Romans, 2

1. So no matter who you are, if you pass judgement you have no excuse. It is yourself that you condemn when you judge others, since you behave in the same way as those you are condemning.

1. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

2. We are well aware that people who behave like that are justly condemned by God.

2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

3. But you -- when you judge those who behave like this while you are doing the same yourself -- do you think you will escape God's condemnation?

3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

4. Or are you not disregarding his abundant goodness, tolerance and patience, failing to realise that this generosity of God is meant to bring you to repentance?

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

5. Your stubborn refusal to repent is only storing up retribution for yourself on that Day of retribution when God's just verdicts will be made known.

5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

6. He will repay everyone as their deeds deserve.

6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

7. For those who aimed for glory and honour and immortality by persevering in doing good, there will be eternal life;

7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

8. but for those who out of jealousy have taken for their guide not truth but injustice, there will be the fury of retribution.

8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

9. Trouble and distress will come to every human being who does evil -- Jews first, but Greeks as well;

9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

10. glory and honour and peace will come to everyone who does good -- Jews first, but Greeks as well.

10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

11. There is no favouritism with God.

11. For there is no respect of persons with God.

12. All those who have sinned without the Law will perish without the Law; and those under the Law who have sinned will be judged by the Law.

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

13. For the ones that God will justify are not those who have heard the Law but those who have kept the Law.

13. (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14. So, when gentiles, not having the Law, still through their own innate sense behave as the Law commands, then, even though they have no Law, they are a law for themselves.

14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15. They can demonstrate the effect of the Law engraved on their hearts, to which their own conscience bears witness; since they are aware of various considerations, some of which accuse them, while others provide them with a defence . . . on the day when,

15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16. according to the gospel that I preach, God, through Jesus Christ, judges all human secrets.

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

17. If you can call yourself a Jew, and you really trust in the Law, and are proud of your God,

17. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18. and know his will, and tell right from wrong because you have been taught by the Law;

18. And knowest [his] will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19. if you are confident that you are a guide to the blind and a beacon to those in the dark,

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

20. that you can teach the ignorant and instruct the unlearned because the Law embodies all knowledge and all truth-

20. An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

21. so then, in teaching others, do you teach yourself as well? You preach that there is to be no stealing, but do you steal?

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

22. You say that adultery is forbidden, but do you commit adultery? You detest the worship of objects, but do you desecrate holy things yourself?

22. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23. If, while you are boasting of the Law, you disobey it, then you are bringing God into contempt.

23. Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

24. As scripture says: It is your fault that the name of God is held in contempt among the nations.

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

25. Circumcision has its value if you keep the Law; but if you go on breaking the Law, you are no more circumcised than the uncircumcised.

25. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26. And if an uncircumcised man keeps the commands of the Law, will not his uncircumcised state count as circumcision?

26. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27. More, the man who, in his native uncircumcised state, keeps the Law, is a condemnation of you, who, by your concentration on the letter and on circumcision, actually break the Law.

27. And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

28. Being a Jew is not only having the outward appearance of a Jew, and circumcision is not only a visible physical operation.

28. For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29. The real Jew is the one who is inwardly a Jew, and real circumcision is in the heart, a thing not of the letter but of the spirit. He may not be praised by any human being, but he will be praised by God.

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