Romans Chapter 2

God’s Just Judgment

¹ So you^sg that condemn don’t have any excuse. When you condemn someone else, you condemn yourself, because you’re doing the same things. ² You know it’s right for God to condemn people that do things like that. ³ Do you suppose—condemner of another while doing the same things yourself—that you are going to escape his condemnation? ⁴ Do you disregard his rich kindness, tolerance, and patience, and not understand that his kindness is for leading you to repentance? ⁵ Because of your stubborn, unrepentant heart, you’re storing up displeasure for yourself when God reveals his just condemnation. ⁶ He’ll pay back every person for what they’ve done. ⁷ That will mean eternal life for people who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by carrying through in good works. ⁸ It’ll mean displeasure and anger for people that chase after injustice. ⁹ There’ll be trouble and distress for everybody that does evil, for Jews first and for Greeks. ¹⁰ But there’ll be honor and peace for everybody that does good, for Jews first and for Greeks. ¹¹ God doesn’t play favorites: ¹² as many as have sinned without having the Law will perish without having it; as many as have sinned under it will be condemned by it. ¹³ It’s not who hears the Law that’s good, as far as God’s concerned; it’s who does the Law. ¹⁴ When Gentiles that don’t have the Law, naturally do what’s in it, they are governing themselves. ¹⁵ They show that the Law is written on their hearts. Their conscience testifies, and their thoughts defend or accuse one another. ¹⁶ That’s the basis for judgment when God by Christ Jesus judges people’s secrets by the good news I’m presenting.                                                                                                

Rom 2:1-16

Criticism and Moral Consistency

¹⁷ But if you wear the name Jew, rely on the Law, take pride in God— ¹⁸ if you know his will, approve of superior things because of what the Law teaches you— ¹⁹ if you’re confident that you’re a guide to the blind, a light to people in the dark, ²⁰ a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the ignorant because you have the knowledge and truth that’s in the Law— ²¹ then do you teach others, but not learn yourself? You that preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You that say people shouldn’t commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You that detest idols, do you steal from temples? ²³ You that take pride in the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking it? ²⁴ “Gentiles blaspheme God because of you” [Is 52:5], like the scripture says. ²⁵ Circumcision benefits you if you practice the Law. If you transgress it, your circumcision amounts to uncircumcision. ²⁶ If then the uncircumcised keep the Law’s standards, won’t their uncircumcision be considered circumcision? ²⁷ If the naturally uncircumcised keep the Law, won’t they condemn literal-and-circumcised transgressors of the Law? ²⁸ It’s not the Jew outwardly that’s a Jew, and it’s not outward circumcision that’s circumcision. ²⁹ It’s the Jew inwardly that’s a Jew, and it’s the circumcision of the heart—spirit, not letter—that’s circumcision. Their praise doesn’t come from people, but from God.                                                                                    

Rom 2:17-29