The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Psalm 75:1–10)

For this reason, O man, each one of you who judges is inexcusable. For by that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you do the same things that you judge.

For we know that the judgment of God is in accord with truth against those who do such things.

But, O man, when you judge those who do such things as you yourself also do, do you think that you will escape the judgment of God?

Or do you despise the riches of his goodness and patience and forbearance? Do you not know that the kindness of God is calling you to repentance?

But in accord with your hard and impenitent heart, you store up wrath for yourself, unto the day of wrath and of revelation by the just judgment of God.

For he will render to each one according to his works:

To those who, in accord with patient good works, seek glory and honor and incorruption, certainly, he will render eternal life.

But to those who are contentious and who do not acquiesce to the truth, but instead trust in iniquity, he will render wrath and indignation.

Tribulation and anguish are upon every soul of man that works evil: the Jew first, and also the Greek.

But glory and honor and peace are for all who do what is good: the Jew first, and also the Greek.

For there is no favoritism with God.

For whoever had sinned without the law, will perish without the law. And whoever had sinned in the law, will be judged by the law.

For it is not the hearers of the law who are just before God, but rather it is the doers of the law who shall be justified.

For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature those things which are of the law, such persons, not having the law, are a law unto themselves.(a)

For they reveal the work of the law written in their hearts, while their conscience renders testimony about them, and their thoughts within themselves also accuse or even defend them,

unto the day when God shall judge the hidden things of men, through Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel.

The Jews and the Law

But if you are called by name a Jew, and you rest upon the law, and you find glory in God,

and you have known his will, and you demonstrate the more useful things, having been instructed by the law:

you become confident within yourself that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

an instructor to the foolish, a teacher to children, because you have a type of knowledge and truth in the law.

As a result, you teach others, but you do not teach yourself. You preach that men should not steal, but you yourself steal.

You speak against adultery, but you commit adultery. You abominate idols, but you commit sacrilege.

You would glory in the law, but through a betrayal of the law you dishonor God.

(For because of you the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles, just as it was written.)

Certainly, circumcision is beneficial, if you observe the law. But if you are a betrayer of the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

And so, if the uncircumcised keep the justices of the law, shall not this lack of circumcision be counted as circumcision?

And that which is by nature uncircumcised, if it fulfills the law, should it not judge you, who by the letter and by circumcision are a betrayer of the law?(b)

For a Jew is not he who seems so outwardly. Neither is circumcision that which seems so outwardly, in the flesh.

But a Jew is he who is so inwardly. And circumcision of the heart is in the spirit, not in the letter. For its praise is not of men, but of God.

Footnotes

(a)2:14 This verse and passage is the basis for Church teaching on natural law.(Conte)

(b)2:27 In the Latin this verse and the previous verse are one sentence, or at least one continuous thought, so that the word nonne of verse 26 applies also to this verse.(Conte)

(Psalm 75:1–10)

Therefore 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.

We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

But 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,

who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:”(a)

to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;

but to those who are self-seeking and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation,

oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For there is no partiality with God.

For 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.

For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified

(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,

in 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)

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.

The Jews and the Law

Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, rest on the law, glory in God,

know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth.

You therefore who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn’t steal, do you steal?

You who say a man shouldn’t commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

You who glory in the law, do you dishonor God by disobeying the law?

For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” (b) just as it is written.

For 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.

If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?

Won’t those who are physically uncircumcised, but fulfill the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law?

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

but 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.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 ℘ Psalms 62:12; Proverbs 24:12

(b)2:24 ℘ Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22