1 T herefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

Therefore you have no excuse or defense or justification, O man, whoever you are who judges and condemns another. For in posing as judge and passing sentence on another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge are habitually practicing the very same things.

2 B ut we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

we know that the judgment (adverse verdict, sentence) of God falls justly and in accordance with truth upon those who practice such things.

3 A nd thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

And do you think or imagine, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His sentence and adverse verdict?

4 O r despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Or are you trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repent ( to change your mind and inner man to accept God’s will)?

5 B ut after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

But by your callous stubbornness and impenitence of heart you are storing up wrath and indignation for yourself on the day of wrath and indignation, when God’s righteous judgment (just doom) will be revealed.

6 W ho will render to every man according to his deeds:

For He will render to every man according to his works:

7 T o them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

To those who by patient persistence in well-doing '> springing from piety] seek glory and honor and '> the eternal blessedness of] immortality, He will give eternal life.

8 B ut unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

But for those who are self-seeking and self-willed and disobedient to the Truth but responsive to wickedness, there will be indignation and wrath.

9 T ribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

there will be tribulation and anguish and calamity and constraint for every soul of man who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile).

10 B ut glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

But glory and honor and peace shall be awarded to everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile).

11 F or there is no respect of persons with God.

For God shows no partiality '> undue favor or unfairness; with Him one man is not different from another].

12 F or 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;

All who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law.

13 ( For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

For it is not merely hearing the Law that makes one righteous before God, but it is the doers of the Law who will be held guiltless and acquitted and justified.

14 F or 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 unto themselves:

When Gentiles who have not the Law do instinctively what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, since they do not have the Law.

15 W hich shew 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;)

They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse

16 I n the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

On that day when, as my Gospel proclaims, God by Jesus Christ will judge men in regard to the things which they conceal (their hidden thoughts).

17 B ehold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

But if you bear the name of Jew and rely upon the Law and pride yourselves in God and your relationship to Him,

18 A nd knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

And know and understand His will and discerningly approve the better things and have a sense of what is vital, because you are instructed by the Law;

19 A nd art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

And if you are confident that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, and [that

20 A n instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

You are] a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—

21 T hou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you teach against stealing, do you steal (take what does not really belong to you)?

22 T hou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery ? You who abhor and loathe idols, do you rob temples '> doing sacrilege]?

23 T hou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

You who boast in the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law ?

24 F or the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

For, as it is written, The name of God is maligned and blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you!

25 F or circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

Circumcision does indeed profit if you keep the Law; but if you habitually transgress the Law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26 T herefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be credited to him as circumcision?

27 A nd shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the Law will condemn you who, although you have the code in writing and have circumcision, break the Law.

28 F or he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

For he is not a Jew who is only one outwardly and publicly, nor is circumcision something external and physical.

29 B ut 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.

But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal. His praise is not from men but from God.