Romans 2:15

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.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)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
• 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)

Context of Romans 2:15

13for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. 17But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God,

Romans 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

• in that they showἐνδείκνυμιendeiknumi · to showG1731
• the workἔργονergon · workG2041
• of the Lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• writtenγραπτόςgraptos · writtenG1123
• in their heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• their conscienceσυνείδησιςsuneidēsis · conscienceG4893
• bearingσυμμαρτυρέωsummartureō · to testify withG4828
• and their thoughtsλογισμόςlogismos · thoughtG3053
• alternatelyμεταξύmetaxu · between/meanwhileG3342
• accusingκατηγορέωkatēgoreō · to accuseG2723
• orἤē · orG2228
• elseκαίkai · andG2532
• defendingἀπολογέομαιapologeomai · to defend oneselfG626

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 suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
• Romans 9:1I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,
• John 8:9When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
• Acts 23:1Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.”
• Acts 24:16In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
• 2 Corinthians 5:11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.
• 1 Timothy 4:2by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,
• Genesis 3:8They 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, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.”
• 1 Kings 2:44The king also said to Shimei, “You know all the evil which you acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore the Lord shall return your evil on your own head.
• Job 27:6I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go. My heart does not reproach any of my days.
• Ecclesiastes 7:22For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.
• 1 John 3:19We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure 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

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

In the dictionaries

• Accuse
• Boast
• Conscience
• Continuance
• Doer
• Excuse
• Fall of man
• Forbearance
• Heart
• Judgment, The final

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