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But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
Romans 2:8 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation,
  • KJV But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
  • NKJV but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,
  • NASB but to those who are self-serving and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, He will give wrath and indignation.
  • NLT But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.

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

But to the self-seeking who reject the truth and obey unrighteousness come wrath and indignation. Those who refuse God's truth face His just anger.

Overview

The contrasting category receives wrath and fury. Paul characterizes them by self-seeking, disobedience to the truth, and obedience to unrighteousness — a settled orientation away from God. Their condemnation is just because it answers their persistent rebellion. This balances v.7, showing the two destinies that judgment according to works reveals.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 24

  • 1 Tim 6:3–4If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,
  • 2 Th 1:8in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
  • John 3:18–21Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
  • 1 Pet 4:17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
  • 2 Th 2:10–12and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.
  • Rev 16:19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.
  • Prov 13:10Arrogance leads only to strife, but wisdom is with the well-advised.
  • Rom 1:18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
  • Heb 3:12–13See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.
  • Heb 5:9And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him
  • Job 24:13Then there are those who rebel against the light, not knowing its ways or staying on its paths.
  • Heb 11:8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
  • Heb 10:27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.
  • 1 Cor 11:16If anyone is inclined to dispute this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.
  • Ps 90:11Who knows the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear You are due.
  • Titus 3:9But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.
  • Isa 50:10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
  • Rom 15:18I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
  • Rev 14:10he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
  • Rom 9:22What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
  • Rom 10:16But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
  • Rom 6:17But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.
  • Nah 1:6Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; even rocks are shattered before Him.
  • 1 Pet 3:1Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

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 2:8YouTube · 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 2:8 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.