Chapter 2

¹Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, every one who judgest, for in that in which thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. ²But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon those who do such things. ³And thinkest thou this, O man, who judgest those that do such things, and practisest them [thyself], that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? ⁴or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance? ⁵but, according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up to thyself wrath, in [the] day of wrath and revelation of [the] righteous judgment of God, ⁶who shall render to each according to his works: ⁷to them who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honour and incorruptibility, life eternal. ⁸But to those that are contentious, and are disobedient to the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [there shall be] wrath and indignation, ⁹tribulation and distress, on every soul of man that works evil, both of Jew first, and of Greek; ¹⁰but glory and honour and peace to every one that works good, both to Jew first and to Greek: ¹¹for there is no acceptance of persons with God. ¹²For as many as have sinned without law shall perish also without law; and as many as have sinned under law shall be judged by law, ¹³(for not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴For when [those of the] nations, which have no law, practise by nature the things of the law, these, having no law, are a law to themselves; ¹⁵who shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or else excusing themselves between themselves;) ¹⁶in [the] day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my glad tidings, by Jesus Christ. ¹⁷But if thou art named a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast in God, ¹⁸and knowest the will, and discerningly approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; ¹⁹and hast confidence that thou thyself art a leader of the blind, a light of those who [are] in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and of truth in the law: ²¹thou then that teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself? thou that preachest not to steal, dost thou steal? ²²thou that sayest [man should] not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? ²³thou who boastest in law, dost thou by transgression of the law dishonour God? ²⁴For the name of God is blasphemed on your account among the nations, according as it is written. ²⁵For circumcision indeed profits if thou keep [the] law; but if thou be a law-transgressor, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. ²⁶If therefore the uncircumcision keep the requirements of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision, ²⁷and uncircumcision by nature, fulfilling the law, judge thee, who, with letter and circumcision, [art] a law-transgressor? ²⁸For he is not a Jew who [is] one outwardly, neither that circumcision which is outward in flesh; ²⁹but he [is] a Jew [who is so] inwardly; and circumcision, of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.