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

25Circumcision is indeed worthwhile if you keep the Torah; but if you break the Torah, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26Therefore, if the uncircumcised keeps the righteous decrees of the Torah, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? Indeed, the one not circumcised physically who fulfills the Torah will judge you who—even with the written code and circumcision—break the Torah. 28For one is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something visible in the flesh. 29Rather, the Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—in Spirit not in letter. His 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• shall notκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• uncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαakrobustia · uncircumcisionG203
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• natureφύσιςphusis · natureG5449
• if it fulfilτελέωteleō · to finishG5055
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the letterγράμμαgramma · something writtenG1121
• circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
• dost transgressπαραβάτηςparabatēs · transgresorG3848

Cross-references for Romans 2:27

• Romans 8:4so that the requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Ruach.
• Romans 13:10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of the Torah.
• Matthew 3:15But Yeshua responded, “Let it happen now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” So John yielded to Him.
• Matthew 5:17“Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
• Acts 13:22After removing him, He raised up David to be their king. He also testified about him and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do My will.’
• Galatians 5:14For the whole Torah can be summed up in a single saying: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Ezekiel 16:48“As I live”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“your sister Sodom with her daughters have not done as you have done, you and your daughters.
• Matthew 12:41The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and 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 universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come from anything visible.
• Romans 2:20a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Torah the embodiment of knowledge and the truth—
• Romans 7:6But now we have been released from the law, having died to what confined us, so that we serve in the new way of the Ruach and not in the old way of the letter.
• 2 Corinthians 3:6He also made us competent as servants of a new covenant—not of the letter, but of the Ruach. For the letter kills, but the Ruach 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