New Testament · Romans

Romans 2

God’s Righteous Judgment

(Psalm 75:1–10)

1Therefore you are without excuse, O man, every one of you who judges^a; for in what you judge another, you condemn^b yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. 2Now we know that the verdict^c of God is according to truth^d against those who practice such things. 3Do you suppose, O man who judges those who practice such things and yet does them yourself, that you will escape the verdict of God? 4Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience^e, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance^f?

5But according to your hardness and unrepentant^g heart^h, you are storing up wrathⁱ for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,^j 6who will render to each one according to his works: 7to those who by perseverance in good work seek glory and honor and incorruptibility — eternal life^k; 8but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness — wrath and fury.

9Tribulation and distress upon every soul^l of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10but glory and honor and peace^m to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11For there is no partiality with God.

12For as many as have sinned without lawⁿ will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned under law will be judged through law; 13for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

14For when nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience^o bearing witness alongside, and their calculated judgments alternately accusing or else defending them —^p 16in the day when God judges the hidden things of humanity according to my good news through Yeshua Messiah.

The Jews and the Law

17Behold, you call yourself a Jew and rest upon the law and boast in God, 18and know His will^q and approve what is excellent, being instructed from the law, 19and have convinced yourself that you are a guide of the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having the form of knowledge^r and truth in the law — 21you then who teach another, do you not teach yourself? The one who proclaims not to steal, do you steal? 22The one who says not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one who abhors idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in law, through your transgression of the law do you dishonor God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the nations because of you, as it is written.

25For circumcision indeed is of benefit if you practice the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26So if the uncircumcised man keeps the righteous acts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?^s 27And the one who is uncircumcision by nature, who fulfills the law, will judge you who with the written letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law.

28For it is not the one who is outwardly Jewish who is a Jew, nor is the one who is outward in the flesh^t the circumcision; 29but the one who is inwardly Jewish is a Jew, and circumcision is of the heart, by spirit^u and not by the written letter — whose praise is not from men but from God.