Romans 2

New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel

Romans 2

1Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, everyone who judges, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself, for you who judge are practicing the same things.Διὸ ἀναπολόγητος εἶ, ὦ ἄνθρωπε πᾶς ὁ κρίνων· ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίνεις τὸν ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν κατακρίνεις, τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ πράσσεις ὁ κρίνων.

2But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon those practicing such things.Οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἐπὶ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντας.

3But do you suppose this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things yet doing them, that you will escape the judgment of God?Λογίζῃ δὲ τοῦτο, ὦ ἄνθρωπε ὁ κρίνων τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντας καὶ ποιῶν αὐτά, ὅτι σὺ ἐκφεύξῃ τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ;

4Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?Ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει;

5But according to your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God,Κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ,

6who “will recompense to each one according to his works”:ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ·

7to those who by the endurance of good works are seeking glory and honor and incorruption—eternal life.τοῖς μὲν καθ᾽ ὑπομονὴν ἔργου ἀγαθοῦ δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν ζητοῦσι, ζωὴν αἰώνιον·

8But to those who are contentious, and who disobey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,τοῖς δὲ ἐξ ἐριθείας, καὶ ἀπειθοῦσι μὲν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πειθομένοις δὲ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, θυμὸς καὶ ὀργή,

9tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that works evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;θλῖψις καὶ στενοχωρία, ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἀνθρώπου τοῦ κατεργαζομένου τὸ κακόν, Ἰουδαίου τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνος·

10but glory, honor, and peace to everyone that works good, both to the Jew first and to the Greek.δόξα δὲ καὶ τιμὴ καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθόν, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι·

11For there is no partiality with God.οὐ γάρ ἐστι προσωποληψία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ.

12For all who have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law shall be judged by the lawὍσοι γὰρ ἀνόμως ἥμαρτον, ἀνόμως καὶ ἀπολοῦνται· καὶ ὅσοι ἐν νόμῳ ἥμαρτον, διὰ νόμου κριθήσονται·

13(for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ τοῦ νόμου δίκαιοι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ ποιηταὶ τοῦ νόμου δικαιωθήσονται.

14for whenever Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, these, not having the law, are a law unto themselves,Ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῇ, οὗτοι, νόμον μὴ ἔχοντες, ἑαυτοῖς εἰσι νόμος·

15who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience witnessing with them, and among themselves their thoughts accuse or even defend them),οἵτινες ἐνδείκνυνται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, συμμαρτυρούσης αὐτῶν τῆς συνειδήσεως, καὶ μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων τῶν λογισμῶν κατηγορούντων ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων,

16in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to my gospel through Jesus Christ.ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε κρινεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου, διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.

17Behold, you are called a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God,Ἴδε σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ἐπονομάζῃ, καὶ ἐπαναπαύῃ τῷ νόμῳ, καὶ καυχᾶσαι ἐν Θεῷ,

18and know His will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law,καὶ γινώσκεις τὸ θέλημα, καὶ δοκιμάζεις τὰ διαφέροντα, κατηχούμενος ἐκ τοῦ νόμου,

19and are convinced that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness,πέποιθάς τε σεαυτὸν ὁδηγὸν εἶναι τυφλῶν, φῶς τῶν ἐν σκότει,

20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth in the law.παιδευτὴν ἀφρόνων, διδάσκαλον νηπίων, ἔχοντα τὴν μόρφωσιν τῆς γνώσεως καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐν τῷ νόμῳ·

21You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?ὁ οὖν διδάσκων ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; Ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν, κλέπτεις;

22You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege?Ὁ λέγων μὴ μοιχεύειν, μοιχεύεις; Ὁ βδελυσσόμενος τὰ εἴδωλα, ἱεροσυλεῖς;

23You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God through the transgression of the law?Ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις;

24For “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.Τὸ γὰρ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ δι᾽ ὑμᾶς βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, καθὼς γέγραπται.

25For indeed circumcision profits if you keep the law; but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.Περιτομὴ μὲν γὰρ ὠφελεῖ, ἐὰν νόμον πράσσῃς· ἐὰν δὲ παραβάτης νόμου ᾖς, ἡ περιτομή σου ἀκροβυστία γέγονεν.

26Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ ἀκροβυστία τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ νόμου φυλάσσῃ, οὐχὶ ἡ ἀκροβυστία αὐτοῦ εἰς περιτομὴν λογισθήσεται;

27And will not the physically uncircumcised, who keeps the law, judge you along with your written code and circumcision, as a lawbreaker?Καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβυστία, τὸν νόμον τελοῦσα, σὲ τὸν διὰ γράμματος καὶ περιτομῆς παραβάτην νόμου;

28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in flesh;Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν, οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ ἐν σαρκὶ περιτομή·

29but he is a Jew that is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not from men but from God.ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος, καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας ἐν Πνεύματι, οὐ γράμματι· οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ.

The Fathers on Romans 2

Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Romans 2:17–18

Saint John Chrysostom

Eastern Fathers · c. 391 AD · Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans

“Behold,thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest His will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law.”

Read Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans →