Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. 3 Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to repentance? 5 By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, 6 who will repay everyone according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, 8 but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. 9 Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. 10 But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. 11 There is no partiality with God.
Writing to a mixed church of Jews and Gentiles, Paul addresses a familiar temptation: exposing others’ sins while excusing one’s own. Having just named the Gentile world’s sins (Rom. 1:18-32), he now turns to the insider who condemns others while practicing similar deeds (2:1-3).
He told the community of both Jewish and Gentile converts that those who judge others but do the very same things are not without guilt because they cannot claim ignorance about their actions (Mt. 7:1-5). Paul strongly urged them to embrace humility and self-awareness, cautioning against passing judgment on others when they themselves are culpable of comparable offenses, as it may result in their own condemnation. He reminds them that God’s judgment is “true” (v. 2)—that is, it corresponds perfectly to reality—so self-comparison will not protect anyone. God's judgment is righteous and impartial, so no one should take refuge in condemning others while committing the same deeds; such hypocrisy will not escape God’s just judgment. To presume you will “escape the judgment of God” (v. 3) while doing the same deeds is to forget that God’s standard does not change when it turns upon us. No one should consider himself righteous because all men are sinners in the eyes of God (1 Jn. 1:10).
God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience are to lead men to repentance so that they will avoid God’s punishment for their sins. His patience is not permission; it is a summons to change. Their own stubborn and impertinent hearts will condemn them on the day of judgment when God repays everyone according to his or her works (Ps. 62:13). Paul says such hardness “stores up wrath” (v. 5), a striking image: delay without repentance does not lessen accountability; it accumulates it until the day God reveals His just judgment (vv. 5-6). “According to works” (v. 6) does not replace faith with effort; it means God judges the truth of faith by its fruit—faith working through love.
Some Jews were proud of their higher religious moral standards because of their knowledge of God through the Mosaic Law (Rom. 2:17-20). Paul told them that those who are favored by God and judge themselves as superior, but sin will not be protected from divine judgment. They will die in their sin (Jn. 8:21) unless they accept the Gospel which leads to salvation (Rom. 1:16). They must persevere in good works to inherit eternal life (Gal 6:7-9), which Paul describes as “seeking glory, honor, and immortality” (v. 7)—not worldly fame, but the glory that comes from God, the honor of being approved by Him, and the immortality He gives. This is a God-ward desire that perseveres in doing good. But the wicked who disobey the truth will experience God’s wrath and fury (Rev. 21:8). To “disobey the truth and obey wickedness” (v. 8) is to let falsehood rule the will; such a choice leads to the wrath Paul names—real consequences for freely chosen evil.
Affliction and distress await all who do evil, regardless of their ethnic, cultural, or religious background. God’s impartial judgment does not take into consideration those distinctions. “Jew first and then Greek” (vv. 9-10) marks the historical order of God’s plan—revelation and responsibility came first to Israel, not favoritism. Divine judgment applies to both Jews and Gentiles alike if they do evil. Glory, honor, and peace await both Jews and Gentiles alike if they do good. The promise and the warning are the same for all because “there is no partiality with God” (v. 11); heritage, status, or culture do not tilt His scales, only a heart that repents and a life that does the good He asks. God judges impartially, so the Jews will be no better off than anyone else unless they do what God expects of them.
Almighty God, grant us the grace to recognize our shortcomings and to avoid judging others. May your kindness, forbearance, and mercy lead us to repentance and perseverance in good works. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Sources and References:
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, ed. Orchard et al. (1953).
- The Navarre Bible: Romans, Faculty of the University of Navarre (2008).
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, ed. Chiu et al. (2018).
- The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Brown et al. (1990).
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