Romans 2:6-16

2:6 He¹ will reward² each one according to his works:³ 2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 2:8 but⁴ wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition⁵ and do not obey the truth but follow⁶ unrighteousness. 2:9 There will be⁷ affliction and distress on everyone⁸ who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek,⁹ 2:10 but¹⁰ glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. 2:11 For there is no partiality with God. 2:12 For all who have sinned apart from the law¹¹ will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.¹² 2:14 For whenever the Gentiles,¹³ who do not have the law, do by nature¹⁴ the things required by the law,¹⁵ these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. 2:15 They¹⁶ show that the work of the law is written¹⁷ in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend¹⁸ them,¹⁹ 2:16 on the day when God will judge²⁰ the secrets of human hearts,²¹ according to my gospel²² through Christ Jesus.

Romans 2:26-29

2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys²³ the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 2:27 And will not the physically uncircumcised man²⁴ who keeps the law judge you who, despite²⁵ the written code²⁶ and circumcision, transgress the law? 2:28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, 2:29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart²⁷ by the Spirit²⁸ and not by the written code.²⁹ This person’s³⁰ praise is not from people but from God.

¹tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

²tn Or “will render,” “will recompense.” In this context Paul is setting up a hypothetical situation, not stating that salvation is by works.

³sn A quotation from Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; a close approximation to Matt 16:27.

⁴tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.

⁵tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”

⁶tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”

⁷tn No verb is expressed in this verse, but the verb “to be” is implied by the Greek construction. Literally “suffering and distress on everyone…”

⁸tn Grk “every soul of man.”

⁹sn Paul uses the term Greek here and in v. 10 to refer to non-Jews, i.e., Gentiles.

¹⁰tn Grk “but even,” to emphasize the contrast. The second word has been omitted since it is somewhat redundant in English idiom.

¹¹sn This is the first occurrence of law (nomos) in Romans. Exactly what Paul means by the term has been the subject of much scholarly debate. According to J. A. Fitzmyer (Romans [AB], 131-35; 305-6) there are at least four different senses: (1) figurative, as a “principle”; (2) generic, meaning “a law”; (3) as a reference to the OT or some part of the OT; and (4) as a reference to the Mosaic law. This last usage constitutes the majority of Paul’s references to “law” in Romans.

¹²tn The Greek sentence expresses this contrast more succinctly than is possible in English. Grk “For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.”

¹³sn Gentile is a NT term for a non-Jew.

¹⁴tn Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:135-37) take the phrase φύσει (fusei, “by nature”) to go with the preceding “do not have the law,” thus: “the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature,” that is, by virtue of not being born Jewish.

¹⁵tn Grk “do by nature the things of the law.”

¹⁶tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

¹⁷tn Grk “show the work of the law [to be] written,” with the words in brackets implied by the Greek construction.

¹⁸tn Or “excuse.”

¹⁹tn Grk “their conscience bearing witness and between the thoughts accusing or also defending one another.”

²⁰tn The form of the Greek word is either present or future, but it is best to translate in future because of the context of future judgment.

²¹tn Grk “of people.”

²²sn On my gospel cf. Rom 16:25; 2 Tim 2:8.

²³tn The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassw, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.

²⁴tn Grk “the uncircumcision by nature.” The word “man” is supplied here to make clear that male circumcision (or uncircumcision) is in view.

²⁵tn Grk “through,” but here the preposition seems to mean “(along) with,” “though provided with,” as BDAG 224 s.v. διά A.3.c indicates.

²⁶tn Grk “letter.”

²⁷sn On circumcision is of the heart see Lev 26:41; Deut 10:16; Jer 4:4; Ezek 44:9.

²⁸tn Some have taken the phrase ἐν πνεύματι (en pneumati, “by/in [the] S/spirit”) not as a reference to the Holy Spirit, but referring to circumcision as “spiritual and not literal” (RSV).

²⁹tn Grk “letter.”

³⁰tn Grk “whose.” The relative pronoun has been replaced by the phrase “this person’s” and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation.