Romans 2: No One Is Exempt
Paul turns from obvious sinners to confident moralists, showing that judging others while doing the same things stores up wrath rather than escaping it.
Romans 2 (WEB)
1 Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.
2 We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God;
6 who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:”
7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life;
8 but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation,
9 oppression and anguish, on every soul of man who works evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
10 But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
13 For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified
14 (for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.
17 Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God,
18 and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth.
21 You therefore who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn’t steal, do you steal?
22 You who say a man shouldn’t commit adultery. Do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23 You who glory in the law, through your disobedience of the law do you dishonor God?
24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.
25 For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
26 If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision?
27 Won’t the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law?
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;
29 but 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 from men, but from God.
Romans 2 (KJV)
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans 2 (ASV)
1 Wherefore 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.
2 And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that practise such things.
3 And reckonest thou this, O man, who judgest them that practise such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5 but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 who will render to every man according to his works:
7 to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
8 but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation,
9 tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;
10 but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek:
11 for there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For 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;
13 for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;
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;
15 in 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);
16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.
17 But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,
18 and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
19 and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,
20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth;
21 thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?
23 thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.
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.
26 If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?
27 and 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?
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:
29 but 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.
Summary
Paul now turns to the person who reads chapter 1 and nods in agreement at others' sins while doing the same things. Such a one is without excuse, for in judging another he condemns himself. God's judgment is according to truth, and those who presume on his kindness while remaining unrepentant are storing up wrath for the day of judgment, when God will repay each according to his deeds. There is no partiality with God: he judges Jew and Greek alike, and it is not the hearers of the law but the doers who will be justified. Even Gentiles without the written law sometimes do by nature what the law requires, showing its work written on their hearts. Paul then addresses the Jew who relies on the law and boasts in God yet dishonors him by breaking the very law he teaches, so that God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of him. Outward circumcision profits nothing if the law is broken; true circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, and the real Jew is one inwardly, whose praise comes not from people but from God.
Key Figures
- Paul — The apostle who confronts the self-righteous judge, exposing how condemning others while practicing the same sins leaves a person without excuse before God.
- The moral judge — The person who looks down on the sins of chapter 1 while committing the same things, presuming on God's kindness and treasuring up wrath.
- God the righteous Judge — The one who judges according to truth, shows no partiality, and will repay every person according to their deeds, Jew and Greek alike.
- The confident Jew — The one who rests on the law and boasts in God yet dishonors him by disobedience, learning that outward circumcision without obedience profits nothing.
Key Verse
Romans 2:11 (WEB)
For there is no partiality with God.
Lessons Learned
- Judging others' sins does not exempt us; it condemns us when we do the same things.
- God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance, not to be presumed upon.
- God judges impartially, according to truth and deeds, with no favoritism.
- Real belonging to God is an inward reality of the heart, not merely an outward mark.
- Judgment of others rebounds on us. "In that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things" (Romans 2:1, WEB). The pointing finger turns back on the one who points it.
- God's kindness aims at repentance. "The goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4, WEB). His patience is mercy, not approval, and is meant to draw us home, not to be despised.
- God shows no partiality. "There is no partiality with God" (Romans 2:11, WEB). He plays no favorites; status and religious labels secure no one before his impartial judgment.
- True religion is inward. "He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter" (Romans 2:29, WEB). God seeks heart reality, not mere external signs.
- Why does Paul say the person who judges others is "without excuse" (2:1)?
- What does it mean to presume on "the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience" (2:4)?
- How does the truth that "there is no partiality with God" (2:11) challenge religious or moral pride?
- What is the difference between being a "hearer" of the law and a "doer" of it (2:13)?
- Where are you tempted to rely on outward markers of faith rather than a transformed heart?
- The moral judge condemns the sins of others while committing the same things, so the very standard he uses convicts him (2:1-3). His knowledge of right and wrong increases his guilt rather than excusing it. Paul is closing the last escape hatch: respectability is no refuge from sin.
- To presume on God's goodness is to treat his patience as permission, assuming that because judgment is delayed it will never come (2:4-5). In reality his kindness is an invitation to repent. Help the group see delayed judgment as mercy that calls for response, not as indifference.
- Impartiality means no one is shielded by heritage, religion, or reputation; God weighs the heart and deeds of all alike (2:11). This dismantles every form of spiritual superiority. It also assures us that God's judgment is utterly fair, never swayed by appearances.
- Hearing the law informs the mind; doing it requires obedient action, and only doers are justified before God in this sense (2:13). Paul is not teaching salvation by works but exposing that mere possession of God's truth saves no one. Knowledge must become life.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider quietly which outward signs—attendance, knowledge, family background—they might lean on instead of heart change. Encourage honesty and point toward the inward circumcision God works by his Spirit.