Romans - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 1176

ROMANS.- 1 —~30 strife, deceit; foubmannered, libel-

30 lous, defamers; G0d—hate1·s, spiteful, envious; impostors, inventors of vice;

3: disobediont to parents; senseless, treacherous, unnatural, merciless;

32 while acknowledging the decrees of God-·~that they who practise such deserve death——not only do them, but delight in those who practise. Therefore, man,y0u are inexcusable

in condemning any one; for by what you condemn in another you convict yourself, for you practise the self-same things that you reprove. And we know that the Divinereprobation is certainly upon those who practise them. But, man, do you fancy that by condemn- ing those who practise them, you will escape the reprobation of God, while you act in the same way? Or, do you mistake the wealth of His mercy, and the gentleness of His forbearance? not redecting that the mercy of God should lead you to change your mind ? But, instead, by your perverse and un- changing heart you store up for your- self fury against a day of fury and revelation of God’s righteous decrees;

6 Who will render to every one what he 7 has done: to those who by patient well—cloing seek rectification, honour, I0 II I2 16 and incorruption—eternal life; but to the rebellious and disobedient to the True, who persuade to the False fury and anger, suffering and punish- ment, on every human soul that does evil, whether jew or Grecian ; but praise, and honour, and peace, to all who do good, whether ]ew or Greek; for THERE Is No FLATTERY WITH Gon.! For whoever sins without a law shall perish without a law; and whoever sins under a law shall be condemned by a law ; for the listeners to law are not righteous in the sight of God; but those who practise law will be righteous. _ For when a nation not possessing

the law practises the demands of the law naturally, they, not having a law, are a law to themselves; they furnish proof of the effect of the law recorded in their hearts, their conscience attest- ing, and their reflections condemning or approving mutually, in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my good news through jesus Christ. But you may be entitled a ]ew, and

I Deut. x. xy.

rely upon a Law, and boast about God, and know His will, and distin- guish the differences (being taught by the Law); and are confident your- self to be a guide to the blind, a light to those in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children; having in the Law the outline of the knowledge of the truth: You teacher of another-——-should you not teach yourself? You preaching against theft-·you are a thief! Commit not adul- —-you are an adulterer! You loathing idols-—you rob the Temple! While boasting about the Law through the violation of that Law you dishonour God I For, as it is written,'1`HROUGH YoU

THB NAME ov GOD xs DEFAMED AMONG THB; HEATHEN. Circumcision certainly may benefit,

if you act up to law; but if you are a violator of law, your circumcision x8 20 21 22

becomes paganised. Therefore, if 26 the uncircumcised should regard the decrees of the Law, would not his paganism be considered equivalent to circumcision? And then the physically 27 uncircumcised will, by fulfilling the law, condemn you, who violate the Law in spite of instruction and cir- cumcision. For the ]ew is not in the appear- 28 ance, nor the circumcision in a physical mark; but a jew is internal, 29 and by circumcision of heart, in spirit not letter-—the approbation of which is not from men, but from God. Then what 8 advantage has the jew? or what is the benefit of the circumcision? ’ Great in all respects; for z first, indeed, they were entrusted with the intentions of God. What for? If some were

iun aithful, would not their unfaithful- ness destroy God’s trust ?’ It would not. God must

be true, although every man were false; as it is written: S0 THAT You M1GH‘r BE JUSIIFIED 1N YOUR DESIGNS, AND TRIUMPI-IAN': WHEN EXA- 2 But if our wickedness con-

firms the righteousness of God, then 2 Samuel xii. 14. * Psa. ll. 4. 1176