Romans 2

1Wherefore thou art without excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practise the same things.

1So you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others. When you judge another person, you are actually condemning yourself, because you are doing the very same things.

2And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things.

2We know that God’s judgment is fair and right when he acts against people who do such things.

3And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

3Do you really think, as you judge others for things you do yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment?

4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

4Or do you look down on the great kindness, tolerance, and patience of God? Don't you realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to turn away from your sins?

5but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

5But because of your stubbornness and your heart that refuses to change, you are storing up punishment for yourself on the day of God’s anger, when his fair judgment will be revealed.

6who will render to every man according to his works:

6God will reward or punish everyone according to what they have done.

7to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:

7He will give eternal life to those who persistently do good and seek for glory, honor, and immortality.

8but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,

8But there will be anger and fury for those who are selfish, who reject the truth, and who follow what is wrong.

9tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;

9There will be suffering and distress for every human being who does evil, for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.

10but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:

10But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.

11for there is no respect of persons with God.

11For God does not show favoritism.

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;

12Everyone who sins without having the law will perish without the law, and everyone who sins while having the law will be judged by the law.

13for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;

13For God does not consider people right just because they hear the law; he will declare people right only if they obey the law.

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;

14Even when Gentiles, who do not have the law, naturally do what the law requires, they show that they follow a law of their own.

15in 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);

15They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts. Their own consciences and thoughts confirm this, sometimes accusing them and sometimes defending them.

16in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.

16This will all happen on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, just as the Good News I preach declares.

17But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,

17But suppose you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and brag about your relationship with God.

18and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

18Suppose you know what he wants and you approve of what is right because you are taught by the law.

19and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,

19You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are in the dark.

20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth;

20You think you are a teacher of the foolish and an instructor of the young because you have the basic principles of knowledge and truth in the law.

21thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

21Well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You preach against stealing, but do you steal?

22thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?

22You say people should not commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You hate idols, but do you rob their temples?

23thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God?

23You brag about having God’s law, but do you bring shame to God by breaking that law?

24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.

24As the Scriptures say, 'The Gentiles insult the name of God because of you.'

25For 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.

25Circumcision is valuable if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is as if you were never circumcised at all.

26If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?

26And if those who are not circumcised obey the law’s requirements, won't God consider them as though they were circumcised?

27and 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?

27In fact, the person who is not physically circumcised but obeys the law will judge you. Even though you have the written law and are circumcised, you still break the law.

28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:

28A person is not a real Jew just because of their outward appearance, and true circumcision is not just a physical mark on the body.

29but 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.

29A person is a true Jew who is one on the inside. Real circumcision is a change of the heart produced by the Spirit, not by following a written code. Such a person seeks praise from God, not from people.