English Standard Version
Romans 2:15
15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
Romans 2:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
- New International Version (NIV)They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)
- New King James Version (NKJV)who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
- New Living Translation (NLT)They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.
Context of Romans 2:15
13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14For 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. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. 17But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God
Read all of Romans 2Romans 2:15 word by word
οἵτινες ἐνδείκνυνται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν συμμαρτυρούσης αὐτῶν τῆς συνειδήσεως καὶ μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων τῶν λογισμῶν κατηγορούντων ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
- shewἐνδείκνυμιendeiknumi · to showG1731
- the workὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the workἔργονergon · workG2041
- of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- writtenγραπτόςgraptos · writtenG1123
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
- also bearing witnessσυμμαρτυρέωsummartureō · to testify withG4828
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- thoughtsλογισμόςlogismos · thoughtG3053
- the mean whileμεταξύmetaxu · between/meanwhileG3342
- accusingκατηγορέωkatēgoreō · to accuseG2723
- or elseἤē · orG2228
- excusingἀπολογέομαιapologeomai · to defend oneselfG626
- one anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
Cross-references for Romans 2:15
- Romans 1:18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
- Romans 9:1I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—
- John 8:9But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
- Acts 23:1And looking intently at the council, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day."
- Acts 24:16So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
- 2 Corinthians 5:11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
- 1 Timothy 4:2through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
- Genesis 3:8And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
- Genesis 20:5Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this."
- Genesis 42:21Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us."
- 1 Kings 2:44The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head.
- Job 27:6I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.
- Ecclesiastes 7:22Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
- 1 John 3:19By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;
Commentaries on Romans 2:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Which show the work of the law - In acting according to justice, mercy, temperance, and truth, they show that the great object of the law, which was to bring men from injustice, cruelty, intemperance, and falsity, is accomplished so far in them: their conscience also bearing witness - that faculty of the soul, where that Divine light dwells and works, shows them that they are right; and thus they have a comfortable testimony in their own souls of their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Which show - Who thus evince or show. The work of the law - The design, purpose, or object which is contemplated by the revealed Law; that is, to make known to man his duty, and to enforce the obligation to perform it. This does not mean, by any means, that they had all the knowledge which the Law would impart, for then there would have been no need of a revelation, but that, as far as it went, as far as they had a knowledge of right and wrong, they…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 2:15
In the dictionaries
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
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