Romans 2
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art, that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest, doest the same things.
Therefore you have nothing to say in your own defence, whoever you are who set yourself up as a judge. In judging others you condemn yourself, for you who set yourself up as a judge do the very same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, against them who commit such things.
And we know that God’s judgment falls unerringly upon those who do them.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them who do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
You who judge those that do such things and yet are yourself guilty of them — do you suppose that you of all men will escape God’s judgment?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Or do you think lightly of his abundant kindness, patience, and forbearance, not realising that his kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Hard-hearted and impenitent as you are, you are storing up for yourself Wrath on the ‘Day of Wrath,’ when God’s justice as a judge will be revealed;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
for ‘he will give to every man what his actions deserve.’
7 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality; eternal life: (aiōnios g166)
To those who, by perseverance in doing good, aim at glory, honour, and all that is imperishable, he will give Immortal Life; (aiōnios g166)
8 But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath:
while as to those who are factious, and disobedient to Truth but obedient to Evil, wrath and anger, distress and despair,
9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
will fall upon every human being who persists in wrong-doing — upon the Jew first, but also upon the Greek.
10 But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile;
But there will be glory, honour, and peace for every one who does right — for the Jew first, but also for the Greek,
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
since God shows no partiality.
12 For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law,
All who, when they sin, are without Law will also perish without Law; while all who, when they sin, are under Law, will be judged as being under Law.
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
It is not those who hear the words of a Law that are righteous before God, but it is those who obey it that will be pronounced righteous.
14 For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law to themselves.
When Gentiles, who have no Law, do instinctively what the Law requires, they, though they have no Law, are a Law to themselves;
15 Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing testimony, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another)
for they show the demands of the Law written upon their hearts; their consciences corroborating it, while in their thoughts they argue either in self-accusation or, it may be, in self-defence —
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
on the day when God passes judgment on men’s inmost lives, as the Good News that I tell declares that he will do through Christ Jesus.
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
But, perhaps, you bear the name of ‘Jew,’ and are relying upon Law, and boast of belonging to God, and understand his will,
18 And knowest [his] will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law,
and, having been carefully instructed from the Law, have learned to appreciate the finer moral distinctions.
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them who are in darkness,
Perhaps you are confident that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in the dark, an instructor of the unintelligent,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, who hast the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law:
and a teacher of the childish, because in the Law you possess the outline of all Knowledge and Truth.
21 Thou therefore who teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Why, then, you teacher of others, do not you teach yourself? Do you preach against stealing, and yet steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Do you forbid adultery, and yet commit adultery? Do you loathe idols, and yet plunder temples?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God?
Boasting, as you do, of your Law, do you dishonour God by breaking the Law?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, as it is written.
For, as Scripture says — ‘The name of God is reviled among the Gentiles because of you’!
25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Circumcision has its value, if you are obeying the Law. But, if you are a breaker of the Law, your circumcision is no better than uncircumcision.
26 Therefore, if the uncircumcision keepeth the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
If, then, an uncircumcised man pays regard to the requirements of the Law, will not he, although not circumcised, be regarded by God as if he were?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfilleth the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
Indeed, the man who, owing to his birth, remains uncircumcised, and yet scrupulously obeys the Law, will condemn you, who, for all your written Law and your circumcision, are yet a breaker of the Law.
28 For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
For a man who is only a Jew outwardly is not a real Jew; nor is outward bodily circumcision real circumcision. The real Jew is the man who is a Jew in soul;
29 But he [is] a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not from men, but from God.
and the real circumcision is the circumcision of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal thing. Such a man wins praise from God, though not from men.
