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 indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a violator of the Law, your circumcision has turned into uncircumcision. 26So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will his uncircumcision not be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a violator of the Law? 28For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from 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

• he who is physicallyφύσιςphusis · natureG5449
• uncircumcisedἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• if he keepsτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
• the Lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• judgeκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• you whoὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• thoughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• having the letterγράμμαgramma · something writtenG1121
• and circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
• are a violatorπαραβάτηςparabatēs · transgresorG3848

Cross-references for Romans 2:27

• Romans 8:4so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
• Romans 13:10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.
• Matthew 3:15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
• Matthew 5:17“Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
• Acts 13:22After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’
• Galatians 5:14For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Ezekiel 16:48As I live,” declares the Lord God, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done!
• Matthew 12:41The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
• Hebrews 11:3By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.
• Romans 2:20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, possessing in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth--
• Romans 7:6But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
• 2 Corinthians 3:6who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

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