Romans 2:12–29

¹²For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.^{b 14}For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, although they^* do not have the law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵who show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts one after another accusing or even defending them ¹⁶on the day when God judges the secret things of people, according to my gospel, through^c Christ Jesus.

Jews also Condemned by the Law

¹⁷But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God ¹⁸and know his will and approve the things that are superior, because you^* are instructed by the law, ¹⁹and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of those in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth in the law. ²¹Therefore, the one who teaches someone else, do you not teach yourself? The one who preaches not to steal, do you steal? ²²The one who says not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one who abhors idols, do you rob temples? ²³Who boast in the law, by the transgression of the law you dishonor God!^{d 24}For just as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”^e

²⁵For circumcision is of value if you do the law, but if you should be a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶Therefore, if the uncircumcised person follows the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be credited for circumcision? ²⁷And the uncircumcised person by nature who carries out the law will judge you who, though provided with the precise written code^f and circumcision are a transgressor of the law. ²⁸For the Jew is not one outwardly^g, nor is circumcision outwardly^h, in the flesh. ²⁹But the Jew is one inwardlyⁱ, and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter, whose praise is not from people but from God.