God's Judgment Is Fair
1 Some of you accuse others of doing wrong. But there is no excuse for what you do. When you judge others, you condemn yourselves, because you are guilty of doing the very same things. 2 We know that God is right to judge everyone who behaves in this way. 3 Do you really think God won't punish you, when you behave exactly like the people you accuse? 4 You surely don't think much of God's wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don't you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?
5 But you are stubborn and refuse to turn to God. So you are making things even worse for yourselves on that day when he will show how angry he is and will judge the world with fairness. 6 God will reward each of us for what we have done. 7 He will give eternal life to everyone who has patiently done what is good in the hope of receiving glory, honor, and life that lasts forever. 8 But he will show how angry and furious he can be with every selfish person who rejects the truth and wants to do evil. 9 All who are wicked will be punished with trouble and suffering. It doesn't matter if they are Jews or Gentiles. 10 But all who do right will be rewarded with glory, honor, and peace, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 11 God doesn't have any favorites!
12 Those people who don't know about God's Law will still be punished for what they do wrong. And the Law will be used to judge everyone who knows what it says. 13 God accepts those who obey his Law, but not those who simply hear it.
14 Some people naturally obey the Law's commands, even though they don't have the Law. 15 This proves that the conscience is like a law written in the human heart. And it will show whether we are forgiven or condemned, 16 when God appoints Jesus Christ to judge everyone's secret thoughts, just as my message says.
The Jews and the Law
17 Some of you call yourselves Jews. You trust in the Law and take pride in God. 18 By reading the Scriptures you learn how God wants you to behave, and you discover what is right. 19 You are sure that you are a guide for the blind and a light for all who are in the dark. 20 And since there is knowledge and truth in God's Law, you think you can instruct fools and teach young people.
21 But how can you teach others when you refuse to learn? You preach it is wrong to steal. But do you steal? 22 You say people should be faithful in marriage. But are you faithful? You hate idols, yet you rob their temples. 23 You take pride in the Law, but you disobey the Law and bring shame to God. 24 It is just as the Scriptures tell us, “You have made foreigners say insulting things about God.”
25 Being circumcised is worthwhile, if you obey the Law. But if you don't obey the Law, you are no better off than people who are not circumcised. 26 In fact, if they obey the Law, they are as good as anyone who is circumcised. 27 So everyone who obeys the Law, but has never been circumcised, will condemn you. Even though you are circumcised and have the Law, you still don't obey its teachings.
28 Just because you live like a Jew and are circumcised doesn't make you a real Jew. 29 To be a real Jew you must obey the Law. True circumcision is something that happens deep in your heart, not something done to your body. And besides, you should want praise from God and not from humans.
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoeuer thou art that condemnest: for in that that thou condemnest another, thou condemnest thy selfe: for thou that condemnest, doest the same things. 2 But we know that the iudgement of God is according to trueth, against them which comit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O thou man, that condemnest them which doe such thinges, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse, and patience, and long sufferance, not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But thou, after thine hardnesse, and heart that canot repent, heapest vp as a treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God, 6 Who wil reward euery man according to his woorkes: 7 That is, to them which through patience in well doing, seeke glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, euerlasting life: 8 But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the trueth, and obey vnrighteousnesse, shalbe indignation and wrath. 9 Tribulation and anguish shalbe vpon the soule of euery man that doeth euill: of the Iewe first, and also of the Grecian. 10 But to euery man that doeth good, shalbe glory, and honour, and peace: to the Iew first, and also to the Grecian. 11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as haue sinned without the Lawe, shall perish also without the Lawe: and as many as haue sinned in the Lawe, shall be iudged by the Lawe, 13 (For the hearers of the Lawe are not righteous before God: but the doers of the Lawe shalbe iustified. 14 For when the Gentiles which haue not the Lawe, doe by nature, the things conteined in the Lawe, they hauing not the Lawe, are a Lawe vnto themselues, 15 Which shew the effect of the Lawe written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witnes, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing,) 16 At the day when God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ, according to my Gospel. 17 Beholde, thou art called a Iewe, and restest in the Lawe, and gloriest in God, 18 And knowest his will, and triest the things that dissent from it, in that thou art instructed by the Lawe: 19 And persuadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blinde, a light of them which are in darkenesse, 20 An instructer of them which lacke discretion, a teacher of the vnlearned, which hast the forme of knowledge, and of the truth in ye Law. 21 Thou therefore, which teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe? thou that preachest, A man should not steale, doest thou steale? 22 Thou that saist, A man should not commit adulterie, doest thou commit adulterie? thou that abhorrest idoles, committest thou sacrilege? 23 Thou that gloriest in the Lawe, through breaking the Lawe, dishonourest thou God? 24 For ye Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 25 For circucision verely is profitable, if thou do the Lawe: but if thou be a transgressour of the Lawe, thy circumcision is made vncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the vncircumcision keepe the ordinances of the Lawe, shall not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not vncircumcision which is by nature (if it keepe the Lawe) condemne thee which by the letter and circumcision art a transgressour of the Lawe? 28 For hee is not a Iewe, which is one outwarde: neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Iewe which is one within, and the circumcision is of the heart, in the spirite not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.