2:1 But you— what is your defense? For in judging others you condemn yourself, because you practice the same things!

2:2 Now we know that the judgment of God is right against those who do such things,

2:3 but do you actually think that even though you do the same things, that somehow you will escape God’s justice?

2:4 Ridiculous! You think nothing of his abundant kindness and restraint and patience; do you not understand that God’s kindness is supposed to lead to a change of your mind?

2:5 So in keeping with your hard heart and unchanged mind, you are storing up God’s rage for yourself toward the day God hands down his judgment.

2:6 He will repay everyone for what they did:

2:7 eternal life to those who persist in doing good and look for honor, value, and immortality,

2:8 but anger and rage to the unjust who are rebellious and hostile to the truth and welcome injustice.

2:9 There will be oppression and constriction for everyone who practices evil, first to the Judean and then to the Greek;

2:10 yet there will be honor and value and peace to everyone who does good things, first to the Judean and then to the Greek.

2:11 God will show no favoritism in this!

2:12 Whoever erred without law will die without law, and whoever erred under law will be judged by law.

2:13 For it isn’t those who only hear law that are justified before God, but those who also act accordingly.

2:14 So whenever the non-Judeans who have no law naturally do what law requires, they are acting under their own law.

2:15 They show by their actions that there is a law written on their hearts; their reasoning and conscience work together to either acquit or condemn them,

2:16 on the Day when God will judge what is hidden in people according to my Gospel through Jesus the Anointed.

2:17 Now if you who call yourself a Judean rely on law and brag about belonging to God

2:18 and knowing his will, then you have been trained to test whether something is according to law.

2:19 You think of yourself as a guide for the blind and a light in the darkness,

2:20 a correcter of the reckless and a teacher of babies; you think you have a lock on the knowledge of truth through the law.

2:21 But if that’s the case, teacher, then teach yourself! You tell others not to steal but do it yourself;

2:22 you speak out against adultery but commit it yourself; you detest idols but violate the sanctuary;

2:23 you brag about the law but you cross the line and dishonor God!

2:24 It is because of you that “the name of God is being slandered among the non-Judeans,” just as it is written.

2:25 Now don’t get me wrong; circumcision is of value— as long as you keep practicing the law and never break it, because then your circumcision would be nullified.

2:26 So if the uncircumcised do what the law requires, shouldn’t they be considered circumcised?

2:27 Not only that, these uncircumcised who naturally do what the law requires will be your judges, since you broke the law even though you knew it and were circumcised!

2:28 In fact, it isn’t the external that makes one a Judean; it isn’t what’s apparent in the flesh via circumcision.

2:29 A true Judean is one on the inside, who is circumcised in spirit and not the letter of law; their praise will not come from people but from God.