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Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?
Romans 2:3 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
  • KJV And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
  • BSB So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
  • NKJV And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
  • NASB But do you suppose this, you foolish person who passes judgment on those who practice such things, and yet does them as well, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Do those who judge others while doing the same things imagine they will escape God's judgment? Hypocrisy provides no immunity.

Overview

Paul presses the moralist with a pointed question: condemning others while practicing the same sins will not exempt anyone from God's judgment. The assumption that one's moral discernment or religious identity grants special protection is exposed as false. God's impartial justice reaches even the respectable hypocrite.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 18

  • Prov 16:5Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh: they shall certainly not be unpunished.
  • Luke 12:14But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
  • Rom 1:32who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
  • Matt 23:33You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
  • Prov 11:21Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
  • Luke 22:58After a little while someone else saw him, and said, “You also are one of them!” But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!”
  • Job 35:2“Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’
  • 1 Th 5:3For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.
  • Matt 26:53Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?
  • 2 Sam 10:3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”
  • Dan 10:19He said, “Greatly beloved man, don’t be afraid: peace be to you, be strong, yes, be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak; for you have strengthened me.”
  • Ezek 17:15But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the covenant, and still escape?
  • Ps 50:21You have done these things, and I kept silent. You thought that I was just like you. I will rebuke you, and accuse you in front of your eyes.
  • Ps 56:7Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.
  • Heb 12:25See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,
  • Heb 2:3how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation — which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;
  • Luke 22:60But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
  • Ezek 17:18For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t escape.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Romans videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Romans 2:3YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on RomansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.

How Romans 2:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.