What does Romans 2:2 mean?

Paul has sprung a kind of trap on his religious readers. He is especially targeting those Jewish people who think that following the law of Moses has made them right with God, and therefore free from His judgment. In the previous chapter, Paul described how humanity on the whole rejects God and indulges in all kinds of sinful words, actions, and lifestyles (Romans 1:18–32). Paul concluded that argument by saying that such sinful living earns a death sentence from God. Paul's trap was this: He knew many of his Jewish readers assumed that list of sins and the resulting judgment of God did not apply to them. After all, they were God's special people. He would not condemn them.

Paul does condemn them, though, starting with their judgment of other sinners. Now he declares that we all know God is justified in condemning those who sin in the ways previously described. God judges sin. Period. This even applies to sins practiced by faithful Jewish followers of the law. They should not assume they are immune from God's judgment.

Paul is beginning to lay the groundwork for the central theme of this letter, and his entire ministry: everyone, even Jewish people, must be saved by faith in Christ.