Chapter II: Wickedness Destroys Gentiles and Jews

1 [1:18]FOR the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and wickedness of men who hold the truth in wickedness, [1:19]because what can be known of God is manifest among them; for God has manifested [himself] to them. [1:20]For his invisible [attributes] are clearly seen from the creation of the world, being perceived by the things which are made, even his eternal power and deity, so that they have no defense, [1:21]because having known God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful, but became vain in their reasonings and their ignorant mind was darkened. [1:22]Saying that they were wise they became foolish, [1:23]and changed the glory of the imperishable God into the likeness of the image of perishable man, and of birds, and quadrupeds, and reptiles.

2 [1:24]Wherefore God also gave them up with the desires of their hearts to impurity, to disgrace their bodies among themselves, [1:25]who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creation more than the Creator, who is blessed forever, amen.

3 [1:26]Therefore God gave them up to infamous affections; for their females changed a natural enjoyment for that which is against nature, [1:27]and in like manner also the males, leaving the natural enjoyment of the female, became the subjects of inordinate desires for each other, males with males committing indecency, and receiving in return the recompense of their error which was fit.

4 [1:28]And as they did not choose to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do things which are not proper, [1:29]being filled with all wickedness, malice, covetousness, vice, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions, whisperers, [1:30]evil speakers, haters of God, injurious, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [1:31]unintelligent, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful, [1:32]who knowing the ordinance of God, that those who do such things deserve death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in those who do them.

5 [2:1]Wherefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are that judge, for in that in which you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge do the same things. [2:2]But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who do such things. [2:3]But do you think this, O man, who judge those doing such things and do the same, that you shall escape the judgment of God? [2:4]or do you despise the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to a change of mind? [2:5]But according to your hardness and unchanged heart you treasure up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and of a revelation of the righteous judgment of God, [2:6]who will render to each according to his works; [2:7]to those who by patience in good works seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; [2:8]but to those who are contentions and disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. [2:9]Affliction and distress [shall be] on every soul of man that does evil, both the Jew first and the Greek; [2:10] and glory and honor and peace to every one that does good, both the Jew first and the Greek.

6 [2:11]For there is no respect of persons with God. [2:12]For as many as have sinned without the law shall perish without the law, and as many as have sinned with the law shall be judged by the law,-- [2:13]for not the hearers of the law are righteous with God, but the doers of the law shall be justified; [2:14]for when the nations which have not the law perform by nature [the commandments] of the law, these who have not the law are a law to themselves, [2:15]and they show the work of the law written in their minds, their consciences testifying with them, and their judgments mutually accusing or defending one another;-- [2:16]in the day when God shall judge the secret [doings] of men according to my gospel through Jesus Christ.

7 [2:17]But [what] if you are called a Jew and rest on the law, and boast of God, [2:18]and know his will, and approve of things which are excellent, being instructed by the law, [2:19]and believe yourself to be a guide of the blind, a light of those in darkness, [2:20]an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law; [2:21]you that teach another, do you not teach yourself? You that preach not to steal, do you steal? [2:22]You that command not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you commit sacrilege? [2:23]You who boast of the law, by the transgression of the law do you dishonor God? [2:24]For the name of God is blasphemed on your account among the nations as it is written.

8 [2:25]For circumcision indeed is profitable if you perform the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. [2:26]If therefore the uncircumcision keeps the ordinances of the law, shall not its uncircumcision be accounted for circumcision? [2:27]And the uncircumcision by nature which keeps the law shall judge you who with the written law and circumcision are a transgressor of the law. [2:28]For not that which is external is the Jew, nor is that which is external in the flesh circumcision. [2:29]But that which is in secret is the Jew, and circumcision of the heart is in the spirit not in the writing, the commendation of which is not of men but of God.

9 [3:1]What then is the preeminence of the Jew? or what the profit of circumcision? [3:2]Much in every way. For first, indeed, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. [3:3]For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief destroy the faith of God? [3:4]By no means; but let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mayest be justified in thy sayings and overcome when thou art judged.

10 [3:5]But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak as a man;-- [3:6] by no means;--since [if he was] how shall God judge the world? [3:7]For if the truth of God abounded by my falsehood to his glory, why am I also yet judged as a sinner? [3:8]And as we are falsely accused and as some declare that we say, [do we say] Let us do evil that good may come? Whose judgment is just.

11 [3:9]What defense then have we? None at all; for we before asserted that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, [3:10]as it is written, There is none righteous not one, [3:11]there is none that understands, there is none that seeks God; [3:12]all have turned aside, they have together become unprofitable; there is no one that does good, there is not even one; [3:13]their throat is an opened tomb, with their tongues they practise deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips. [3:14]Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. [3:15] Their feet are swift to shed blood, [3:16]destruction and misery are in their ways, [3:17]and the way of peace they have not known. [3:18]There is no fear of God before their eyes. [3:19]But we know that whatever the law says, it says to those having the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before God. [3:20]Wherefore by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified is his sight, for by the law there is an acknowledgment of sin.