Paul rebukes the Jews, who as concerning sin are like the heathen; yea, worse than they.
2 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in the same thing that you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge do even the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who commit such things.
3 Do you think, O man, you who judge others who do such things, and yet do even the very same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think nothing of the riches of his goodness, patience, and longsuffering? And remember not how it is that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But you, after your hard heart that cannot repent, heap together against yourself the treasure of wrath for the day of vengeance, when the righteous judgment of God will be revealed. 6 He will reward every person according to his deeds; 7 that is to say, praise, honour, and immortality to those who continue in doing good and seek eternal life; 8 but to those who are rebellious, and reject the truth, and follow iniquity, will come indignation and wrath – 9 tribulation and anguish upon the soul of every person who does evil: of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. 10 To everyone who does good will come praise, honour, and peace: to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. 11 For there is no partiality with God. 12 But whoever has sinned without law will perish without law, and as many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
13 For before God they are not righteous who hear the law, but the doers of the law will be justified. 14 For if the Gentiles who have no law do by nature the things contained in the law, then they, having no law, are a law unto themselves. 15 They show the deeds of the law written in their hearts, while their conscience bears witness to them, and also their thoughts, accusing one another or defending, 16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
17 Behold, you are called a Jew, and trust in the law, and put confidence in God, 18 and know his will, and have confirmation of good and bad in that you are instructed by the law. 19 And you believe that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness – 20 an instructor of those who lack wisdom and a teacher of the unlearned, who has the example of that which ought to be known, and of the truth, in the law. 21 But you who teach another, do not teach yourself. You preach that a person should not steal, and yet you steal. 22 You say a person should not commit adultery, and you break wedlock. You abhor images, and rob God of his honour. 23 You boast in the law, and through breaking the law dishonour God. 24 For the name of God is ill spoken of among the Gentiles because of you, as it is written.
25 Circumcision indeed avails, if you keep the law. But if you break the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man keeps the righteous things contained in the law, shall his uncircumcision not be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it keeps the law, condemn you who, being under the letter and circumcision, do transgress the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is a Jew outwardly. Neither is that thing circumcision which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is hid within, and the circumcision of the heart is the true circumcision, which is in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.