Romans 2:17–29

¹⁷Lo, thou art named a Jew, and dost rest upon the law, and dost boast in God, ¹⁸and dost know the will, and dost approve the distinctions, being instructed out of the law, ¹⁹and hast confidence that thou thyself art a leader of blind ones, a light of those in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of foolish ones, a teacher of babes, having the form of the knowledge and of the truth in the law. ²¹Thou, then, who art teaching another, thyself dost thou not teach? ²²thou who art preaching not to steal, dost thou steal? thou who art saying not to commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou who art abhorring the idols, dost thou rob temples? ²³thou who in the law dost boast, through the transgression of the law God dost thou dishonour? ²⁴for the name of God because of you is evil spoken of among the nations, according as it hath been written. ²⁵For circumcision, indeed, doth profit, if law thou mayest practise, but if a transgressor of law thou mayest be, thy circumcision hath become uncircumcision. ²⁶If, therefore the uncircumcision the righteousness of the law may keep, shall not his uncircumcision for circumcision be reckoned? ²⁷and the uncircumcision, by nature, fulfilling the law, shall judge thee who, through letter and circumcision, art a transgressor of law. ²⁸For he is not a Jew who is so outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is outward in flesh; ²⁹but a Jew is he who is so inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of God.

Chapter 3