Romans 2
2
1 #
Rom 14.22. Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2We know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who do such things. 3Do you suppose, O man, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4#Eph 1.7; 2.7; Phil 4.19; Col 1.27. Or do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. 6#Mt 16.27; 1 Cor 3.8; 2 Cor 5.10; Rev 22.12. For he will render to every man according to his works: 7to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11#Deut 10.17; 2 Chron 19.7; Gal 2.6; Eph 6.9; Col 3.25; 1 Pet 1.17. For God shows no partiality.
12 #
Rom 3.19; 1 Cor 9.21. 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#Jas 1.22-23,25. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them 16#Eccles 12.14; Rom 16.25; 1 Cor 4.5. on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
17But if you call yourself a Jew and rely upon the law and boast of your relation to God 18#Phil 1.10. and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed in the law, 19and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20#Rom 6.17; 2 Tim 1.13. a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21#Mt 23.3-4. you then who teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24#Is 52.5. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
25 #
Jer 9.25. Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26#1 Cor 7.19; Acts 10.35. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27#Mt 12.41. Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28#Mt 3.9; Jn 8.39; Rom 9.6-7; Gal 6.15. For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. 29#2 Cor 3.6; Phil 3.3; Col 2.11; 1 Pet 3.4. He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal. His praise is not from men but from God.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Romans 2
2
God Judges Fairly
1If you judge someone else, you have no excuse for it. When you judge another person, you are judging yourself. You do the same things you blame others for doing. 2We know that when God judges those who do evil things, he judges fairly. 3Though you are only a human being, you judge others. But you yourself do the same things. So how do you think you will escape when God judges you? 4Do you disrespect God’s great kindness and favor? Do you disrespect God when he is patient with you? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is meant to turn you away from your sins?
5But you are stubborn. In your heart you are not sorry for your sins. You are storing up anger against yourself. The day of God’s anger is coming. Then his way of judging fairly will be shown. 6God “will pay back each person in keeping with what they have done.” (Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12) 7God will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good. They want glory, honor, and life that never ends. 8But there are others who only look out for themselves. They don’t accept the truth. They go astray. God will pour out his great anger on them. 9There will be trouble and suffering for everyone who does evil. That is meant first for the Jews. It is also meant for the Gentiles. 10But there will be glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good. That is meant first for the Jews. It is also meant for the Gentiles. 11God treats everyone the same.
12Some people do not know God’s law when they sin. They will not be judged by the law when they die. Others do know God’s law when they sin. They will be judged by the law. 13Hearing the law does not make a person right with God. People are considered to be right with God only when they obey the law. 14Gentiles do not have the law. Sometimes they just naturally do what the law requires. They are a law for themselves. This is true even though they don’t have the law. 15They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts. The way their minds judge them proves this fact. Sometimes their thoughts find them guilty. At other times their thoughts find them not guilty. 16This will happen on the day God appoints Jesus Christ to judge people’s secret thoughts. That’s part of my good news.
The Jews and the Law
17Suppose you call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law. You brag that you know God. 18You know what God wants. You agree with what is best because the law teaches you. 19You think you know so much more than the people you teach. You think you’re helping blind people. You think you are a light for those in the dark. 20You think you can make foolish people wise. You act like you’re teaching little children. You think that the law gives you all knowledge and truth. 21You claim to teach others, but you don’t even teach yourself! You preach against stealing. But you steal! 22You say that people should not commit adultery. But you commit adultery! You hate statues of gods. But you rob temples! 23You brag about the law. But when you break it, you rob God of his honor! 24It is written, “The Gentiles say evil things against God’s name because of you.” (Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22)
25Circumcision has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is just as if you hadn’t been circumcised. 26And sometimes those who aren’t circumcised do what the law requires. Won’t God accept them as if they had been circumcised? 27Many are not circumcised physically, but they obey the law. They will prove that you are guilty. You are breaking the law, even though you have the written law and are circumcised.
28A person is not a Jew if they are a Jew only on the outside. And circumcision is more than just something done to the outside of a man’s body. 29No, a person is a Jew only if they are a Jew on the inside. And true circumcision means that the heart has been circumcised by the Holy Spirit. The person whose heart has been circumcised does more than obey the written law. The praise that matters for that kind of person does not come from other people. It comes from God.
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