Romans 2ASV
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Romans2

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.

2And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things.

3And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

6who will render to every man according to his works:

7to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:

8but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,

9tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;

10but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:

11for there is no respect of persons with God.

12For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;

13for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;

14(for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;

15in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them);

16in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.

17But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,

18and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

19and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,

20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth;

21thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?

23thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God?

24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.

25For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.

26If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?

27and shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law?

28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:

29but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Romans 2.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The Jews could not be justified by the law of Moses, any more than the Gentiles by the law of nature. (1–16). The sins of the Jews confuted all their vain confidence in their outward privileges. (17–29).

vv1-16

The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is so plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every wilful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God. And though the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings are expressed by the strong words, “treasuring up wrath.” In the description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law. It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all evil. The human will is in a state of enmity against God. Even Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which directed them what to do by the light of nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that Christ shall be the Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, and brought to light.

vv17-24

The apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud, vain-glorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the sins professors is, the dishonour done to God and religion, by their not living according to their profession. Many despise their more ignorant neighbours who rest in a dead form of godliness; yet themselves trust in a form of knowledge, equally void of life and power, while some glory in the gospel, whose unholy lives dishonour God, and cause his name to be blasphemed.

vv25-29

No forms, ordinances, or notions can profit, without regenerating grace, which will always lead to seeking an interest in the righteousness of God by faith. For he is no more a Christian now, than he was really a Jew of old, who is only one outwardly: neither is that baptism, which is outward in the flesh: but he is the real Christian, who is inwardly a true believer, with an obedient faith. And the true baptism is that of the heart, by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Ghost; bringing a spiritual frame of mind, and a willing following of truth in its holy ways. Let us pray that we may be made real Christians, not outwardly, but inwardly; in the heart and spirit, not in the letter; baptized, not with water only, but with the Holy Ghost; and let our praise be, not of men, but of God.

Cross References

Romans 2
v24Isaiah 52:5quotation

Direct Old Testament quotation regarding God's name being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of hypocrites.

Supported by JFB

v1Matthew 7:1-5thematic

Jesus' warning against self-condemnation through judging others while practicing the same sins.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Verbal and thematic parallel to God bringing every secret work and thought into judgment.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v21Psalms 50:16-20thematic

Parallels God's indictment of the hypocrite who preaches His statutes but commits theft and adultery.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v29Deuteronomy 30:6thematic

The foundational Old Testament promise of the circumcision of the heart in the spirit.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v29Jeremiah 4:4thematic

Old Testament call to take away the foreskin of the heart, contrasting outward and inward circumcision.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v4Psalms 50:21thematic

Sinner mistakenly thinks God's silence and forbearance mean approval of their wicked deeds.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v42 Peter 3:9thematic

Confirms that God's longsuffering and delay are designed to lead sinners to repentance.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v6Proverbs 24:12thematic

Classic wisdom text affirming that God renders to every man according to his works.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Old Testament declaration that God is impartial and accepts no bribes or respect of persons.

Supported by John Calvin

v16John 5:22-29thematic

Affirms that the Father has committed all judgment of humanity to Jesus Christ.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v28Romans 9:6-8thematic

Clarifies that not all of physical Israel are true children of God's promise.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v291 Samuel 16:7thematic

Stresses that God looks at the heart, not outward appearance, matching inward Jewish identity.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v9Luke 12:47contrast

Shows greater stripes for those who knew God's will (the Jew first) but disobeyed.

Supported by JFB

v11Acts 10:34thematic

Peter's realization that God is no respecter of persons but judges with equity.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v13James 1:22-25thematic

Matches Paul's assertion that not hearers, but doers of the law are justified.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v17Isaiah 48:1thematic

Prophetic critique of those who call themselves by Israel's name but not in truth.

Supported by JFB

v21Matthew 23:3thematic

Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees who teach others but do not obey themselves.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v29Jeremiah 9:26thematic

Contrasts nations uncircumcised in flesh with Israel, who is uncircumcised in heart.

Supported by Matthew Henry

Contrasts the dead letter of the law with the life-giving Spirit.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

Addresses the historical division and reconciliation of circumcision and uncircumcision in Christ.

Supported by JFB

v13Romans 2:25thematic

Connects the necessity of keeping the law to make outward circumcision of any value.

Supported by John Calvin

v19Proverbs 26:12thematic

Warns against the spiritual pride of being wise in one's own eyes.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v22Matthew 21:12-13thematic

Example of temple desecration and robbery, illuminating the charge of committing sacrilege.

Supported by JFB