God's Righteous Judgment
(Genesis 4:1-7; Jude 1:3-16)

1Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, each one who is judging. For in that which you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, for you, the one judging, do the same things. 2But we know that the judgment of God upon those practicing such things is according to truth. 3Now do you suppose this, O man, the one judging those practicing such things and doing them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

5But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart, you are treasuring up to yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God, 6who “will give to each according to his works,”a 7to those who indeed with endurance in good work are seeking glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8but to those of self-interest and disobeying the truth, but being persuaded about unrighteousness, wrath and anger; 9tribulation and distress upon every soul of man working evil, both of Jewish first, and also of Greek; 10but glory and honor and peace to everyone doing good, both to Jewish first, and to Greek. 11For there is no partiality with God.

12For as many as have sinned without the Law also will perish without the Law; and as many as have sinned in the Law will be judged by the Law, 13for not the hearers of the Law are righteous with God; but the doers of the Law will be justified.

14For when Gentiles, not having the Law, do by nature the things of the Law, these not having the Law are a law to themselves, 15who show the work of the Law, written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and the thoughts between one another accusing or also defending them 16on that day when God will judge the secrets of men according to my gospel, by Christ Jesus.

The Jews and the Law

17But if you are called a Jew and rely on the Law and boast in God, 18and you know His will and approve the things being superior, being instructed out of the Law, 19and you are persuaded that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth— 21then you teaching another, do you do not teach yourself? You preaching not to steal, do you steal? 22You saying not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You abhorring idols, do you rob temples? 23You who boast in Law, do you dishonor God through the transgression of the Law? 24As it has been written: “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you.”b

25For circumcision profits if you do the Law; but if you are a transgressor of Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26Therefore if the uncircumcision keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision? 27And the uncircumcision by nature, fulfilling the Law, will judge you who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of Law.

28For the one on the outside a Jew is not, neither that on the outside in flesh is circumcision. 29But he who is a Jew is one on the inside; and circumcision is of heart, in spirit, not in letter, of whom the praise is not of men, but of God.