Romans 2:2-10

2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth ¹  against those who practice such things. 2:3 And do you think, ²  whoever you are, when you judge ³  those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, ⁴  that you will escape God’s judgment? 2:4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know ⁵  that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 2:5 But because of your stubbornness ⁶  and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! ⁷  2:6 He ⁸  will reward ⁹  each one according to his works: ¹⁰  2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 2:8 but ¹¹  wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition ¹²  and do not obey the truth but follow ¹³  unrighteousness. 2:9 There will be ¹⁴  affliction and distress on everyone ¹⁵  who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, ¹⁶  2:10 but ¹⁷  glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.

¹ tn Or “based on truth.”

² tn Grk “do you think this,” referring to the clause in v. 3b.

³ tn Grk “O man, the one who judges.”

⁴ tn Grk “and do them.” The other words are supplied to bring out the contrast implied in this clause.

⁵ tn Grk “being unaware.”

⁶ tn Grk “hardness.” Concerning this imagery, see Jer 4:4; Ezek 3:7; 1 En. 16:3.

⁷ tn Grk “in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”

⁸ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁹ tn Or “will render,” “will recompense.” In this context Paul is setting up a hypothetical situation, not stating that salvation is by works.

¹⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; a close approximation to Matt 16:27.

¹¹ tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.

¹² tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”

¹³ tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”

¹⁴ tn No verb is expressed in this verse, but the verb “to be” is implied by the Greek construction. Literally “suffering and distress on everyone…”

¹⁵ tn Grk “every soul of man.”

¹⁶ sn Paul uses the term Greek here and in v. 10 to refer to non-Jews, i.e., Gentiles.

¹⁷ tn Grk “but even,” to emphasize the contrast. The second word has been omitted since it is somewhat redundant in English idiom.