¹²Some people do not know God’s law when they sin. They will not be judged by the law when they die. Others do know God’s law when they sin. They will be judged by the law. ¹³Hearing the law does not make a person right with God. People are considered to be right with God only when they obey the law.

¹⁴Those who aren’t Jews do not have the law. Sometimes they just naturally do what the law requires. They are a law for themselves. This is true even though they don’t have the law. ¹⁵They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts. The way their minds judge them gives witness to that fact. Sometimes their thoughts find them guilty. At other times their thoughts find them not guilty.

¹⁶People will be judged on the day God appoints Jesus Christ to judge their secret thoughts. That’s part of my good news.

The Jews and the Law

¹⁷Suppose you call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law. You brag that you are close to God. ¹⁸You know what God wants. You agree with what is best because the law teaches you. ¹⁹You are sure you can lead people who are blind. You are sure you are a light for those who are in the dark. ²⁰You claim to be able to teach foolish people. You can even teach babies. You think that in the law you have all knowledge and truth.

²¹You teach others. But you don’t teach yourself! You preach against stealing. But you steal! ²²You say that people should not commit adultery. But you commit adultery! You hate statues of gods. But you rob temples! ²³You brag about the law. But when you break it, you rob God of his honor! ²⁴It is written, “Those who aren’t Jews say evil things against God’s name because of you.”

²⁵Circumcision has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is just as if you hadn’t been circumcised.

²⁶Sometimes those who aren’t circumcised do what the law requires. Won’t God accept them as if they had been circumcised? ²⁷Many are not circumcised physically, but they obey the law. They will prove that you are guilty. You are breaking the law, even though you have the written law and are circumcised.

²⁸A man is not a Jew if he is a Jew only on the outside. And circumcision is more than just something done to the outside of a man’s body.

²⁹No, a man is a Jew only if he is a Jew on the inside. And true circumcision means that the heart has been circumcised. It is done by the Holy Spirit. It is more than just obeying the written Law. Then a man’s praise will not come from others. It will come from God.

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