Romans 2

1So you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For when you judge another person, you are condemning yourself, because you do the same things.

2We know that God judges fairly those who do such things.

3So do you think — you who judge others but do the same things — that you will escape God's judgment?

4Or do you look down on the riches of God's kindness, patience, and self-control? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to change your heart?

5But because you are stubborn and refuse to change, you are storing up anger against yourself for the day of anger, when God's fair judgment will be shown.

6God will pay back each person for what they have done.

7To those who keep on doing good, seeking glory, honor, and life that never ends, He will give eternal life.

8But for those who are selfish, who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be anger and fury.

9There will be trouble and suffering for everyone who does evil — first for the Jew, and also for the Greek.

10But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good — first for the Jew, and also for the Greek.

11For God treats everyone the same.

12All who sin without knowing the law of Moses will also be lost without the law. And all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.

13For it is not those who hear the law who are right with God, but those who obey the law who will be made right.

14People who are not Jews do not have the law. But when they do by nature what the law requires, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.

15They show that the demands of the law are written on their hearts. Their conscience agrees, and their own thoughts sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them.

16This will all be clear on the day when God judges people's secrets through Christ Jesus, as my good news says.

17Now you call yourself a Jew. You depend on the law and brag that you are close to God.

18You know what God wants, and because the law has taught you, you can tell what is best.

19You are sure that you are a guide for the blind and a light for those in the dark,

20a teacher of the foolish and of the young, because in the law you have the full shape of knowledge and truth.

21So you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You preach that people should not steal — do you steal?

22You say people should not commit adultery — do you commit adultery? You hate idols — do you rob temples?

23You brag about the law — do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

24As the Scripture says: Because of you, God's name is insulted among the other nations.

25Being circumcised has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, you might as well not be circumcised at all.

26So if those who are not circumcised obey what the law requires, will they not be counted as if they were circumcised?

27The one who is not circumcised in body but obeys the law will judge you who break the law, even though you have the written law and are circumcised.

28A real Jew is not just one on the outside, and real circumcision is not only on the outside, in the body.

29No, a real Jew is one on the inside, and real circumcision is of the heart, done by the Spirit, not by the written law. Such a person is praised by God, not by people.