Knox Bible

1

So, friend, if thou canst see thy neighbour’s faults, no excuse is left thee, whoever thou art; in blaming him, thou dost own thyself guilty, since thou, for all thy blame, livest the same life as he.✻

2

We know that God passes unerring judgement upon such lives;

3

and dost thou, friend, think to escape God’s judgement, thou who dost blame men for living thus, and art guilty of the same acts thyself?

4

Or is it that thou art presuming on that abundant kindness of his, which bears with thee and waits for thee? Dost thou not know that God’s kindness is inviting thee to repent?

5

Whereas thou, by the stubborn impenitence of thy heart, dost continue to store up retribution for thyself against the day of retribution, when God will reveal the justice of his judgements.

6

He will award to every man what his acts have deserved;

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eternal life to those who have striven for glory, and honour, and immortality, by perseverance in doing good;

8

the retribution of his anger to those who are contumacious, rebelling against truth and paying homage to wickedness.

9

There will be affliction then and distress for every human soul that has practised wickedness, the Jew in the first instance, but the Gentile too;

10

there will be glory and honour and peace for everyone who has done good, the Jew in the first instance, but the Gentile too.

11

There are no human preferences with God.

12

Those who have been sinners without regard to the law will be doomed without regard to the law; those who have been sinners with the law for their rule will be judged with the law for their rule.

13

To have heard the law read out is no claim to acceptance with God; it is those who obey the law that will be justified.

14

As for the Gentiles, though they have no law to guide them, there are times when they carry out the precepts of the law unbidden, finding in their own natures a rule to guide them, in default of any other rule;

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and this shews that the obligations of the law are written in their hearts; their conscience utters its own testimony, and when they dispute with one another they find themselves condemning this, approving that.✻

16

And there will be a day when God (according to the gospel I preach) will pass judgement, through Jesus Christ, on the hidden thoughts of men.

17

Thou claimest Jewish blood; thou reliest on the law; God is all thy boast;

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thou canst tell what is his will, discern what things are of moment, because the law has taught thee.

19

Thou hast confidence in thyself as one who leads the blind, a light to their darkness;

20

admonishing the fool, instructing the simple, because in the law thou hast the incarnation of all knowledge and all truth.

21

Tell me, then, thou who teachest others, hast thou no lesson for thyself? Is it a thief that preaches against stealing,

22

an adulterer that forbids adultery? Dost thou rob temples, thou, who shrinkest from the touch of an idol?

23

Thy boast is in the law; wilt thou break the law, to God’s dishonour?

24

The name of God, says the scripture, has become a reproach among the Gentiles, because of you.✻

25

Circumcision, to be sure, is of value, so long as thou keepest the law; but if thou breakest the law, thy circumcision has lost its effect.

26

And if one who has never been circumcised observes the conditions of the law, does it not follow that he, though uncircumcised, will be reckoned as one who is circumcised?

27

That he, who keeps the law, though uncircumcised in body, will be able to pass judgement on thee, who breakest the law, though circumcised according to the letter of it?

28

To be a Jew is not to be a Jew outwardly; to be circumcised is not to be circumcised outwardly, in the flesh.

29

He is a Jew indeed who is one inwardly; true circumcision is achieved in the heart, according to the spirit, not the letter of the law, for God’s, not for man’s approval.