The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Psalm 75:1–10)

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

And we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.

So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”(a)

To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.

But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.

There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;

but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek.

For God does not show favoritism.

All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them

on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus,(b) as proclaimed by my gospel.

The Jews and the Law

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;

if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;

if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,

an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—

you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”(c)

Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.

No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 Psalms 62:12

(b)2:16 BYZ and TR through Jesus Christ

(Psalm 75:1–10)

Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.

We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God,

who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:”(a)

to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;

but to those who are self-seeking and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation,

oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For there is no partiality with God.

For as many as have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified

(for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,

in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them)

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.

The Jews and the Law

Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, rest on the law, glory in God,

know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth.

You therefore who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn’t steal, do you steal?

You who say a man shouldn’t commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

You who glory in the law, do you dishonor God by disobeying the law?

For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” (b) just as it is written.

For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?

Won’t those who are physically uncircumcised, but fulfill the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law?

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 ℘ Psalms 62:12; Proverbs 24:12

(b)2:24 ℘ Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22