Romans2
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.
2We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
5But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God,
6who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:”
7to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;
8but to those who are self-seeking and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation,
9oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
10But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
11For there is no partiality with God.
12For as many as have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
13For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified
14(for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them)
16in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.
17Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, rest on the law, glory in God,
18know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
19and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth.
21You therefore who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn’t steal, do you steal?
22You who say a man shouldn’t commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23You who glory in the law, do you dishonor God by disobeying the law?
24For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.
25For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
26If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?
27Won’t those who are physically uncircumcised, but fulfill the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are 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 from men, but from God.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Romans 2.
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.
Key Words
διό (dió): through which thing, i.e. consequently
εἶ (eî): thou art
ἀναπολόγητος (anapológētos): indefensible
ὦ (ō): as a sign of the vocative case, O; as a note of exclamation, oh
ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos): from G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι)); man-faced, i.e. a human being
πᾶς (pâs): all, any, every, the whole
κρίνω (krínō): by implication, to try, condemn, punish
γάρ (gár): properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
ἕτερος (héteros): (an-, the) other or different
κατακρίνω (katakrínō): to judge against, i.e. sentence
Cross References
Romans 2Direct Old Testament quotation regarding God's name being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of hypocrites.
Supported by JFB
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
Parallels God's indictment of the hypocrite who preaches His statutes but commits theft and adultery.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The foundational Old Testament promise of the circumcision of the heart in the spirit.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Old Testament call to take away the foreskin of the heart, contrasting outward and inward circumcision.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Sinner mistakenly thinks God's silence and forbearance mean approval of their wicked deeds.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms that God's longsuffering and delay are designed to lead sinners to repentance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
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
Affirms that the Father has committed all judgment of humanity to Jesus Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Clarifies that not all of physical Israel are true children of God's promise.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Stresses that God looks at the heart, not outward appearance, matching inward Jewish identity.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Shows greater stripes for those who knew God's will (the Jew first) but disobeyed.
Supported by JFB
Peter's realization that God is no respecter of persons but judges with equity.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Matches Paul's assertion that not hearers, but doers of the law are justified.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic critique of those who call themselves by Israel's name but not in truth.
Supported by JFB
Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees who teach others but do not obey themselves.
Supported by Matthew Poole
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
Connects the necessity of keeping the law to make outward circumcision of any value.
Supported by John Calvin
Warns against the spiritual pride of being wise in one's own eyes.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Example of temple desecration and robbery, illuminating the charge of committing sacrilege.
Supported by JFB