God’s Righteous Judgment

1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art, that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost the same things. 2But we know that the judgement of God is according to truth against those that do such things. 3And thinkest thou, O man, who judgest those that do such things, and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? 4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5But by thy hardness and impenitence of heart thou art treasuring up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgement of God, 6who will render to every one according to his works: 7to them, who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life: 8but to those who are contentious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. 9Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul of man that worketh evil, both of the Jew, and of the Gentile: 10but glory, and honor, and peace to every one that worketh good, both to the Jew, and 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; 13(for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified: 14for when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the duties of the law, these though they have not the law, are a law to themselves, 15and shew the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience witnessing together with it, and their own thoughts either accusing, or excusing them,) 16in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

The Jews and the Law

17Behold thou art called a Jew, and restest on the law, and boastest in God, 18and knowest his will, and approvest things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19and art persuaded that thou art a guide of the blind, 20a light to them that are in the darkness, an instructor of the simple, a teacher of babes, having the form of the knowledge and of the truth which is in the law. 21Thou then, who 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 commit sacrilege? 23Thou, that boastest in the law, dost thou by transgression of the law dishonour God? 24for through you the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, as it is written.

25For circumcision indeed is profitable, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. 26Therefore if the uncircumcised keep the righteous precepts of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be accounted to him for circumcision? 27and shall not the uncircumcision that is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law? for he is not a Jew, who is only so in appearance; 28nor is that circumcision, which is only in appearance, 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.