show [God’s truth to non-Jews], as guides [show the road] to those who are blind [MET]. You are certain that by what you say you can show God’s way to the [non-Jews who do not understand it], as a light shows the way to [those who walk in] the darkness [MET, DOU].

and hast confidence in thyself, that thou art a guide to the blind, and a light to them who are in darkness,

20 [You are certain that you] can instruct/correct [non-Jews, whom you consider] foolish [because of their not understanding God’s message]. Because you have in [God’s] laws a [written] expression of true knowledge [HEN], you are certain that you can teach [people who, being like] children, do not know [God’s truth] [MET].

and an instructor of those lacking knowledge, and a preceptor to the young; and thou hast the appearance of knowledge and of verity in the law:

21 [Since you claim that you have all these advantages because you are a Jew], (it is disgusting that you who teach other people [that they should obey the laws God gave Moses] do not [obey the laws that you] yourself teach!/why is it that you who teach other people [that they should obey the laws God gave Moses] do not [obey the laws that you] yourself teach?) [RHQ] You who preach that people should not steal things, it is disgusting that you yourself steal things! [RHQ]

Thou therefore, who teachest others, teachest thou not thyself? And thou who teachest that men must not steal, dost thou steal?

22 You who command people not to have sexual relations with someone to whom they are not married, it is disgusting that you commit adultery yourself! [RHQ] You who detest idols, it is disgusting that you rob temples [where people worship idols]! [RHQ]

And thou who sayest, Men must not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? And thou who contemnest idols, dost thou plunder the sanctuary?

23 You who boast saying, “[I have God’s] laws,” it is disgusting that you disobey those same laws! [RHQ] As a result you are insulting God!

And thou who gloriest in the law, dost thou, by acting contrary to the law, insult God himself?

24 [You must not be like our ancestors, about whom] were written [these words in the Scriptures: ] “The non-Jews speak evil about God because of [the evil actions of] many of you [Jews].” The non-Jews say God must be a hypocrite if he condones the behavior of people like you.

For, the name of God, as it is written, is reviled among the Gentiles on your account.

25 Any one of you who [is] circumcised [to show that he belongs to God] can benefit from that if he obeys the laws [God gave to Moses]. But if you [(sg), a circumcised person], disobey [God’s] laws, [God will consider that] you who are circumcised are no better [in God’s sight] than [someone who is] not circumcised.

For circumcision profiteth, indeed, if thou fulfillest the law: but if thou departest from the law, thy circumcision becometh uncircumcision.

26 This means that God will certainly consider that even [non-Jews who are] not circumcised can become his people if they obey the things that he commanded in his laws. [RHQ]

And if uncircumcision should keep the precepts of the law, would not that uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?

27 [If any one of] you disobeys God’s laws, even though [you(sg) have] the Scriptures and even though someone has circumcised you {you are circumcised} [God will punish you]. And those people who are not circumcised, but who obey God’s laws, [will declare that God is right] when he says that he will punish you.

And the uncircumcision, which from its nature fulfilleth the law, will judge thee; who, with the scripture, and with circumcision, transgressest against the law.

28 It is not those who perform rituals [to show they are God’s people] who are [true] Jews, and it is not being circumcised in their bodies [that causes God to accept them] [MTY].

For he is not a Jew, who is so in what is external: nor is that circumcision, which is visible in the flesh.

29 On the contrary, we whom [God has changed] inwardly are [true] Jews [MTY]. And [God has accepted us because we have allowed God’s] Spirit to change our hearts, not because we perform rituals. Even if [other] people will not praise us [for that change], God will praise us.

But he is a Jew, who is so in what is hidden: and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not from men, but from God.