Romans 2:27

Romans 2:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
• New International Version (NIV)The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?

Context of Romans 2:27

25For circumcision indeed profits if thou keep [the] law; but if thou be a law-transgressor, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. 26If therefore the uncircumcision keep the requirements of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision, and uncircumcision by nature, fulfilling the law, judge thee, who, with letter and circumcision, [art] a law-transgressor? 28For he is not a Jew who [is] one outwardly, neither that circumcision which is outward in flesh; 29but he [is] a Jew [who is so] inwardly; and circumcision, of the heart, in spirit, not in letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

Romans 2:27 word by word

καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβυστία τὸν νόμον τελοῦσα σὲ τὸν διὰ γράμματος καὶ περιτομῆς παραβάτην νόμου.Read the interlinear

• uncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• natureφύσιςphusis · natureG5449
• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• judgeκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• letterγράμμαgramma · something writtenG1121
• circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061

Cross-references for Romans 2:27

• Romans 8:4in order that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit.
• Romans 13:10Love works no ill to its neighbour; love therefore [is the] whole law.
• Matthew 3:15But Jesus answering said to him, Suffer [it] now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffers him.
• Matthew 5:17Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfil.
• Acts 13:22And having removed him he raised up to them David for king, of whom also bearing witness he said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who shall do all my will.
• Galatians 5:14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;
• Ezekiel 16:48[As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters!
• Matthew 12:41Ninevites shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, more than Jonas [is] here.
• Hebrews 11:3By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by [the] word of God, so that that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear.
• Romans 2:20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and of truth in the law:
• Romans 7:6but now we are clear from the law, having died in that in which we were held, so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter.
• 2 Corinthians 3:6who has also made us competent, [as] ministers of [the] new covenant; not of letter, but of spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit quickens.

Commentaries on Romans 2:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature - And shall not the Gentile, who is , according to the custom of his country - who is, by birth, not obliged to be circumcised. If it fulfill the law - If such a person act according to the spirit and design of the law; judge condemn thee, who, whilst thou dost enjoy the letter, the written law, and bearest in thy body the proof of the circumcision which it requires, dost transgress that law?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27Which is by nature - Which is the natural state of man; his condition before he is admitted to any of the unique rites of the Jewish religion. If it fulfil the law - If they who are uncircumcised keep the Law. Judge thee - Condemn thee as guilty. As we say, the conduct of such a man condemns us. He acts so much more consistently and uprightly than we do, that we see our guilt. For a similar mode of expression, see Matthew 12:41-42. Who by the letter ……Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-29Verses 25-29 No forms, ordinances, or notions can profit, without regenerating grace, which will always lead to seeking an interest in the righteousness of God by faith. For he is no more a Christian now, than he was really a Jew of old, who is only one outwardly: neither is that baptism, which is outward in the flesh: but he is the real Christian, who is inwardly a true believer, with an obedient faith. And the true baptism is that of the heart, by the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-29Paul waits to explain righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until he first teaches about the sinfulness of all people. Both non-Jews and Jews are equally under the power of sin (1:18–32; 2:1–3:8). Because of this, both groups are in the same situation before God. No one can gain God’s favor by their own actions or obedience (3:9–20). All people need God’s saving action, not their own efforts.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 25-2925-29. For circumcision--that is, One's being within the covenant of which circumcision was the outward sign and seal. verily profiteth, if thou keep the law--if the inward reality correspond to the outward sign. but if, &c.--that is, "Otherwise, thou art no better than the uncircumcised heathen."Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 2:27

• Circumcision
• Formalism
• Hypocrisy
• Judgment

In the dictionaries

• Accuse
• Boast
• Continuance
• Doer
• Excuse
• Fall of man
• Forbearance
• Letter
• Sure
• Treasure

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