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Romans

About this book
Chapter 2

1 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?⁠ 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath,⁠ when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!⁠ 6 He will reward each one according to his works:⁠ 7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 8 but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.⁠ 12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.⁠ 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves.⁠ 15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them,⁠ 16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. 17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relationship to God 18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind,⁠ a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth— 21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!⁠ 24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”⁠ 25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law,⁠ but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And the physically uncircumcised man, by keeping the law, will judge you to be the transgressor of the law, even though you have the letter and circumcision! 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, 29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the letter.⁠ This person’s praise is not from people but from God.

Texts in conversation

Compare LXX Isaiah 52:5 and Romans 2:24 and 2 Clement 13:2

Septuagint · New Testament · Early Christian

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Summary

In the Greek version of Isaiah 52, God says the nations dishonor his name. Paul quotes this against disobedient Jewish teachers in Romans 2 and in 2 Clement, the preacher applies it to Christian disobedience, likely drawing directly on Isaiah.

Passages

LXX Isaiah 52:5

Septuagint
3 For thus says the Lord, You have been sold for nothing; and you shall not be ransomed with silver. 4 Thus says the Lord, My people went down before to Egypt to stay there; and were carried away forcibly to the Assyrians. 5 And now why are you here? Thus says the Lord, Because my people was taken for nothing, wonder and howl. Thus says the Lord, On account of you my name is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles. 6 Therefore shall my people know my name in that day, for I am he that speaks: I am present, 7 as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad news of peace, as one preaching good news: for I will publish your salvation, saying, Zion, your God shall reign.
100–1 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Isaiah

Romans 2:24

New Testament
19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth— 21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law! 24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
55–58 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Romans

2 Clement 13:2

Early Christian
1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us repent at once. Let us be sober to what is good: for we are full of much folly and wickedness. Let us wipe away our former sins from ourselves, and let us not be people-pleasers. Neither let us desire only to please each other, but also those who are outside, by our righteousness, so that the Name is not blasphemed because of us. 2 For the Lord says, “Every way My Name is blasphemed among all the Gentiles;” and again, “Woe to the one by whom My Name is blasphemed.” How is it blasphemed? Because you do not do the things I desire.
130–160 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 2 Clement

References

“... Five potential parallels may be noted. In two instances they may be explained by the independent use of a passage in the Jewish Scriptures. [...] This parallel was not recorded by the Oxford Committee, and may be explained by ‘Clement’ citing Isaiah without direct recourse to Paul. The same passage appears to be used also in Ign., Trall. 8. 2; Poly. Phil. 10. 3; and Ap Const, 1. 10. 1 and 3. 5. 6) The source of the second quotation is unknown. ...”
Andrew Gregory and Christopher Tuckett, eds., The Reception of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), 280–281.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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LXX Isaiah 52:5 and Romans 2:24 and 2 Clement 13:2

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