Romans 2
Paul argues that the moralist who judges others is equally guilty before God, because God judges impartially according to truth. He warns that the Jew who boasts in the law yet breaks it dishonors God, and that true circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. | Therefore You are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judges. When you judge another, You condemn Yourself, because You who judge do the same things. |
| 2 | But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. | We know that God's judgment against those who do such things is according to truth. |
| 3 | And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? | Do You suppose, O man — you who judge those who do such things and yet do them Yourself — that You will escape the judgment of God? |
| 4 | Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? | Or do You despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead You to repentance? |
| 5 | But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; | But because of Your hard and unrepentant heart You are storing up wrath for Yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. |
| 6 | Who will render to every man according to his deeds: | He will repay each person according to what He has done. |
| 7 | To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: | To those who by patient endurance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. |
| 8 | But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, | But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. |
| 9 | Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; | There will be tribulation and anguish for every soul of man who does evil — for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. |
| 10 | But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: | But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good — for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. |
| 11 | For there is no respect of persons with God. | For 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 have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. |
| 13 | (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. | For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. |
| 14 | For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: | When Gentiles who do not have the law do by nature the things required by the law, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. |
| 15 | Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) | They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their conscience also bears witness, and their thoughts either accuse or defend them. |
| 16 | In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. | This will happen on the day when God judges the secrets of men through Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. |
| 17 | Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, | Now if You call Yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God— |
| 18 | And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; | if You know His will and approve what is excellent because You are instructed from the law— |
| 19 | And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, | if You are confident that You are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, |
| 20 | An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. | an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the pattern of knowledge and truth— |
| 21 | Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? | you then who teach others — do You not teach Yourself? You who preach against stealing, do You steal? |
| 22 | Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? | You who say one should not commit adultery, do You commit adultery? You who hate idols, do You rob temples? |
| 23 | Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? | You who boast in the law, do You dishonor God by breaking the law? |
| 24 | For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. | "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of You," as it is written. |
| 25 | For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. | Circumcision has value if You obey the law, but if You break the law, Your circumcision has become uncircumcision. |
| 26 | Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? | So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not His uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? |
| 27 | And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? | The one who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will judge You who, with Your written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. |
| 28 | For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: | A person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something outward in the flesh. |
| 29 | But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. | A person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. Such a person's praise is not from men but from God. |