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 verily profiteth, if thou keepest the law: but if thou art a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26Therefore if the uncircumcision keepeth the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it keepeth the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, 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

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• notκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• uncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• natureφύσιςphusis · natureG5449
• keepethτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• theeσέse · youG4571
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• letterγράμμαgramma · something writtenG1121
• circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
• transgressπαραβάτηςparabatēs · transgresorG3848

Cross-references for Romans 2:27

• Romans 8:4That the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
• Romans 13:10Love worketh no ill to one’s neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
• Matthew 3:15And Jesus answering said to him, Permit it to be so now: for thus it is befitting for us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he allowed him.
• Matthew 5:17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
• Acts 13:22And when he had removed him, he raised up to them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall fulfil all my will.
• Galatians 5:14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
• Ezekiel 16:48As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.
• Matthew 12:41The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
• Hebrews 11:3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
• Romans 2:20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, who hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
• Romans 7:6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead by which we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
• 2 Corinthians 3:6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth 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