VERSE STUDY • KJV

Romans 2:12-16

¹² For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³ (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴ For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) ¹⁶ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹² For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³ (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴ For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) ¹⁶ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous. ¹⁴ Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them ¹⁶ on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.

WEB World English Bible

¹² For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified ¹⁴ (for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, ¹⁵ in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them) ¹⁶ in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.

ASV American Standard Version

¹² For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³ for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified: ¹⁴ (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; ¹⁵ in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them); ¹⁶ in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹² for as many as without law did sin, without law also shall perish, and as many as did sin in law, through law shall be judged, ¹³ for not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be declared righteous:— ¹⁴ For, when nations that have not a law, by nature may do the things of the law, these not having a law—to themselves are a law; ¹⁵ who do shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also witnessing with them, and between one another the thoughts accusing or else defending, ¹⁶ in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my good news, through Jesus Christ.

Surrounding context — Romans 2

9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

13 (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18 And knowest [his] will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

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