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Romans 2
New King James Version

### God’s Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore you are (A)inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, (B)for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise (C)the riches of His goodness, (D)forbearance, and (E)longsuffering, (F)not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your [a]impenitent heart (G)you are [b]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who (H)“will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and (I)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew (J)first and also of the [c]Greek; 10 (K)but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For (L)there is no partiality with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for (M)not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the (N)work of the law written in their hearts, their (O)conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 (P)in the day when God will judge the secrets of men (Q)by Jesus Christ, (R)according to my gospel.

### The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles

17 [d]Indeed (S)you are called a Jew, and (T)rest[e] on the law, (U)and make your boast in God, 18 and (V)know His will, and (W)approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and (X)are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, (Y)having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 (Z)You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, (AA)do you rob temples? 23 You who (AB)make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For (AC)“the name of God is (AD)blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.

### Circumcision of No Avail

25 (AE)For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, (AF)if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, (AG)judge you who, even with your [f]written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For (AH)he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew (AI)who is one inwardly; and (AJ)circumcision is that of the heart, (AK)in the Spirit, not in the letter; (AL)whose [g]praise is not from men but from God.

#### Footnotes

1. Romans 2:5 unrepentant
2. Romans 2:5 storing
3. Romans 2:9 Gentile
4. Romans 2:17 NU But if
5. Romans 2:17 rely
6. Romans 2:27 Lit. letter
7. Romans 2:29 A play on words—Jew is literally praise.

#### Cross references

1. Romans 2:1 : [Rom. 1:20]
2. Romans 2:1 : 2 Sam. 12:5–7; [Matt. 7:1–5; Luke 6:37]; John 8:9; Rom. 14:22
3. Romans 2:4 : Rom. 9:23; 11:33; [2 Cor. 8:2; Eph. 1:7, 18; 2:7; Phil. 4:19; Col. 1:27; 2:2; Titus 3:6]
4. Romans 2:4 : [Rom. 3:25]
5. Romans 2:4 : Ex. 34:6; [Rom. 9:22; 1 Tim. 1:16]; 1 Pet. 3:20
6. Romans 2:4 : Is. 30:18; [2 Pet. 3:9, 15]
7. Romans 2:5 : [Deut. 32:34]; Prov. 1:18; James 5:3
8. Romans 2:6 : [Job 34:11]; Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Jer. 17:10; [2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:12, 13]
9. Romans 2:8 : Job 24:13; [2 Thess. 1:8]
10. Romans 2:9 : Amos 3:2; Luke 12:47; Acts 3:26; Rom. 1:16; 1 Pet. 4:17
11. Romans 2:10 : Rom. 2:7; Heb. 2:7; [1 Pet. 1:7]
12. Romans 2:11 : Deut. 10:17; [Job 34:19]; Acts 10:34; [Eph. 6:9]
13. Romans 2:13 : Matt. 7:21, 22; John 13:17; [James 1:22, 25; 1 John 3:7]
14. Romans 2:15 : 1 Cor. 5:1
15. Romans 2:15 : Acts 24:25
16. Romans 2:16 : Eccl. 12:14; [Matt. 25:31]; Rev. 20:12
17. Romans 2:16 : John 5:22; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom. 3:6; 14:10
18. Romans 2:16 : 1 Tim. 1:11
19. Romans 2:17 : [Matt. 3:9]; John 8:33
20. Romans 2:17 : Mic. 3:11; John 5:45; Rom. 2:23; 9:4
21. Romans 2:17 : Is. 48:1, 2
22. Romans 2:18 : Deut. 4:8
23. Romans 2:18 : Phil. 1:10
24. Romans 2:19 : Matt. 15:14; John 9:34
25. Romans 2:20 : [2 Tim. 3:5]
26. Romans 2:21 : Ps. 50:16; Matt. 23:3
27. Romans 2:22 : Mal. 3:8
28. Romans 2:23 : Mic. 3:11; John 5:45; Rom. 2:17; 9:4
29. Romans 2:24 : Ezek. 16:27
30. Romans 2:24 : 2 Sam. 12:14; Is. 52:5; Ezek. 36:22
31. Romans 2:25 : Gen. 17:10–14; [Gal. 5:3]
32. Romans 2:26 : [Acts 10:34]
33. Romans 2:27 : Matt. 12:41
34. Romans 2:28 : [Matt. 3:9]; John 8:39; Rom. 2:17; 9:6; [Gal. 6:15]
35. Romans 2:29 : [1 Pet. 3:4]
36. Romans 2:29 : Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11
37. Romans 2:29 : Deut. 30:6; Rom. 2:27; 7:6; [2 Cor. 3:6]
38. Romans 2:29 : John 5:44; 12:43; [1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 10:18]; 1 Thess. 2:4

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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