Romans

Paul's letter explaining salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and the importance of living a holy life.

Chapter 2

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.

*So, you have no excuse, person, whoever you are who judges others. Because when you judge someone else, you're also condemning yourself since you do the same things.

2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

*But we know for certain, God's judgment is fair and true towards those who do wrong 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?

*Do you really believe, person who judges others for their actions, that you'll avoid God's judgment when you do the same things?

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

*Do you disregard God's kindness, patience, and tolerance? You don't understand that God's kindness is guiding you to feel sorry for your actions.

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;

*But after your stubbornness and unwillingness to change, you store up anger for the day of God's anger and the revealing of His fair judgment.

6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

*Who will give to each person what they deserve based on their actions:

7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

*For those who keep doing good things patiently, they want fame, respect, and never-ending life. They will have everlasting life.

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

*But for those who argue and don't follow the truth, instead choosing to obey wrongdoing, they will experience anger and punishment.

9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

*Trouble and sadness will come to those who do bad things, first to the Jews and then to the non-Jews as well.

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

*But praise, respect, and peace to everyone who does good things, first to the Jewish people and also to non-Jewish people.

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

*God treats everyone the same, without favoritism.

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;

*Those who have sinned without rules will be punished without rules, and those who have sinned with known rules will be judged according to those rules.

13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

*God considers those who follow the law as righteous, not just those who listen to it.

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:

*When non-Jews, who don't have the law, naturally do things that are in the law, they follow a kind of law without knowing it.

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;)

*This verse says that people can understand the law just by looking at their own hearts. Their conscience tells them if they've done something right or wrong. They either blame or defend each other based on their thoughts.

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

*On the day God judges people's hidden actions based on Jesus and my teachings.

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

*Look, you are called a Jew, and you rely on the law, and you brag about God.

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

*And you understand what he wants, and you agree with the best things, because you have been taught by the rules.

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

*And you are sure that you yourself are a guide for those who cannot see, a light for those in the dark.

20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

*A teacher for the ignorant, a guide for young learners, who has the shape of wisdom and truth in the rules.

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

*If you teach others not to do something, are you doing it yourself? And if you preach that people shouldn't steal, do you steal?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

*You who say a person shouldn't have an affair, do you have an affair yourself? You who hate false gods, do you disrespect sacred things?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

*You who brag about following the law, by breaking the law, are you really disrespecting God?

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

*Because of you, God's name is being disrespected among non-Jewish people, just like it's mentioned in the writings.

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

*Circumcision is helpful if you follow the laws. But if you break the laws, your circumcision becomes like not being circumcised.

26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

*So if those who aren't circumcised follow the laws properly, won't their lack of circumcision be considered as if they were circumcised?

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?

*If being uncut naturally follows the law, how can you be judged when you break the law by following just the written rules and being cut?

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

*He's not truly a Jew or circumcised just by appearance, but by what's inside.

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.

*But he is a true Jew on the inside, not just because of outward actions; their hearts are guided by spirit, not just following rules; they care more about what God thinks than what people say.

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