The Righteous and Impartial Judgment of God
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.[b] 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, although they[c] do not have the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts one after another accusing or even defending them 16 on the day when God judges the secret things of people, according to my gospel, through[d] Christ Jesus.
Jews also Condemned by the Law
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve the things that are superior, because you[e] are instructed by the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21 Therefore, the one who teaches someone else, do you not teach yourself? The one who preaches not to steal, do you steal? 22 The one who says not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one who abhors idols, do you rob temples? 23 Who boast in the law, by the transgression of the law you dishonor God![f] 24 For just as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[g]
25 For circumcision is of value if you do the law, but if you should be a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if the uncircumcised person follows the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be credited for circumcision? 27 And the uncircumcised person by nature who carries out the law will judge you who, though provided with the precise written code[h] and circumcision are a transgressor of the law. 28 For the Jew is not one outwardly[i], nor is circumcision outwardly[j], in the flesh. 29 But the Jew is one inwardly[k], and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter, whose praise is not from people but from God.
Footnotes
- Romans 2:9 Literally “soul of man”
- Romans 2:13 Or “will be justified”
- Romans 2:14 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have”) which is understood as concessive
- Romans 2:16 Or “by”
- Romans 2:18 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are instructed”) which is understood as causal
- Romans 2:23 Or “do you dishonor God?” (a number of translators and interpreters take this phrase as a final rhetorical question; the present translation regards it as a final summary statement to be taken ironically)
- Romans 2:24 A quotation from Isa 52:5
- Romans 2:27 Literally “the letter”
- Romans 2:28 Literally “in the open”
- Romans 2:28 Literally “in the open”
- Romans 2:29 Literally “in secret”