1 T herefore, thou art inexcusable, O man -- every one who is judging -- for in that in which thou dost judge the other, thyself thou dost condemn, for the same things thou dost practise who art judging,

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 a nd we have known that the judgment of God is according to truth, upon those practising such things.

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

3 A nd dost thou think this, O man, who art judging those who such things are practising, and art doing them, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

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

4 o r the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, dost thou despise? -- not knowing that the goodness of God doth lead thee to reformation!

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, according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou dost treasure up to thyself wrath, in a day of wrath and of the 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 shall render to each according to his works;

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

7 t o those, indeed, who in continuance of a good work, do seek glory, and honour, and incorruptibility -- life age-during;

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

8 a nd to those contentious, and disobedient, indeed, to the truth, and obeying the 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 distress, upon every soul of man that is working the evil, both of Jew first, and of Greek;

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

10 a nd glory, and honour, and peace, to every one who is working the good, both to Jew first, and to 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 acceptance of faces with God,

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

12 f or as many as without law did sin, without law also shall perish, and as many as did sin in law, through law shall be judged,

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 f or not the hearers of the law righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be declared righteous: --

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 nations that have not a law, by nature may do the things of the law, these not having a law -- to themselves are a law;

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 do shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also witnessing with them, and between one another the thoughts accusing or else defending,

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 shall judge the secrets of men, according to my good news, through Jesus Christ.

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 L o, thou art named a Jew, and dost rest upon the law, and dost 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 dost know the will, and dost approve the distinctions, 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 hast confidence that thou thyself art a leader of blind ones, a light of those 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 foolish ones, a teacher of babes, having the form of the knowledge and of the 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 T hou, then, who art teaching another, thyself dost thou not teach?

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

22 t hou who art preaching not to steal, dost thou steal? thou who art saying not to commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou who art abhorring the idols, dost thou 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 t hou who in the law dost boast, through the transgression of the law God dost thou dishonour?

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 because of you is evil spoken of among the nations, according as it hath been written.

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

25 F or circumcision, indeed, doth profit, if law thou mayest practise, but if a transgressor of law thou mayest be, thy circumcision hath 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 I f, therefore the uncircumcision the righteousness of the law may keep, shall not his uncircumcision for circumcision be reckoned?

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 the uncircumcision, by nature, fulfilling the law, shall judge thee who, through letter and circumcision, a transgressor of 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 outwardly, neither circumcision that which is outward in flesh;

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

29 b ut a Jew he who is inwardly, and circumcision of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of 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.