Romans 2:14

Romans 2:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,

Context of Romans 2:14

12All 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. 13For 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. 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. 15So 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 16on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.

Romans 2:14 word by word

ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῶσιν, οὗτοι νόμον μὴ ἔχοντες ἑαυτοῖς εἰσιν νόμος,Read the interlinear

• Indeedγάρgar · forG1063
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• whoὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• do not haveμήmē · notG3361
• do not haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• by natureφύσιςphusis · natureG5449
• they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• to themselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• theyοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778

Cross-references for Romans 2:14

• Romans 2:12All 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.
• Romans 3:1What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
• Deuteronomy 4:7For what nation is great enough to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him?
• Psalms 147:19He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.
• Acts 14:16In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.
• Acts 17:30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
• Ephesians 2:12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
• Romans 2:27The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
• Romans 1:19For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,
• Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
• Romans 1:32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

Commentaries on Romans 2:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, etc. - Nor does it follow that the Gentiles who have not had a Divine revelation, shall either perish, because they had it not; or their unrighteous conduct pass unpunished, because not having this revelation might be considered as an excuse for their sins. Do by nature the things contained in the law - Do, without this Divine revelation, through that light which God imparts to every man, the things contained…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14For when - The apostle, in Romans 2:13, had stated a general principle, that the doers of the Law only can be justified, if justification is attempted by the Law. In this verse and the next, he proceeds to show that the same principle is applicable to the pagan; that though they have not the written Law of God, yet that they have sufficient knowledge of his will to take away every excuse for sin, and consequently that the course of reasoning by which he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires: This fits with the idea that the law is written on their hearts (2:15), which points to the promise of the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34). Or Paul may be speaking about non-Christian Gentiles. These Gentiles know God’s basic moral law through their conscience. In this case, Paul shows that all people can be held responsible for basic moral standards, even without God’s written law.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1513-15. For not the hearers, &c.--As touching the Jews, in whose ears the written law is continually resounding, the condemnation of as many of them as are found sinners at the last involves no difficulty; but even as respects the heathen, who are strangers to the law in its positive and written form--since they show how deeply it is engraven on their moral nature, which witnesses within them for righteousness and against iniquity, accusing or condemning…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 2:14

• Conscience
• Doer
• Gentiles
• God Continued...
• Heart
• Judgment
• Law

In the dictionaries

• Accuse
• Boast
• Continuance
• Doer
• Excuse
• Fall of man
• Forbearance
• Judgment, The final
• Law
• Resurrection of the dead

Commentaries on Romans 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings