Devine Scripture

Romans 2:13

What does Romans 2:13 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 2:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 2:13 means

Hearing the Law, even admiring it, does not make a person righteous before God. Only doers of the Law would be declared righteous on that basis. Implicitly, this exposes the problem: those who boast in the Law often fail to keep it, and thus the Law condemns rather than acquits. Paul is not teaching a path of justification by human law-keeping; he is stating the standard the Law itself demands, which no sinner meets perfectly. Therefore, this verse strips the complacent hearer of any illusion that knowledge equals righteousness and presses the need for a deeper work that results in actual obedience.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For it is not the hearers of the law who will be judged as having righteousness before God, but only the doers:

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for not the hearers of the law <FI>are<Fi> righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be declared righteous: --

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

(for not the hearers of the law [are] just beforeGod, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Context

Continuing from verse 12, Paul refines the principle: having the Law is not the same as keeping it. Verses 14–15 will show that Gentiles, without the Law, still display moral awareness through conscience, confirming that God’s standard reaches all. Then verse 16 will point to the final judgment where hidden realities are unveiled by Jesus Christ. The flow exposes the insufficiency of mere possession of revelation apart from obedience.

v.12For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;

v.13This passage

v.14(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;

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 1 John 2:29

    If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.

  • Deuteronomy 5:1

    And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them.

  • Romans 3:30

    if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.

  • Ezekiel 33:30

    And as for thee, son of man, the children of thy people talk of thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from Jehovah.

  • Luke 10:25

    And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

  • Romans 2:25

    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.

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