Romans 2:13
in Romans 2For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;
KJV
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
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This verse in Romans 2
Commentary
18 notes on this verseThat we must labour not with words, but with deeds. In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus: "Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds useless and remiss." And Paul, in the first to the Corinthians: "The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." Also to the Romans: "Not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: "He who shall do and teach so, shall be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
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
Paul says this because those who hear the law are not justified unless they believe in Christ, whom the law itself has promised. This is what it means to keep the law. For how does someone who does not believe the law keep it, when …
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"? […]
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue · Written before 523.
proposed
For the man who, though listening not, doeth, is better than the man who is constant in listening and empty of works, even as the word of the apostle Paul teacheth us, "For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the …
For each individual lives by his own faith, nor is there exception of persons with God; since it is not hearers of the law who are justified by the Lord, but doers, according to what the apostle withal says. Therefore, if you have the right of a priest in your own person, in cases of necessity, it behoves you to have likewise the discipline of a priest whenever it may be necessary to have the fight of a priest.
What benefit is it if, while listening each day, we neglect to practice what we hear? Hence I beseech you, let us be zealous in practicing those very deeds (by no other way, in fact, is it possible to be saved) so that we may also wash away our sins and be granted the Lord's lovingkindness at his own hands, thanks to the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
11 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
"For not the hearers of the law are just before God." Well doth he add "before God;" for haply before men they may be able to appear dignified and to vaunt great things, but before God it is quite otherwise-the doers of the Law alone are justified. You see with what advantage he combats, by turning what they said to an opposite bearing. For if it is by the Law you claim to be saved, in this respect, saith he, the Gentile will stand before you, when seen to be a doer of what is written in the Law. And how is it possible (one may say) for one who hath not heard to be a doer? Not this only, he says, is possible, but what is much more even than this. For not only is it possible without hearing to be a doer, but even with hearing not to be so. Which last thing he makes plainer, and that with a greater advantage over them, when he says, "Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?" (Rom. ii. 21.) But here he is still making the former point good.
The Medieval Church4 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The second benefit of keeping the commandments of God is the understanding of the sacred Scriptures. Gregory says that "by hearing God's precepts the disciples were not illuminated, but by doing them they were illuminated"; because "not the hearers of the law only, but the …
Therefore, by hearing the precepts of God they were not enlightened; by doing them they were enlightened, because it is written: "Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Whoever therefore wishes to understand what he has heard, let him hasten to fulfill in deed those things which he has already been able to understand.
How then do you, O Jew, say that you have no need of grace, because you are justified by the law? Behold, it has been proven that you derive no benefit from the law, so that you have a greater need of grace than the …
After confuting the human judgment with which the gentiles and Jews judged one another and commending God's judgment, the Apostle now undertakes to show that the things in which the Jews gloried do not suffice for their salvation. First, he states his position; second, he …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
For not the hearers of the law are, even now, just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified - Finally acquitted and rewarded a most sure and important truth, which respects the gentiles also, though principally the Jews.
This the apostle here opposes: it was a great privilege that they had the law, but not a saving privilege, unless they lived up to the law they had, which it is certain the Jews did not, and therefore they had need of a righteousness wherein to appear before God. We may apply it to the gospel: it is not hearing, but doing that will save us, John xiii.
), 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 not the hearers of the law are just before God,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For not the hearers ... - The same sentiment is implied in Jas 1:22; Mat 7:21, Mat 7:24; Luk 6:47. The apostle here doubtless designed to meet an objection of the Jews; to wit, that they had the Law, that they manifested great deference for it, that they heard it read with attention, and professed a willingness to yield themselves to it. To meet this, he states a very plain and obvious principle, that this was insufficient to justify them before God, unless they rendered actual obedience. Are just - Are justified before God, or are personally holy.
For not the hearers of the law, etc. - It does not follow, because one people are favored with a Divine revelation, that therefore they shall be saved; while the others who have not had that revelation, shall finally perish: this is not God’s procedure; where he has given a law - a Divine revelation, he requires obedience to that law; and only those who have been doers of that law - who have lived according to the light and privileges granted in that revelation, shall be justified - shall be finally acknowledged to be such as are fit for the kingdom of God.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀκροαταὶ | akroatai | hearers | G202 → | |
| νόμου | nomou | of [the] law [are] | G3551 → | 192 times |
| δίκαιοι | dikaioi | righteous | G1342 → | 79 times |
| παρὰ | para | with | G3844 → | 192 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ, | theo | God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ποιηταὶ | poietai | doers | G4163 → | |
| νόμου | nomou | of [the] law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| δικαιωθήσονται. | dikaiothesontai | will be justified. | G1344 → | 38 times |
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ἀκροαταὶhearers
akroataiG202 →
νόμουof [the] law [are]
nomouG3551 →192 times
δίκαιοιrighteous
dikaioiG1342 →79 times
παρὰwith
paraG3844 →192 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷ,God,
theoG2316 →1312 times
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ποιηταὶdoers
poietaiG4163 →
νόμουof [the] law
nomouG3551 →192 times
δικαιωθήσονται.will be justified.
dikaiothesontaiG1344 →38 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 2:16know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in…
it leads to
- Philippians 3:9
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
- Psalms 143:2
Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.
- Romans 3:19–28
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.
- 1 Peter 1:18–21
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,
- Romans 9:30
What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;
- Philippians 3:9
Through
1 John 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.
- 1 Peter 1:15–16
But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
- 1 John 3:3
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.
- 1 John 2:29
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Romans
This page draws on 18 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; Bonaventure, Collationes de Decem Praeceptis, Collation 1; Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; Cyprian, Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 23; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 47.18; 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; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 1 -- Prologue; Tertullian, On Exhortation to Chastity; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.