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1 Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoeuer thou art that iudgest: for wherein thou iudgest another, thou condemnest thy selfe, for thou that iudgest doest the same things.

2 But wee are sure that the iudgement of God is according to trueth, against them which commit such things.

3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that iudgest them which doe such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the iudgement of God?

4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse, and forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodnes of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5 But after thy hardnesse, and impenitent heart, treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath, against the day of wrath, and reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God:

6 Who will render to euery man according to his deedes:

7 To them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seeke for glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, eternall life:

8 But vnto them that are contentious, & doe not obey the trueth, but obey vnrighteousnes, indignation, & wrath,

9 Tribulation, and anguish vpon euery soule of man that doeth euill, of the Iew first, and also of the Gentile.

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to euery man that worketh good, to the Iew first, and also to the Gentile.

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as haue sinned without Law, shall also perish without Law: and as many as haue sinned in the Law, shalbe iudged by the Law.

13 (For not the hearers of the Law are iust before God, but the doers of the Law shalbe iustified;

14 For when the Gentiles which haue not the Law, doe by nature the things contained in the Law: these hauing not the Law, are a Law vnto themselues,

15 Which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witnesse, and their thoughts the meane while accusing, or else excusing one another:

16 In the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ, according to my Gospel.

17 Behold, thou art called a Iew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God:

18 And knowest his will, and approuest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law,

19 And art confident that thou thy selfe art a guide of the blinde, a light of them which are in darkenesse:

20 An instructour of the foolish, a teacher of babes: which hast the forme of knowledge and of the trueth in the Law:

21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe? thou that preachest a man should not steale, doest thou steale?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie, doest thou commit adulterie? thou that abhorrest idols, doest thou commit sacriledge?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God?

24 For the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, as it is written:

25 For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keepe the Law: but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy Circumcision is made vncircumcision.

26 Therefore, if the vncircumcision keepe the righteousnesse of the Law, shall not his vncircumcision be counted for Circumcision?

27 And shall not vncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the Law, iudge thee, who by the letter, and Circumcision, doest transgresse the Law?

28 For hee is not a Iew, which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Iew which is one inwardly, and Circumcision is, that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

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Commentary for Romans 2

The Jews could not be justified by the law of Moses, any more than the Gentiles by the law of nature. (1-16) The sins of the Jews confuted all their vain confidence in their outward privileges. (17-29)1-16 The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is so plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every wilful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God. And though the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings are expressed by the strong words, "treasuring up wrath." In the description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law. It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all evil. The human will is in a state of enmity against God. Even Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which directed them what to do by the light of nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that Christ shall be the Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, and brought to light.

17-24 The apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud, vain-glorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the sins professors is, the dishonour done to God and religion, by their not living according to their profession. Many despise their more ignorant neighbours who rest in a dead form of godliness; yet themselves trust in a form of knowledge, equally void of life and power, while some glory in the gospel, whose unholy lives dishonour God, and cause his name to be blasphemed.

25-29 No forms, ordinances, or notions can profit, without regenerating grace, which will always lead to seeking an interest in the righteousness of God by faith. For he is no more a Christian now, than he was really a Jew of old, who is only one outwardly: neither is that baptism, which is outward in the flesh: but he is the real Christian, who is inwardly a true believer, with an obedient faith. And the true baptism is that of the heart, by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Ghost; bringing a spiritual frame of mind, and a willing following of truth in its holy ways. Let us pray that we may be made real Christians, not outwardly, but inwardly; in the heart and spirit, not in the letter; baptized, not with water only, but with the Holy Ghost; and let our praise be, not of men, but of God.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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