1 T herefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

So you can say nothing because you are guilty when you say someone else is guilty. While you say someone is guilty, you are doing the same things he does.

2 B ut we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

We know that God will say those who do such things are guilty.

3 A nd do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Do you think God will punish others for doing wrong and let you keep sinning?

4 O r do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Do you forget about His loving-kindness to you? Do you forget how long He is waiting for you? You know that God is kind. He is trying to get you to be sorry for your sins and turn from them.

5 B ut in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

Because you are not sorry for your sins and will not turn from them, you will be punished even more on the day of God’s anger. God will be right in saying you are guilty.

6 w ho “will render to each one according to his deeds”:

He will give to every man what he should get for the things he has done.

7 e ternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

Those who keep on doing good and are looking for His greatness and honor will receive life that lasts forever.

8 b ut to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,

Those who love only themselves and do not obey the truth, but do what is wrong, will be punished by God. His anger will be on them.

9 t ribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;

Every Jew and every person who is not a Jew who sins will suffer and have great sorrow.

10 b ut glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

But God will give His greatness and honor and peace to all those who obey the truth. Both Jews and those who are not Jews will receive this.

11 F or there is no partiality with God.

God does not show favor to one man more than to another.

12 F or as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law

Those who have sinned without having the Law will be lost without the Law being used. Those who have the Law and have sinned will be judged by the Law.

13 ( for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;

Just to hear the Law does not make a man right with God. The man right with God is the one who obeys the Law.

14 f or when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,

The people who are not Jews do not have the Law. When they do what the Law tells them to do, even if they do not have the Law, it shows they know what they should do.

15 w ho show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them )

They show that what the Law wants them to do is written in their hearts. Their own hearts tell them if they are guilty.

16 i n the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. The Jews Guilty as the Gentiles

There will be a day when God will judge because He knows the secret thoughts of men. He will do this through Jesus Christ. This is part of the Good News I preach.

17 I ndeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,

You are a Jew and think you are safe because of the Law. You tell others about how you know God.

18 a nd know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

You know what He wants you to do. You understand how the Law works. You know right from wrong.

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

You think you can lead a blind man. You think you can give light to those in darkness.

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

You think you can teach foolish people and children about God. You have in the Law the plan of truth and wisdom.

21 Y ou, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?

You teach others. Why do you not teach yourselves? You tell others not to steal. Do you steal?

22 Y ou who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

You say that no one should do sex sins. Do you do sex sins? You hate false gods. Do you rob the houses where they are kept?

23 Y ou who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

You are proud of the Law. Do you take honor away from God when you do not obey the Law?

24 F or “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. Circumcision of No Avail

The Holy Writings say, “God’s name is hated by the people who are not Jews because of you.”

25 F or circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

Going through the religious act of becoming a Jew is worth something if you obey the Law. If you do not obey the Law, it is worth nothing to you.

26 T herefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

If a person who is not a Jew and has not gone through the act of becoming a Jew, obeys the Law, God will think of him as a Jew.

27 A nd will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?

You Jews have the Law but do not obey it. You have gone through the religious act also. At the same time those who are not Jews obey the Law even if they have not gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew. In this way, these people show you are guilty.

28 F or he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;

A man is not a Jew just because he goes through the religious act of becoming a Jew.

29 b ut 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.

The true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. The religious act of becoming a Jew must be done in the heart. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Law does not do that kind of work. The true Jew gets his thanks from God, not from men.