1 S o 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.

Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judges another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.

2 W e know that God will say those who do such things are guilty.

And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things.

3 D o you think God will punish others for doing wrong and let you keep sinning?

And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

4 D o 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.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5 B ecause 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.

but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

6 H e will give to every man what he should get for the things he has done.

who will render to every man according to his works:

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

to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:

8 T hose 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.

but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,

9 E very Jew and every person who is not a Jew who sins will suffer and have great sorrow.

tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;

10 B ut 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.

but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:

11 G od does not show favor to one man more than to another.

for there is no respect of persons with God.

12 T hose 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.

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;

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

for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified:

14 T he 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.

(for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;

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

in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them);

16 T here 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.

in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.

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

But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,

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

and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

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

and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,

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

a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth;

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

thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22 Y ou 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?

thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?

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

thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God?

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

For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.

25 G oing 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.

For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law: but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.

26 I f 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.

If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?

27 Y ou 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.

and shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of the law?

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

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:

29 T he 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.

but 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 of men, but of God.