All Are Under Sin

Romans

Romans 2:1-3:20

ROM_003

NET Bible Text

2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. 2:2 Now we know that God's judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things. 2:3 And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, 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 that God's kindness leads you to repentance? 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment is revealed! 2:6 He will reward each one according to his works: 2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 2:8 but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness. 2:9 There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, 2:10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. 2:11 For there is no partiality with God. 2:12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. 2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. 2:15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, 2:16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. 2:17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relationship to God 2:18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law, 2:19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 2:20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth - 2:21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 2:22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 2:23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law! 2:24 For just as it is written, "the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." 2:25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 2:27 And will not the physically uncircumcised man who keeps the law judge you who, despite the written code and circumcision, transgress the law? 2:28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, 2:29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person's praise is not from people but from God. 3:1 Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? 3:2 Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3:3 What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? 3:4 Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: "so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged." 3:5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.) 3:6 Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world? 3:7 For if by my lie the truth of God enhances his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner? 3:8 And why not say, "Let us do evil so that good may come of it"? - as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!) 3:9 What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, 3:10 just as it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one, 3:11 there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. 3:12 All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one." 3:13 "Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips." 3:14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." 3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood, 3:16 ruin and misery are in their paths, 3:17 and the way of peace they have not known." 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 3:20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Simple Summary

Paul teaches that God judges every person fairly and without favoritism. Moral people, Jews, and Gentiles are all guilty before Him. No one can be made right with God by keeping the law, because the law shows sin. It does not cure it.

What This Passage Means

Paul first speaks to the person who judges others. If you condemn sin in others but do the same things yourself, you are not innocent. God’s judgment is true and fair. His kindness, patience, and restraint are not permission to keep sinning. They are meant to lead sinners to repentance. If a person refuses to repent, he stores up wrath for the day of judgment.

Paul then says that God will repay each person according to his works. This shows that God’s judgment is just and impartial. It does not mean that people earn salvation by doing enough good deeds. It means that a person’s works show his true response to God. Jews and Gentiles are both judged fairly. Those who sin without the law will perish without the law, and those who sin under the law will be judged by the law.

Having the law is not enough. Hearing it does not make anyone righteous. Paul also says that Gentiles have a kind of moral awareness, because the work of the law is written on their hearts and their conscience bears witness. God will judge the secrets of the heart through Christ Jesus.

Paul then turns to the Jew who boasts in the law and in circumcision. These were real privileges, but they also brought responsibility. If a man teaches others but breaks the law himself, he dishonors God. Outward circumcision is not enough. True covenant identity is inward, a matter of the heart, by the Spirit.

Paul then protects God’s faithfulness. Jewish unbelief does not make God untrue. Human sin does not cancel God’s righteousness. No one may say, “Let us do evil so that good may come.” That thinking is condemned.

The passage ends with Scripture’s final verdict: Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. No one is righteous. No one seeks God. All have turned away. Their words, actions, and hearts show corruption. The law silences every mouth and makes the whole world accountable to God. No one is declared righteous by works of the law. The law gives the knowledge of sin.

Important Truths

• God judges with truth and no partiality.
• God’s kindness is meant to lead sinners to repentance.
• Religious privilege does not remove guilt.
• Outward religion and covenant signs do not make a person righteous before God.
• Jews and Gentiles alike are under sin.
• The law exposes sin; it does not justify sinners.

Warnings, Promises, or Commands

• Warnings: Do not judge others while excusing your own sin. Do not mistake God’s patience for approval. Do not rely on religious knowledge, heritage, or outward signs. Do not read this passage as teaching salvation by moral effort.
• Promises: God’s judgment is righteous and fair. God’s kindness truly calls sinners to repentance.
• Commands: Repent. Stop boasting in outward religion. Let the law expose your sin and bring you to seek God’s righteousness rather than your own.

How This Fits in God's Plan

This passage prepares for the gospel’s answer by showing why all people need God’s saving righteousness. The law can show sin and silence self-defense, but it cannot justify. That makes room for God’s saving work in Christ, which follows in the next section of Romans.

Simple Application

Examine your own heart before you criticize others. Receive God’s patience as a call to repent now. Do not trust in Bible knowledge, church background, or outward religion. Ask God for the righteousness you cannot produce yourself.