It seems to me that in Romans 2-11 Paul is thinking and arguing rather self-consciously as a Jewish believer in Jesus, and I suspect that much of this section is a synopsis of fractious debates that he had in the synagogues of Asia Minor and Greece.
Therefore, you are without excuse, O man, everyone who is judging; for in what you judge the other, you condemn yourself, for you, the one judging, practise the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon those practising such things. 3 And do you think this, O man - you who are judging those who practise these things and yet are doing them - that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you disdain the wealth of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But according to your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous-judgment of God,[fn]This is usually understood in transcendent or ultimate terms, but for a first century Jew it would have to be the “day” in history when the God of Israel shows himself to be in the right and in control.[/fn] 6 who will reward each according to his works; 7 to those on the one hand seeking glory and honour and imperishability according to perseverance of good work, life of the age; 8 to those on the other out of self-seeking disobeying the truth but letting themselves be persuaded by the unrighteousness, wrath and fury. 9 Affliction and anguish upon every soul of man working evil, Jew first, then Greek; 10 but glory and honour and peace to everyone working good, Jew first, then Greek; 11 for there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as sinned without the Law, will perish without the Law; and as many as sinned under the Law, will be judged through the Law. 13 For not the hearers of the Law are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For whenever Gentiles who do not have the Law may do by nature the things of the Law, those not having the Law are the Law to themselves.[fn]These Gentiles are not Christians. They are righteous, perhaps God-fearing, Greeks who will be honoured when God judges the ancient pagan world.[/fn] 15 They show the work of the Law written in their hearts, with their conscience witnessing and among each other their thoughts accusing or even defending, 16 on the day God judges the secrets of men according to my gospel by Christ Jesus.
17 But if you are named a Jew and rest upon the Law and boast in God 18 and know (his) will and approve the distinctions, being instructed from the Law, 19 and you are persuaded that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of those in darkness, 20 an instructor of foolish ones, a teacher of children, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of truth; 21 the one then teaching another, do you not teach yourself? The one preaching ‘do not steal’, do you steal? 22 The one saying ‘do not commit adultery’, do you commit adultery? The one abhorring the idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through the transgression of the Law you dishonour God, 24 for the name of God because of you is held in contempt among the nations, as it has been written. 25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the Law; but if you transgress the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
26 If therefore the uncircumcision may keep the precepts of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision? 27 And the uncircumcision by nature fulfilling the Law will judge you who through letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law. 28 For he is not a Jew who is one visibly, nor is circumcision visibly in the flesh, 29 but the Jew is one in a hidden sense, and circumcision is of the heart in the Spirit, not by letter, whose praise is not from men but from God.
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