To the Romans, 2

¹ Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are, if you judge; for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.

² Now we know that God’s judgment is in harmony with truth, against those who practice such things.

³ But do you suppose, O man, that while you judge those who practice such things and yet you do them, you will escape the judgment of God?

⁴ Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance^*1 and patience, because you do not know that God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repentance?

⁵ But according to your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and of the revealing of God’s righteous judgment.

⁶ And he will pay back to each one according to his works:

⁷ everlasting life to those who are seeking glory and honor and incorruptibleness by endurance in work that is good;

⁸ however, for those who are contentious and who disobey the truth but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and anger.

⁹ There will be tribulation and distress on every person^*1 who works what is harmful, on the Jew first and also on the Greek;

¹⁰ but glory and honor and peace for everyone who works what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.

¹² For all those who sinned without law will also perish without law; but all those who sinned under law will be judged by law.

¹³ For the hearers of law are not the ones righteous before God, but the doers of law will be declared righteous.

¹⁴ For when people of the nations, who do not have law, do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves.

¹⁵ They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them, and by^*1 their own thoughts they are being accused or even excused.

¹⁶ This will take place in the day when God through Christ Jesus judges the secret things of mankind, according to the good news I declare.

¹⁷ If, now, you are a Jew in name and rely on law and take pride in God,

¹⁸ and you know his will and approve of things that are excellent because you are instructed^*1 out of the Law,

¹⁹ and you are convinced that you are a guide of the blind, a light for those in darkness,

²⁰ a corrector of the unreasonable ones, a teacher of young children, and having the framework of the knowledge and of the truth in the Law—

²¹ do you, however, the one teaching someone else, not teach yourself? You, the one preaching, “Do not steal,” do you steal?

²² You, the one saying, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You, the one abhorring idols, do you rob temples?

²³ You who take pride in law, do you dishonor God by your transgressing of the Law?

²⁴ For “the name of God is being blasphemed among the nations because of you,” just as it is written.

²⁵ Circumcision is, in fact, of benefit only if you practice law; but if you are a transgressor of law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

²⁶ If, therefore, an uncircumcised person keeps the righteous requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision will be counted as circumcision, will it not?

²⁷ And the physically uncircumcised person will, by carrying out the Law, judge you who are a transgressor of law despite having its written code and circumcision.

²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision something on the outside, on the flesh.

²⁹ But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit and not by a written code. That person’s praise comes from God, not from people.