Romans 2:12
in Romans 2All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;
KJV
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
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This verse in Romans 2
Commentary
22 notes on this verseAs I have heard from a certain presbyter, who had heard it from those who had seen the apostles, and from those who had been their disciples, the punishment [declared] in Scripture was sufficient for the ancients in regard to what they did without the Spirit's guidance. For as God is no respecter of persons, He inflicted a proper punishment on deeds displeasing to Him.
This site's exposition
All who sin apart from the law
on Romans 2:12-13
The Gentile who sins apart from the law perishes apart from the law; the Jew who sins under the law is judged by that law. Verse 13 states the law's own term: the doers of the law are the ones declared righteous. Hearing it changes nothing.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
How can someone sin without the law, when Paul says that everyone is subject to the law of nature? By "law" he means the law of Moses, to which the Jews are bound although they do not believe. The Gentiles are also under the judgment …
It is generally agreed that judgment is the usual expression for eternal damnation.
The apostle did not mean to say that those who sin in ignorance will suffer worse punishment than those who know the law. It seems that it is worse to perish than to be judged. Rather the apostle here was merely distinguishing between Jews and Gentiles.
A commentator
Theodore of MopsuestiaPAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH · Written before 428.
proposed
So as not to appear to be condemning them out of hatred Paul has repeated himself here, saying that those who have sinned without the law will perish without the law and that those under the law will be judged by the law.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
"For whoever have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law, and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Since the Apostle says that those who have sinned without the law will perish without the law, the question arises whether this is to be understood of the law of Moses alone, or also of the law of Christ, or even of any human law whatsoever under which it happens that each mortal lives, so that whoever sins under it may be judged according to it; or whether he who is outside the law of Moses alone, even if he lives under some law, perishes when he has sinned as one placed outside the law. For the apostle Paul himself, when he says that to those who are without the law he became as one without the law, adds: "though I was not without the law, but was in the law of Christ," and thereby shows that he was indeed not in the law of Moses, yet was under a law. But consider too whether human laws, as we have said, ought to be reckoned for this same purpose. As for the natural law, however, which is present in all men alike, it must be considered whether it makes nearly all men sin within a law, as he says in what follows: "For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things that belong to the law, these, not having the law, are a law unto themselves, and they show the work of the law written in their hearts." Unless perhaps we should say that those are placed outside the law who obey neither written laws, nor conscience, nor their own thoughts rebuking and accusing them. But how does he say, "As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law"? […]
15 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers6 voices
If, then, God will judge the secrets of men-both of those who have sinned in the law, and of those who have sinned without law (inasmuch as they who know not the law yet do by nature the things contained in the law) -surely the God who shall judge is He to whom belong both the law, and that nature which is the rule to them who know not the law.
A commentator
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES · Written before 380.
proposed
As many as have sinned in law shall be judged according to law, and as many as have sinned without law shall perish without law.
The ungodly without the law shall perish forever. But the sinner under the law who comes to faith in God will not perish.
A commentator
CyprianTreatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews · Written before 258.
proposed
Paul to the Romans: "As many as have sinned without law, shall perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged also by the law."
Those who lived before the giving of the law will not receive the same sentence as those after the law. Those sinning after the giving of the law will undergo heavier penalties.
"For as many," he says, "as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law." For here, as I said before, he shows not only the equality of the Jew and the Gentile, but that the Jew was even much burdened by the gift of the Law. For the Gentile is judged without law. But this "without law" here expresses not the worse plight but the easier, that is, he has not the Law to accuse him. For "without law" (that is, without the condemnation arising from it), is he condemned solely from the reasonings of nature, but the Jew, "in the Law," that is, with nature and the Law too to accuse him. For the greater the attention he enjoyed, the greater the punishment he will suffer. See how much greater is the necessity which he lays upon the Jews of a speedy recourse to grace! For in that they said, they needed not grace, being justified by the Law, he shows that they need it more than the Gentiles, considering they are liable to be punished more.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Above he proved that the Gentile is deemed worthy of the same honor as the Jew. Now he proves that at the time of punishment, condemnation will also befall the Jew. The Gentiles, he says, "having sinned without law," that is, not having been instructed …
Then when he says, for whosoever, he explains the reason. For if all who sinned are punished, it is clear that there is no respect of persons with God. Hence, he speaks first of those who have not received the law, saying that for whosoever …
The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices
They sinned, not only having the law, but en nomo -- in the law, in the midst of so much law, in the face and light of so pure and clear a law, the directions of which were so very full and particular, and the sanctions of it so very cogent and enforcing. These shall be judged by the law; their punishment shall be, as their sin is, so much the greater for their having the law.
) they had sinned without law, which looks like a contradiction; for where there is no law there is no transgression. But, says he, though they had not the written law ( Ps. cxlvii. 20 ), they had that which was equivalent, not to the ceremonial, but to the moral law.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
), upon this principle, that that which is the rule of man's obedience is the rule of God's judgment. Three degrees of light are revealed to the children of men:-- 1.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
For as many as have sinned - He speaks as of the time past, for all time will be past at the day of judgment. Without the law - Without having any written law.
For as many as have sinned without law,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
For as many as have sinned without law, etc. - They, viz. the Gentiles, who shall be found to have transgressed against the mere light of nature, or rather, that true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, Joh 1:9, shall not come under the same rule with those, the Jews, who have in addition to this enjoyed an extraordinary revelation; but they shall be dealt with according to the inferior dispensation, under which they lived: while those, the Jews, who have sinned against the law - the positive Divine revelation granted to them, shall be judged by that law, and punished proportionably to the abuse of such an extraordinary advantage.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For - This is used to give a reason for what he had just said, or to show on what principles God would treat man, so as not to be a respecter of persons. As many - Whosoever. This includes all who have done it, and evidently has respect to the Gentile world. It is of the more importance to remark this, because he does not say that it is applicable to a few only, or to great and incorrigible instances of pagan wickedness, but it is a universal, sweeping declaration, obviously including all. Have sinned - Have been guilty of crimes of any kind toward God or man. Sin is the transgression of a rule of conduct, however made known to mankind. Without law - ἀνόμως anomōs. This expression evidently means without revealed or written law, as the apostle immediately says that they had a law of nature, Rom 2:14-15. The word “law,” νόμος nomos. is often used to denote the revealed Law of God, the Scriptures, or revelation in general; Mat 12:5; Luk 2:23-24; Luk 10:26; Joh 8:5, Joh 8:17. Shall also perish - ἀπολοῦνται apolountai. The Greek word used here occurs frequently in the New Testament. It means to destroy, to lose, or to corrupt, and is applied to life, Mat 10:39; to a reward of labor, Mat 10:42; to wisdom 1Co 1:19; to bottles, Mat 9:17. It is also used to denote future punishment, or the destruction of soul and body in hell, Mat 10:28; Mat 18:14; Joh 3:15, where it is opposed to eternal life, and therefore denotes eternal death; Rom 14:15; Joh 17:12. In this sense the word is evidently used in this verse. The connection demands that the reference should be to a future judgment to be passed on the pagan. It will be remarked here that the apostle does not say they shall be saved without law. He does not give even an intimation respecting their salvation. […]
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὅσοι | hosoi | As many as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἀνόμως | anomos | without [the] Law | G460 → | |
| ἥμαρτον, | hemarton | have sinned, | G264 → | 42 times |
| ἀνόμως | anomos | without [the] Law | G460 → | |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀπολοῦνται· | apolountai | will perish; | G622 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὅσοι | hosoi | as many as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| νόμῳ | nomo | [the] Law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| ἥμαρτον, | hemarton | have sinned, | G264 → | 42 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| νόμου | nomou | [the] Law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| κριθήσονται· | krithesontai | will be judged; | G2919 → | 114 times |
ὍσοιAs many as
hosoiG3745 →110 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἀνόμωςwithout [the] Law
anomosG460 →
ἥμαρτον,have sinned,
hemartonG264 →42 times
ἀνόμωςwithout [the] Law
anomosG460 →
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀπολοῦνται·will perish;
apolountaiG622 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅσοιas many as
hosoiG3745 →110 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
νόμῳ[the] Law
nomoG3551 →192 times
ἥμαρτον,have sinned,
hemartonG264 →42 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
νόμου[the] Law
nomouG3551 →192 times
κριθήσονται·will be judged;
krithesontaiG2919 →114 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 3:10All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 27:26
‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- Romans 8:7
because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
- Romans 3:19–20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Deuteronomy 11:26–28
See, today I am setting before you a blessing and a curse—
- Jeremiah 11:3
You must tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,
- Deuteronomy 27:26
Through
1 Corinthians 9:21To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.
it leads to
- Romans 2:14
Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
- Galatians 3:2
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
- Matthew 5:17–20
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
- Romans 2:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
About Romans
This page draws on 21 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES; Augustine of Hippo, FAITH AND WORKS 23.43; Augustine of Hippo, GRACE AND FREE WILL 2.5; Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; Cyprian, Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book IV; Jerome, Against the Pelagians 1.28; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 18.2; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Theodore of Mopsuestia, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.