American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Romans 2
1
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are that judge: for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do the same things.
Reference
Judgment
Romans 2:3
Luke 6:37
Luke 19:22
James 4:11
Parallel theme
Romans 9:20
James 2:20
1 Corinthians 7:16
2
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Reference
Judgment
Zephaniah 3:5
Psalm 98:9
Jeremiah 12:1
Psalm 96:13
Revelation 16:5
Revelation 19:2
Acts 17:31
Parallel theme
Psalm 145:17
Isaiah 45:19
References God
Isaiah 45:21
3
And think you this, O man, that judge them which do such things, and do the same, that you shall escape the judgment of God?
Reference
Judgment
Luke 12:14
Parallel theme
Proverbs 16:5
Matthew 23:33
Psalm 50:21
Proverbs 11:21
Matthew 26:53
1 Thessalonians 5:3
Luke 22:58
Ezekiel 17:18
References God
Job 35:2
4
Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Reference
Good
Exodus 34:6
Romans 11:22
Psalm 86:5
Parallel theme
Ephesians 2:7
Ephesians 1:18
Ephesians 1:7
References God
Isaiah 30:18
Romans 3:25
Psalm 86:15
Repentance
2 Peter 3:9
5
But after your hardness and impenitent heart treasure up to yourself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Reference
Judgment
Ecclesiastes 12:14
2 Peter 3:7
Jude 1:6
Psalm 110:5
Parallel theme
Hebrews 3:15
Deuteronomy 32:34
Hebrews 4:7
Hebrews 3:13
Righteousness
Romans 1:18
2 Peter 2:9
7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:
Reference
Eternal Life
2 Timothy 1:10
Romans 6:23
Glory
Colossians 1:27
Romans 2:10
Romans 8:18
Parallel theme
Luke 8:15
1 Corinthians 15:58
Psalm 37:3
Psalm 27:14
Galatians 6:9
8
But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Reference
9
Tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man that does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Peter 4:17
Ezekiel 18:4
Acts 3:26
Romans 1:16
Romans 2:10
Luke 24:47
2 Thessalonians 1:6
10
But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Reference
Glory
Romans 2:7
1 Peter 1:7
Good
James 3:13
Parallel theme
Romans 2:9
Peace
Isaiah 32:17
Isaiah 26:12
Numbers 6:26
Job 22:21
Romans 8:6
Luke 1:79
11
For there is no respect of persons with God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Job 34:19
Colossians 3:25
Deuteronomy 16:19
Ephesians 6:9
References God
Acts 10:34
Deuteronomy 10:17
2 Chronicles 19:7
Galatians 2:6
Matthew 22:16
Luke 20:21
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;
Reference
13
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Reference
Righteousness
1 John 3:7
Galatians 2:16
1 John 2:29
Romans 10:5
Acts 13:39
Psalm 143:2
Romans 3:30
Luke 18:14
Word
Romans 2:25
Luke 8:21
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 to themselves:
Reference
Parallel theme
Ephesians 2:12
Acts 17:30
Acts 10:35
Romans 1:32
Deuteronomy 4:7
Word
Romans 2:12
Romans 2:27
15
Which show 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;)
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 5:11
Titus 1:15
Job 27:6
1 Timothy 4:2
Acts 24:16
Acts 23:1
Ecclesiastes 7:22
Sin
2 Corinthians 1:12
Witness
Romans 9:1
16
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Reference
Judgment
Ecclesiastes 12:14
1 Corinthians 4:5
Acts 17:31
Acts 10:42
Psalm 98:9
Romans 3:6
1 Peter 4:5
2 Peter 2:9
Parallel theme
Luke 8:17
References Jesus
Romans 16:25
18
And know his will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
Reference
19
And are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
Reference
20
An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Reference
21
You therefore which teach another, teach you not yourself? you that preach a man should not steal, do you steal?
Reference
22
You that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? you that abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege?
Reference
Parallel theme
Malachi 3:8
25
For circumcision truly profits, if you keep the law: but if you be a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Reference
26
Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Reference
27
And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge you, who by the letter and circumcision do transgress the law?
Reference
28
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Reference
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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 10:16
Jeremiah 4:4
2 Corinthians 10:18
Jeremiah 4:14
References God
Deuteronomy 30:6
1 Thessalonians 2:4
Resurrection
1 Corinthians 4:5
Spirit
Philippians 3:3
1 Peter 3:4
Romans 7:6
Summary of Romans 2
Romans 2 continues Paul's explanation of humanity's need for God's grace by turning his attention from openly sinful people to religious and moral people who judge others while failing to examine their own lives.
Paul begins by warning that anyone who judges another person while practicing similar wrongdoing is actually condemning themselves, because God's judgment is based on truth rather than appearances.
A person cannot escape God's judgment simply because they know what is right, have a good reputation, or can identify the sins of other people.
Paul explains that God's kindness, patience, and willingness to wait are not signs that He ignores sin; instead, they are opportunities for people to turn away from sin and repent.
If people stubbornly refuse to change, they are storing up judgment for themselves because God's righteous judgment will eventually be revealed.
Paul then makes an important point about God's fairness: God does not show favoritism.
He will judge both Jews and Gentiles according to what they have done, and belonging to a particular ethnic or religious group does not give someone permission to live wrongly.
People who know God's Law are responsible for what they know, while people who do not have the Law are still responsible for the moral understanding they possess.
Paul therefore argues that simply hearing God's Law is not enough.
A person must actually live according to what God requires.
This becomes especially important when Paul discusses Gentiles, because some Gentiles who do not possess the Jewish Law still show an understanding of right and wrong through their conscience and behavior.
Their conscience can sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them, showing that God has given human beings an inner awareness of moral responsibility.
Paul then turns directly toward Jewish people who are proud of their religious knowledge.
He recognizes that they possess many important advantages: they know God's Law, understand His will, teach others, and believe they can guide people who are spiritually lost.
However, Paul asks a difficult question: Do you teach yourself?
If a person teaches others not to steal but steals, tells others not to commit adultery but commits adultery, or teaches obedience to God's Law while breaking it personally, then religious knowledge has become a source of hypocrisy rather than genuine righteousness.
Paul's point is not that God's Law is bad.
His point is that knowing God's Law without obeying it cannot make someone righteous.
A person can possess Scripture, teach Scripture, talk about God, and even be respected as a religious teacher while still having a heart that is far from God.
Paul then discusses circumcision, which was one of the most important physical signs of Jewish identity.
He explains that circumcision has value as part of obedience to God, but the outward sign cannot protect someone who refuses to obey God.
Likewise, a Gentile who genuinely follows what is right can demonstrate more obedience than someone who possesses the outward signs of religion but ignores God's commands.
Paul ends the chapter by moving from outward religion to inward transformation.
He explains that true belonging to God's people is not merely about physical identity, appearance, or religious symbols.
True spiritual identity involves the heart, and Paul says that this inner work is produced by the Spirit.
The central message of Romans 2 is therefore that God does not judge people by religious appearance, ethnic identity, knowledge, or outward signs; He looks at the truth of a person's life and heart.
Paul is preparing his readers for the larger argument of Romans: neither Gentiles nor Jews can claim that they are righteous simply because they belong to a particular group.
Gentiles cannot say, "We do not have the Law, so we are not responsible," while Jews cannot say, "We have the Law and circumcision, so we are automatically accepted by God."
Both groups are responsible before God.
Historically, this message would have been especially important in Rome, where Jewish and Gentile believers lived together in the same Christian communities.
The early church had to deal with important questions about whether Gentile believers needed to follow Jewish customs and whether Jewish believers had a special spiritual advantage.
Paul's answer is balanced: Israel has received important privileges and God's Law, but those privileges do not remove personal responsibility.
The chapter also reflects the wider religious world of the Roman Empire, where public identity, social reputation, family background, and religious customs were extremely important.
Paul challenges the idea that external identity automatically proves a person's moral worth.
His argument is that God sees deeper than society does.
A person may look religious on the outside while being disobedient inside, while another person may lack the outward religious signs but show genuine obedience and moral understanding.
Romans 2 therefore prepares for one of Paul's major conclusions in the next chapters: all people are sinners and all people need God's grace.
No one can stand before God and say, "I am better than those people."
The proper response is humility, repentance, and dependence on God's mercy rather than pride in one's own goodness or religious identity.
Paul begins by warning that anyone who judges another person while practicing similar wrongdoing is actually condemning themselves, because God's judgment is based on truth rather than appearances.
A person cannot escape God's judgment simply because they know what is right, have a good reputation, or can identify the sins of other people.
Paul explains that God's kindness, patience, and willingness to wait are not signs that He ignores sin; instead, they are opportunities for people to turn away from sin and repent.
If people stubbornly refuse to change, they are storing up judgment for themselves because God's righteous judgment will eventually be revealed.
Paul then makes an important point about God's fairness: God does not show favoritism.
He will judge both Jews and Gentiles according to what they have done, and belonging to a particular ethnic or religious group does not give someone permission to live wrongly.
People who know God's Law are responsible for what they know, while people who do not have the Law are still responsible for the moral understanding they possess.
Paul therefore argues that simply hearing God's Law is not enough.
A person must actually live according to what God requires.
This becomes especially important when Paul discusses Gentiles, because some Gentiles who do not possess the Jewish Law still show an understanding of right and wrong through their conscience and behavior.
Their conscience can sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them, showing that God has given human beings an inner awareness of moral responsibility.
Paul then turns directly toward Jewish people who are proud of their religious knowledge.
He recognizes that they possess many important advantages: they know God's Law, understand His will, teach others, and believe they can guide people who are spiritually lost.
However, Paul asks a difficult question: Do you teach yourself?
If a person teaches others not to steal but steals, tells others not to commit adultery but commits adultery, or teaches obedience to God's Law while breaking it personally, then religious knowledge has become a source of hypocrisy rather than genuine righteousness.
Paul's point is not that God's Law is bad.
His point is that knowing God's Law without obeying it cannot make someone righteous.
A person can possess Scripture, teach Scripture, talk about God, and even be respected as a religious teacher while still having a heart that is far from God.
Paul then discusses circumcision, which was one of the most important physical signs of Jewish identity.
He explains that circumcision has value as part of obedience to God, but the outward sign cannot protect someone who refuses to obey God.
Likewise, a Gentile who genuinely follows what is right can demonstrate more obedience than someone who possesses the outward signs of religion but ignores God's commands.
Paul ends the chapter by moving from outward religion to inward transformation.
He explains that true belonging to God's people is not merely about physical identity, appearance, or religious symbols.
True spiritual identity involves the heart, and Paul says that this inner work is produced by the Spirit.
The central message of Romans 2 is therefore that God does not judge people by religious appearance, ethnic identity, knowledge, or outward signs; He looks at the truth of a person's life and heart.
Paul is preparing his readers for the larger argument of Romans: neither Gentiles nor Jews can claim that they are righteous simply because they belong to a particular group.
Gentiles cannot say, "We do not have the Law, so we are not responsible," while Jews cannot say, "We have the Law and circumcision, so we are automatically accepted by God."
Both groups are responsible before God.
Historically, this message would have been especially important in Rome, where Jewish and Gentile believers lived together in the same Christian communities.
The early church had to deal with important questions about whether Gentile believers needed to follow Jewish customs and whether Jewish believers had a special spiritual advantage.
Paul's answer is balanced: Israel has received important privileges and God's Law, but those privileges do not remove personal responsibility.
The chapter also reflects the wider religious world of the Roman Empire, where public identity, social reputation, family background, and religious customs were extremely important.
Paul challenges the idea that external identity automatically proves a person's moral worth.
His argument is that God sees deeper than society does.
A person may look religious on the outside while being disobedient inside, while another person may lack the outward religious signs but show genuine obedience and moral understanding.
Romans 2 therefore prepares for one of Paul's major conclusions in the next chapters: all people are sinners and all people need God's grace.
No one can stand before God and say, "I am better than those people."
The proper response is humility, repentance, and dependence on God's mercy rather than pride in one's own goodness or religious identity.