Romans 2

God Judges Sin

1No matter who you are, before you judge the wickedness of others, you had better remember this: you are also without excuse, for you too are guilty of the same kind of things! When you judge others, and then do the same things they do, you condemn yourself. # 2:1 The Aramaic can be translated “Because of this, O human, the Spirit is not speaking through you as you judge another, for against what you judge, you will also revert.” 2We know that God’s judgment falls upon those who practice these things. God is always right, because he has all the facts. # 2:2 Or “It [judgment] is based on truth.” 3And no matter who you think you are, when you judge others who do these things and then do the same things yourself, what makes you think that you will escape God’s judgment?

4Do the riches of his extraordinary kindness make you take him for granted and despise him? Haven’t you experienced how kind and understanding he has been to you? Don’t mistake his tolerance for acceptance. Do you realize that all the wealth of his extravagant kindness # 2:4 The Aramaic word for kindness can be translated “sweetness.” is meant to melt your heart and lead you into repentance? # 2:4 The Aramaic can be translated “Do you not know that it is the fulfillment of God to bring you blessings?” 5But because of your calloused heart and refusal to change direction, you are piling up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.

6For:

He will give to each one in return for what he has done. # 2:6 See Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Matt. 16:27.

7For those living in constant goodness and doing what pleases him, # 2:7 Doing what pleases God comes from faith. We must first believe in Jesus, the Anointed One. Then our life and works will bring honor to him. See also v. 10; John 6:28–29; Heb. 11:6. seeking an unfading glory and honor and imperishable virtue, will experience eternal life. 8But those governed by selfishness and self-promotion, whose hearts are unresponsive to God’s truth and would rather embrace unrighteousness, will experience the fullness of wrath. # 2:8 God’s wrath is mentioned twelve times in Romans (1:18; 2:5, 8; 3:5; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4, 5).

9Anyone who does evil can expect tribulation and distress—to the Jew first and also to the non-Jew. 10But when we do what pleases God, we can expect unfading glory, true honor, and a continual peace—to the Jew first and also to the non-Jew, 11for God sees us all without partiality.

12When people who have never been exposed to the laws of Moses commit sin, they will still perish for what they do. And those who are under the law of Moses and fail to obey it are condemned by the law. 13For it’s not merely knowing the law # 2:13 Every Sabbath day the Mosaic law, the Torah, was read in the Jewish meeting house. that makes you right with God, but doing all that the law says that will cause God to pronounce you innocent. # 2:13 Or “righteous.” See Deut. 18:5. No one keeps the law in every part; this is why Yeshua (Jesus) came to redeem and save us. See also Rom. 3:20.

God’s Judgment

14For example, whenever people who don’t possess the law # 2:14 Or “Torah” (the first five books of Moses). as their birthright commit sin, it still confirms that a “law” is present in their conscience. For when they instinctively do what the law requires, that becomes a “law” to govern them, even though they don’t have Mosaic law. 15It demonstrates that the requirements of the law are woven into their hearts. They know what is right and wrong, for their conscience validates this “law” in their heart. Their thoughts correct # 2:15 Or “accuse.” them in one instance and commend them in another. 16So this judgment will be revealed on the day when God, through Jesus the Messiah, judges the hidden secrets of people’s hearts. And their response to my gospel will be the standard of judgment used in that day.

The Jewish Religion Will Not Save You

17Now, you claim to be a Jew because you lean upon your trust in the law # 2:17 The Aramaic can be translated “you take comfort from the law.” and boast in your relationship with God. 18And you claim to know the will of God, and to have the moral high ground because you’ve been taught the law of Moses. 19You are also confident that you are a qualified guide to those who are “blind,” a shining light to those who live in darkness. 20You are confident that you are a true teacher of the foolish and immature, # 2:20 Or “little children,” a metaphor for the untutored or the immature. all because you have the treasury of truth and knowledge in the law of Moses. 21So let me ask you this: Why don’t you practice what you preach? You preach, “Don’t steal!” but are you a thief? 22You are swift to tell others, “Don’t commit adultery!” but are you guilty of adultery? You say, “I hate idolatry and false gods!” but do you withhold from the true God what is due him? # 2:22 Or “do you rob temples?” The Aramaic can be translated “you plunder the Holy Place.” 23Even though you boast in the law, you dishonor God, the Lawgiver, when you break it! 24For your actions seem to fulfill what is written:

“God’s precious name is cursed among the nations because of you.” # 2:24 See Isa. 52:5 (LXX); Ezek. 36:20.

25You trust in the covenant sign of circumcision, # 2:25 Implied by the immediate context and by the use of the conjunction yet. This form of ellipsis needs to be supplied for the sake of clarity. yet circumcision only has value if you faithfully keep the teachings of the law. But if you violate the law, you have invalidated your circumcision. # 2:25 Or “your circumcision has become uncircumcision.” 26And if the uncircumcised one faithfully keeps the law, won’t his obedience make him more “Jewish” than the actual rite of circumcision? 27And won’t the one who has never had the knife cut his foreskin be your judge when you break the law? 28You are not a Jew if it’s only superficial—for it’s more than the surgical cut of a knife that makes you Jewish. 29But you are Jewish because of the inward act of spiritual circumcision—a radical change that lays bare your heart. It’s not by the principle of the written code, # 2:29 Or “by the letter.” but by power of the Holy Spirit. For then your praise will not come from people, but from God himself!

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Romans 2: TPT

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Romans 2

Let God Be the Judge

1So do you think that you can judge those other people? You are wrong. You too are guilty of sin. You judge them, but you do the same things they do. So when you judge them, you are really condemning yourself. 2God judges all who do such things, and we know his judgment is right. 3And since you do the same things as those people you judge, surely you understand that God will punish you too. How could you think you would be able to escape his judgment? 4God has been kind to you. He has been very patient, waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of his kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you will decide to change your lives.

5But you are so stubborn! You refuse to change. So you are making your own punishment greater and greater. You will be punished on the day when God will show his anger. On that day everyone will see how right God is to judge people. 6He will reward or punish everyone for what they have done. 7Some people live for God’s glory, for honor, and for life that cannot be destroyed. They live for those things by always continuing to do good. God will give eternal life to them. 8But others are selfish and refuse to follow truth. They follow evil. God will show his anger and punish them. 9He will give trouble and suffering to everyone who does evil—to the Jews first and also to those who are not Jews. 10But he will give glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does good—to the Jews first and also to those who are not Jews. 11God judges everyone the same. It doesn’t matter who they are.

12People who have the law and those who have never heard of the law are all the same when they sin. People who don’t have the law and are sinners will be lost. And, in the same way, those who have the law and are sinners will be judged by the law. 13Hearing the law does not make people right with God. They will be right before him only if they always do what the law says.

14Those who are not Jews don’t have the law. But when they naturally do what the law commands without even knowing the law, then they are their own law. This is true even though they don’t have the written law. 15They show that in their hearts they know what is right and wrong, the same as the law commands, and their consciences agree. Sometimes their thoughts tell them that they have done wrong, and this makes them guilty. And sometimes their thoughts tell them that they have done right, and this makes them not guilty.

16All this will happen on the day when God will judge people’s secret thoughts through Jesus Christ. This is part of the Good News that I tell everyone.

The Jews and the Law

17What about you? You say you are a Jew. You trust in the law and proudly claim to be close to God. 18You know what God wants you to do. And you know what is important, because you have learned the law. 19You think you are a guide for people who don’t know the right way, a light for those who are in the dark. 20You think you can show foolish people what is right. And you think you are a teacher for those who are just beginning to learn. You have the law, and so you think you know everything and have all truth. 21You teach others, so why don’t you teach yourself? You tell them not to steal, but you yourself steal. 22You say they must not commit adultery, but you yourself are guilty of that sin. You hate idols, but you steal them from their temples. 23You are so proud that you have God’s law, but you bring shame to God by breaking his law. 24As the Scriptures say, “People in other nations insult God because of you.”#Quote from Isa. 52:5. See also Ezek. 36:20-23.

25If you follow the law, then your circumcision has meaning. But if you break the law, then it is as if you were never circumcised. 26Those who are not Jews are not circumcised. But if they do what the law says, it is as if they were circumcised. 27You have the written law and circumcision, but you break the law. So those who are not circumcised in their bodies, but still obey the law, will show that you are guilty.

28You are not a true Jew if you are only a Jew in your physical body. True circumcision is not only on the outside of the body. 29A true Jew is one who is a Jew inside. True circumcision is done in the heart. It is done by the Spirit, not by the written law. And anyone who is circumcised in the heart by the Spirit gets praise from God, not from people.

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