God’s Word Translation
Romans 2:4
4Do you have contempt for God, who is very kind to you, puts up with you, and deals patiently with you? Don’t you realize that it is God’s kindness that is trying to lead you to him and change the way you think and act?
Romans 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
- New International Version (NIV)Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Context of Romans 2:4
2We know that God’s judgment is right when he condemns people for doing these things. 3When you judge people for doing these things but then do them yourself, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Do you have contempt for God, who is very kind to you, puts up with you, and deals patiently with you? Don’t you realize that it is God’s kindness that is trying to lead you to him and change the way you think and act? 5Since you are stubborn and don’t want to change the way you think and act, you are adding to the anger that God will have against you on that day when God vents his anger. At that time God will reveal that his decisions are fair. 6He will pay all people back for what they have done.
Read all of Romans 2Romans 2:4 word by word
ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Orἤē · orG2228
- despisest thouκαταφρονέωkataphroneō · to despiseG2706
- the richesπλοῦτοςploutos · richesG4149
- of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- goodnessχρηστότηςchrēstotēs · kindnessG5544
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- forbearanceἀνοχήanochē · toleranceG463
- longsufferingμακροθυμίαmakrothumia · patienceG3115
- not knowingἀγνοέωagnoeō · be ignorantG50
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- the goodnessχρηστόςchrēstos · good/kindG5543
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- leadethἄγωagō · to bringG71
- theeσύsu · youG4771
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- repentanceμετάνοιαmetanoia · repentanceG3341
Cross-references for Romans 2:4
- Romans 6:1What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God’s kindness will increase?
- Psalms 10:11He says to himself, “God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He will never see it!”
- Ecclesiastes 8:11When a sentence against a crime isn’t carried out quickly, people are encouraged to commit crimes.
- Jeremiah 7:10Then you stand in my presence in the house that is called by my name. You think that you’re safe to do all these disgusting things.
- Ezekiel 12:22“Son of man, what is this proverb you have in Israel: ‘Days go by, and every vision comes to nothing’?
- Matthew 24:48On the other hand, that servant, if he is wicked, may think that it will be a long time before his master comes.
- 2 Peter 3:3First, you must understand this: In the last days people who follow their own desires will appear. These disrespectful people will ridicule ⌞God’s promise⌟
- Romans 9:23Can’t God also reveal the riches of his glory to people who are objects of his mercy and who he had already prepared for glory?
- Romans 10:12There is no difference between Jews and Greeks. They all have the same Lord, who gives his riches to everyone who calls on him.
- Romans 11:33God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep that it is impossible to explain his decisions or to understand his ways.
- Psalms 86:5You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you.
- Psalms 104:24What a large number of things you have made, O Lord! You made them all by wisdom. The earth is filled with your creatures.
- Ephesians 1:7Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness.
- Ephesians 2:4But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us.
- Ephesians 3:8I am the least of all God’s people. Yet, God showed me his kindness by allowing me to spread the Good News of the immeasurable wealth of Christ to people who are not Jewish.
- Philippians 4:19My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus.
Commentaries on Romans 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness - Wilt thou render of none effect that marked benevolence of God towards thee which has given so many superior advantages, and that forbearance which has tolerated thy many miscarriages, and that long-suffering which, after repeated provocations, still continues to bear with thee? Not knowing - , not acknowledging that this goodness of God, which has so long manifested itself in forbearance and long-suffering…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Or despisest - This word properly means to contemn, or to treat with neglect. It does not mean here that they professedly treated God‘s goodness with neglect or contempt; but that they perverted and abused it; they did not make a proper use of it; they did not regard it as suited to lead them to repentance; but they derived a practical impression, that because God had not come forth in judgment and cut them off, but had continued to follow them with…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?: Jewish writings describe a common attitude of false security about judgment (for example, Wisdom of Solomon 12–15; compare Jeremiah 7:1–5; Amos 5:18–27). Paul uses this idea when he asks his question. Many Jews believed that because they were God’s people, they did not need to fear judgment. They thought their sins would not be punished in the same way as the sins of Gentiles. Paul makes clear…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-29From those without, the apostle now turns to those within the pale of revealed religion, the self-righteous Jews, who looked down upon the uncovenanted heathen as beyond the pale of God's mercies, within which they deemed themselves secure, however inconsistent their life may be. Alas! what multitudes wrap themselves up in like fatal confidence, who occupy the corresponding position in the Christian Church! 4. the goodness of God leadeth thee to…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 2:4
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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