Therefore you have no excuse, O you, every one of you who judges, for in whatever things you judge others, you condemn yourself, because you who judge are practicing the same things.
Now we know that God’s judgment against those who practice such things is according to the truth.
Now do you suppose, O you who judge those who practice such things and yet do the same, that you will escape God’s judgment?
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
But corresponding to your stubborn and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed,
who will repay each person according to his works:
life in the age to come to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and incorruptibility;
but wrath and fury to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness.
Affliction and distress will come upon every human soul who does what is evil, this applies to the Jew first and also to the Greek,
but glory and honor and peace will come upon everyone who does what is good, this applies to the Jew first and also to the Greek,
for there is no favoritism with God.
God's Judgment and the Law
For all those who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all those who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law,
for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous—
for whenever Gentiles who do not have the law do by nature the things required by the law, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law,
since they demonstrate that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, while their conflicting thoughts either accuse or else excuse them—
on the day when God, through Jesus Christ, will judge what people have kept secret, just as I proclaim in my good news.
But if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God,
and know his will, and determine what is best because you are being instructed by the law,
and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide for the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
an instructor of the senseless, a teacher of the spiritually immature, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth….
Therefore, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach not to steal, do you steal?
You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law.
For as it is written, the name of God is defamed among the Gentiles because of you.
For indeed, circumcision benefits you if you keep the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
So, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?
And the one who is physically uncircumcised but who accomplishes the requirements of the law will judge you who in spite of having the written law and circumcision are a transgressor of the law.
For a person is not a true Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision outwardly in the flesh.
On the contrary, a person is a true Jew who is one inwardly, and true circumcision is of the heart by the spirit, not by the written law. This person’s praise is not from people but from God.