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Romans 2:1
ESV Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
NIV You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
NASB Therefore you have no excuse, you foolish person, everyone of you who passes judgment; for in that matter in which you judge someone else, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
CSB Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.
NLT You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
KJV Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

What does Romans 2:1 mean?

Chapter and verse divisions were not part of the original Scriptures. So, this passage must be read in close connection with the conclusion of Romans 1. Paul has just finished describing the "ungodliness and unrighteousness" of humanity in our rejection of Him. He concluded that section with a long list of the human sins that result when God gives us over to our debased minds in response to our rejection of God (Romans 1:18–32).

It's likely that Paul's Jewish readers, those who religiously followed the law of Moses, imagined Paul's description to have been leveled at Gentile—non-Jewish—pagans and those they considered "sinners." Perhaps even Gentiles who followed moral philosophies imagined Paul's words as being meant for other ears.

Paul now seems to read the minds of these self-appointed "judges." He says to them—to all of us, really—that they are not the one with the gavel. You, "oh man," are the one on trial. And we are all guilty. How can this be? Paul says it plainly, "You do the same things." In addition to participating in some of the sins Paul lists in Romans 1, these judges also practice the sin of hypocrisy in their judgment of other guilty people.

Paul's religious readers, especially those who follow the law, might protest that they do not do the things Paul has described. Paul will show in Romans 2, however, that even the most religious of Jews will be judged for their sinful choices.
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