God’s Righteous Judgment

¹ You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. ² And we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you disregard^* the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

⁵ But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. ⁶ God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”⁷ To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.

⁹ There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek; ¹⁰ but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek. ¹¹ For God does not show favoritism.

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous^* before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

¹⁴ Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature^* what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their^* thoughts either accusing or defending them ¹⁶ on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.

The Jews and the Law

¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; ¹⁸ if you know His will and approve^* of what is superior^* because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish,^* a teacher^* of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth — ²¹ you, then, who teach^* others, do you not teach^* yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe^* the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶ If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? ²⁷ The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn^* you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

²⁸ A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly,^* nor is circumcision only ^* outward^* and physical. ²⁹ No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly,^* and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.