Romans 2

1 Wherefore, inexcusable, thou art, O man, whoever judgest; for, wherein thou judgest some one else, thyself, thou dost condemn, —for, the very things, thou dost practise, who art judging:

Therefore you have nothing to say in your own defense, whoever you are who set yourself up as a judge. In judging others you condemn yourself, for you who set yourself up as a judge do the very same things.

2 We know, however, that, the sentence of God, is according to truth against them who, such things as these, do practise.

And we know that God’s judgment falls unerringly on those who do them.

3 And reckonest thou this, O man—who dost judge them who such things do practise, and yet art doing the same, that, thou, shalt escape the sentence of God?

You who judge those that do such things and yet are yourself guilty of them – do you suppose that you of all people will escape God’s judgment?

4 Or, the riches of his kindness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, dost thou despise, —not knowing that, the kindness of God, unto repentance, is leading thee?

Or do you think lightly of his abundant kindness, patience, and forbearance, not realizing that his kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

5 But, according to thy hardness, and [thine] impenitent heart, art treasuring up for thyself anger, in a day of anger and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, —

Hard-hearted and impenitent as you are, you are storing up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath, when God’s justice as a judge will be revealed;

6 Who will render unto each one according to his works: —

for he will give to everyone what their actions deserve.

7 Unto them, on the one hand, who, by way of endurance in good work, are seeking, glory, honour and incorruption, life age-abiding, (aiōnios g166)

To those who, by perseverance in doing good, aim at glory, honor, and all that is imperishable, he will give immortal life; (aiōnios g166)

8 Unto them, on the other hand, who are of contention, and are not yielding unto the truth, but are yielding unto unrighteousness, anger and wrath,

while as to those who are factious, and disobedient to truth but obedient to evil, wrath and anger, distress and despair,

9 tribulation and anguish—against every soul of man who worketh out what is base, both of Jew first and of Greek, —

will fall on every human being who persists in wrongdoing – on the Jew first, but also on the Greek.

10 But glory and honour and peace—unto every one who worketh what is good, both unto Jew first and unto Greek:

But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does right – for the Jew first, but also for the Greek,

11 For there is no respect of persons with God; —

since God shows no partiality.

12 For, as many as without law sinned, without law, also shall perish, and, as many as within law sinned, through law, shall be judged;

All who, when they sin, are without Law will also perish without Law; while all who, when they sin, are under Law, will be judged as being under Law.

13 For, not the hearers of law, are righteous with God, but, the doers of law, shall be declared righteous;

It is not those who hear the words of a Law that are righteous before God, but it is those who obey it that will be pronounced righteous.

14 For, whensoever the nations which have not law, by nature, the things of the law, may be doing, the same, not having law, unto themselves, are a law, —

When Gentiles, who have no Law, do instinctively what the Law requires, they, though they have no Law, are a Law to themselves;

15 Who, indeed, shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience therewith bearing witness, and, between one another, their reasonings accusing—or, even excusing, them: —

for they show the demands of the Law written on their hearts; their consciences corroborating it, while in their thoughts they argue either in self-accusation or, it may be, in self-defense –

16 In the day on which God judgeth the secrets of men according to my glad-message through Christ Jesus.

on the day when God passes judgment on people’s inmost lives, as the good news that I tell declares that he will do through Christ Jesus.

17 If, however, thou, art taking the name of Jew, and resting thyself upon law, and boasting in God,

But, perhaps, you bear the name of ‘Jew,’ and are relying on Law, and boast of belonging to God, and understand his will,

18 And art taking note of his will, and testing the things that differ—when receiving oral instruction out of the law,

and, having been carefully instructed from the Law, have learned to appreciate the finer moral distinctions.

19 Art persuaded, moreover, that, thou thyself, art—a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,

Perhaps you are confident that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in the dark, an instructor of the unintelligent,

20 A trainer of the simple, a teacher of babes, having the forming of knowledge and truth in the law, —

and a teacher of the childish, because in the Law you possess the outline of all knowledge and truth.

21 Thou, therefore, that art teaching someone else, thyself, art thou not teaching? Thou that proclaimest—Do not steal! Art thou, stealing?

Why, then, you teacher of others, don’t you teach yourself? Do you preach against stealing, and yet steal?

22 That sayest—Do not commit adultery! Art thou, committing adultery? That abhorrest sacrilege, Art thou, robbing temples?

Do you forbid adultery, and yet commit adultery? Do you loathe idols, and yet plunder temples?

23 That in law dost boast, Through the transgression of the law, art thou dishonouring God?

Boasting, as you do, of your Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law?

24 For the name of God, because of you, is defamed among the nations, —even as it is written.

For, as scripture says – ‘The Gentiles insult God’s name because of you’!

25 For, circumcision, indeed, profiteth—if, law, thou be practising; but, if thou be a transgressor of law, thy circumcision, hath become, uncircumcision

Circumcision has its value, if you are obeying the Law. But, if you are a breaker of the Law, your circumcision is no better than uncircumcision.

26 If then, the uncircumcision, be guarding the righteous requirement of the law, shall not, his uncircumcision, as circumcision be reckoned?—

If, then, an uncircumcised man pays regard to the requirements of the Law, won’t he, although not circumcised, be regarded by God as if he were?

27 And the uncircumcision by nature, completing the law, shall judge, thee, who, notwithstanding letter and circumcision, art a transgressor of law!

Indeed, the person who, owing to his birth, remains uncircumcised, and yet scrupulously obeys the Law, will condemn you, who, for all your written Law and your circumcision, are yet a breaker of the Law.

28 For, not he who is one in appearance, is a Jew, nor is, that which is such in appearance in flesh, circumcision;

For a man who is only a Jew outwardly is not a real Jew; nor is outward bodily circumcision real circumcision. The real Jew is the person who is a Jew in soul;

29 But, he who is one in secret, is a Jew, —and, [that is], circumcision, which is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, —whose, praise, is not of men, but of God.

and the real circumcision is the circumcision of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal thing. Such a person wins praise from God, though not from people.