The Righteous Judgment of God

1Therefore yoʋ are without excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For on whatever grounds yoʋ judge another, yoʋ condemn yoʋrself, for yoʋ who judge do the same things.

2Now we know that the judgment of God against those who do such things is in accordance with truth.

3Do yoʋ suppose, O man—yoʋ who judge those who do such things and yet do them yoʋrself—that yoʋ will escape the judgment of God?

4Or do yoʋ despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads yoʋ to repentance?

5But according to yoʋr stubbornness and yoʋr unrepentant heart, yoʋ are storing up wrath for yoʋrself on the day of ⁵wrath, revelation, and the righteous judgment of God,

6who will repay each person according to his works.

7To those who by patient endurance in good works seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life;

8but for those who are self-seeking and obey unrighteousness instead of the truth, there will be ⁶anger and wrath.

9There will be tribulation and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek;

10but there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

11For there is no partiality with God.

12For 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.

13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.

14For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what is required by the law, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

15They show that what the law requires is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness with them and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them

16on the day when, according to my gospel, God ⁷will judge the secret thoughts of men through ⁸Jesus Christ.

The Jews and the Law

17⁹Behold, yoʋ call yoʋrself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in ¹⁰God.

18Yoʋ know his will and approve what is excellent, because yoʋ are instructed from the ¹¹law.

19And yoʋ have confidence that yoʋ yoʋrself are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in darkness,

20an instructor of the foolish, and a teacher of children, because yoʋ have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and ¹²truth.

21Yoʋ then who teach others, do yoʋ not teach yoʋrself? Yoʋ who preach against stealing, do yoʋ steal?

22Yoʋ who tell others not to commit adultery, do yoʋ commit adultery? Yoʋ who abhor idols, do yoʋ rob temples?

23Yoʋ who boast in the law, do yoʋ dishonor God by transgressing the law?

24As it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

25Circumcision does indeed benefit yoʋ if yoʋ observe the law, but if yoʋ transgress the law, yoʋr circumcision has become uncircumcision.

26If then an uncircumcised man keeps the ordinances of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

27Then he who is physically uncircumcised and carries out the law will judge yoʋ who, despite having the letter of the law and circumcision, transgress the law.

28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is circumcision something outward in the flesh;

29but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. Such a man's praise comes not from men but from God.