Romans 2

God’s Righteous Judgment

¹Therefore, every one of you ^a,^b who judges is without excuse. ^c For when you judge another, ^d you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. ²Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. ³Do you think #— #anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same #— #that you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, ^e restraint, ^f and patience, ^g not recognizing ^h that God’s kindness ⁱ is intended to lead you to repentance? ⁵Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath ^j for yourself in the day of wrath, ^k when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. ⁶He will repay each one according to his works: ^l,^{m 7}eternal life ⁿ to those who by persistence in doing good ^o seek glory, honor, ^p and immortality; ^{q 8}but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking ^r and disobey the truth ^s while obeying unrighteousness. ⁹There will be affliction and distress ^t for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; ^{u 10}but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. ¹¹For there is no favoritism with God. ^v

¹²For all who sin without the law ^w will also perish without the law, and all who sin under ^x the law will be judged by the law. ¹³For the hearers of the law ^y are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified. ^{z 14}So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, ^aa do ^ab what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵They show that the work of the law ^ac is written on their hearts. ^ad Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them ^{ae 16}on the day when God judges ^af what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. ^ag

Jewish Violation of the Law

¹⁷Now if ^ah you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, ^ai and boast in God, ¹⁸and know his will, and approve the things that are superior, ^aj being instructed from the law, ¹⁹and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth ^ak in the law #— # ²¹you then, who teach another, ^al don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal” #— #do you steal? ²²You who say, “You must not commit adultery” #— #do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? ^{am 23}You who boast in the law, ^an do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ^{ao 24}For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.^ap,^aq

Circumcision of the Heart

²⁵Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ^{ar 26}So if an uncircumcised ^as man keeps the law’s requirements, ^at will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? ²⁷A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you ^au who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. ²⁸For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, ^av and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. ²⁹On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, ^aw and circumcision is of the heart #— #by the Spirit, not the letter. ^ax,^ay That person’s praise is not from people but from God. ^az