Romans 2:7

Amplified Bible

to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Some people live for God's glory, for honor, and for life that cannot be destroyed. They live for those things by always continuing to do good. God will give eternal life to them.

Revised Standard Version
to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
that is to saye prayse honoure and immortalite to them which cotinue in good doynge and seke eternall lyfe.

Hebrew Names Version
to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruptibility, eternal life;

International Standard Version
eternal life to those who strive for glory, honor, and immortality by patiently doing good;

New American Standard Bible
to those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life;

New Century Version
Some people, by always continuing to do good, live for God's glory, for honor, and for life that has no end. God will give them life forever.

Update Bible Version
to those that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:

Webster's Bible Translation
To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality; eternal life:

English Standard Version
to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

World English Bible
to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruptibility, eternal life;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
and honour, and immortality, eternal life.

Weymouth's New Testament
to those on the one hand who, by lives of persistent right-doing, are striving for glory, honour and immortality, the Life of the Ages;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
sotheli to hem that ben bi pacience of good werk, glorie, and onour, and vncorrupcioun, to hem that seken euerlastynge lijf;

English Revised Version
to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life:

Berean Standard Bible
To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.

Contemporary English Version
He will give eternal life to everyone who has patiently done what is good in the hope of receiving glory, honor, and life that lasts forever.

American Standard Version
to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:

Bible in Basic English
To those who go on with good works in the hope of glory and honour and salvation from death, he will give eternal life:

Complete Jewish Bible
To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good, he will pay back eternal life.

Darby Translation
to them who, in patient continuance of good works, seek for glory and honour and incorruptibility, life eternal.

Etheridge Translation
To them who seek, in perseverance of good works, glory and honour and incorruption, he giveth eternal life;

Murdock Translation
to them who, by perseverance in good works, seek for glory and honor and immortality, to them he will give life eternal;

King James Version (1611)
To them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seeke for glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, eternall life:

New Living Translation
He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

New Life Bible
Those who keep on doing good and are looking for His greatness and honor will receive life that lasts forever.

New Revised Standard
to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

Geneva Bible (1587)
That is, to them which through patience in well doing, seeke glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, euerlasting life:

George Lamsa Translation
To those who continue patiently in good works seeking glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Unto them, on the one hand, who, by way of endurance in good work, are seeking, glory, honour and incorruption, life age-abiding,

Douay-Rheims Bible
To them indeed who, according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
To them, whiche by continuyng in well doyng seke for glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, eternall lyfe.

Good News Translation
Some people keep on doing good, and seek glory, honor, and immortal life; to them God will give eternal life.

Christian Standard Bible®
eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality;

King James Version
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Lexham English Bible
to those who, by perseverance in good work, seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life,

Literal Translation
everlasting life truly to those who with patience in good work seeking glory and honor and incorruptibility;

Young's Literal Translation
to those, indeed, who in continuance of a good work, do seek glory, and honour, and incorruptibility -- life age-during;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
namely, prayse & honoure, and vncorrupcion, vnto them that with pacience in doinge good, seke euerlastinge life:

Mace New Testament (1729)
who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, honour, and immortality;

New English Translation
eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality,

New King James Version
eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;

Simplified Cowboy Version
If you've been strivin' to bring glory and honor to God, he will give you glory and honor.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;

Legacy Standard Bible
to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;

Contextual Overview

¹Therefore you have no excuse or justification, everyone of you who [hypocritically] judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge [from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness] are habitually practicing the very same things [which you denounce]. ²And we know that the judgment of God falls justly and in accordance with truth on those who practice such things. ³But do you think this, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things, and yet do the same yourself, that you will escape God's judgment and elude His verdict? ⁴Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God's kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]? ⁵But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. ⁶He WILL PAY BACK TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS [justly, as his deeds deserve]: ⁷to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life.⁸But for those who are selfishly ambitious and self-seeking and disobedient to the truth but responsive to wickedness, [there will be] wrath and indignation. ⁹There will be tribulation and anguish [torturing confinement] for every human soul who does [or permits] evil, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, ¹⁰but glory and honor and inner peace [will be given] to everyone who habitually does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

patient: Romans 8:24, Romans 8:25, Job 17:9, Psalms 27:14, Psalms 37:3, Psalms 37:34, Lamentations 3:25, Lamentations 3:26, Matthew 24:12, Matthew 24:13, Luke 8:15, John 6:66-69, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Galatians 6:9, 2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 4:8, Hebrews 6:12, Hebrews 6:15, Hebrews 10:35, Hebrews 10:36, James 5:7, James 5:8, Revelation 2:10, Revelation 2:11

glory: Romans 8:18, Romans 9:23, John 5:44, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Colossians 1:27, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 1:8, 1 Peter 4:13, 1 Peter 4:14

immortality: 1 Corinthians 15:53, 1 Corinthians 15:54, 2 Timothy 1:10

eternal: Romans 6:23, 1 John 2:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:7 - If thou doest well Leviticus 26:3 - General Numbers 29:25 - General Deuteronomy 5:33 - walk Deuteronomy 11:27 - General Deuteronomy 28:1 - will set 1 Samuel 12:14 - If ye will 2 Samuel 22:25 - recompensed Nehemiah 5:16 - I continued Job 23:11 - his way Psalms 106:3 - doeth Psalms 111:10 - his praise Proverbs 13:21 - righteous Proverbs 21:21 - findeth Ecclesiastes 7:8 - the patient Isaiah 33:15 - that walketh Ezekiel 3:20 - and his Ezekiel 18:5 - if Ezekiel 18:22 - in his Daniel 6:20 - servest Amos 5:14 - Seek Matthew 7:7 - seek Matthew 10:22 - but Matthew 13:21 - dureth Matthew 19:16 - eternal Matthew 25:46 - the righteous Mark 10:17 - eternal Mark 13:13 - but Luke 6:47 - doeth Luke 11:9 - seek Luke 21:19 - General John 8:31 - If John 12:43 - the praise of God Romans 2:10 - glory Romans 5:2 - the glory Romans 11:22 - if thou Romans 12:12 - patient 1 Corinthians 4:5 - praise 2 Corinthians 4:17 - far Philippians 2:12 - work Philippians 4:1 - so Colossians 1:11 - unto Colossians 1:23 - ye continue Colossians 3:24 - ye shall 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - and patience 1 Thessalonians 1:10 - wait 2 Thessalonians 1:4 - your patience 2 Thessalonians 1:8 - and that 2 Thessalonians 2:10 - they received 2 Thessalonians 3:4 - that 2 Thessalonians 3:13 - ye 1 Timothy 4:16 - continue 2 Timothy 2:10 - with Titus 1:2 - hope Hebrews 12:1 - with patience James 1:3 - patience James 1:12 - the crown James 1:25 - and 1 Peter 4:19 - in 2 Peter 1:6 - patience Revelation 1:9 - in the Revelation 2:3 - hast patience Revelation 2:26 - keepeth

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
The third river is named Hiddekel (Tigris); it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Genesis 2:15
So the LORD God took the man [He had made] and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

Genesis 2:20
And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him.

Genesis 2:21
So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.

Genesis 3:23
therefore the LORD God sent Adam away from the Garden of Eden, to till and cultivate the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 7:22
Everything on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath and spirit of life, died.

Numbers 16:22
But they fell on their faces [before the LORD], and said, "O God, God of the spirits of all flesh! When one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?"

Numbers 27:16
"Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation

Job 4:19
'How much more [will He blame and charge] those who dwell in houses (bodies) of clay, Whose foundations are in the dust, Who are crushed like a moth.

Job 27:3
As long as my life is within me, And the breath of God is [still] in my nostrils,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

To them who by patient continuance in well doing,.... These words are descriptive of one sort of persons, to whom God will render according to their works; and must be understood not of the Gentiles, the best and most moralized among them; for they sought after worldly things, after human wisdom, and popular applause, and not after God, his honour and glory, nor after immortality, which is only brought to light by the Gospel; nor of the pharisaical Jews, who sought for righteousness by the works of the law, and honour and glory from men, and not from God; nor of any unregenerate persons, but only of such who have the true principles of grace implanted in them, whether Jews or Gentiles: now the things which these men seek after are

glory; not the glory of this world, nor any from the men of it; but the glory of God and Christ; to be glorious within and without, by the grace and righteousness of Christ here, and to enjoy eternal glory with him hereafter.

Honour; not that which Adam had in innocence, and did not abide in; but that which is, and abides with Christ, and which all the saints have, and shall have.

Immortality; not the immortality of the soul, which is common to all; but the incorruption of the body, or the glorious resurrection of it to everlasting life at the great day, or the incorruptible crown, and never fading inheritance of the saints in light. The manner in which these things are sought is, "by patient continuance in well doing"; by doing good works, and by doing these good works well, from a principle of faith and love, and with a view to the glory of God; and by patiently enduring reproaches and sufferings for well doing, and by persevering therein: not that these things are to be had, or are expected by the saints to be had for the sake of patience and well doing; yet they may be sought for, and looked unto, as an encouragement to well doing, and continuance therein; and though not "for", yet "in" well doing there is a reward. These words do not express that for the sake of which glory is had; but only describe the persons who seek, and the manner in which they seek for it, to whom God will render

eternal life, which he of his rich grace promised them before the world was, and of his free favour has put into the hands of Christ for them, and which, as a pure gift of grace, he bestows on them through him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To them - Whoever they may be.

Patient continuance - Who by perseverance in well doing, or in a good work. It means that they who so continue, or persevere, in good works as to evince that they are disposed to obey the Law of God. It does not mean those who perform one single act, but those who so live as to show that this is their character to obey God. It is the uniform doctrine of the Bible that none will be saved but those who persevere in a life of holiness, Revelation 2:10; Matthew 10:22; Hebrews 10:38-39. No other conduct gives evidence of piety but what continues in the ways of righteousness. Nor has God ever promised eternal life to people unless they so persevere in a life of holiness as to show that this is their character, their settled and firm rule of action. The words well doing here denote such conduct as shall be conformed to the Law of God; not merely external conduct, but that which proceeds from a heart attached to God and his cause.

Seek for - This word properly denotes the act of endeavoring to find any thing that is lost, Matthew 18:12; Luke 2:48-49. But it also denotes the act when one earnestly strives, or desires to obtain anything; when he puts forth his efforts to accomplish it. Thus, Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God,” etc. Act 16:10; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Luke 13:24. In this place it denotes an earnest and intense desire to obtain eternal life. It does not mean simply the desire of a sinner to be happy, or the efforts of those who are not willing to forsake their sins and yield to God, out the intense effort of those who are willing to forsake all their crimes, and submit to God and obey his laws.

Glory and honour and immortality - The three words used here, denote the happiness of the heavenly world. They vary somewhat in their meaning, and are each descriptive of something in heaven, that renders it an object of intense desire. The expressions are cumulative, or they are designed to express the happiness of heaven in the highest possible degree. The word “glory” δόξαν doxan denotes properly praise, celebrity, or anything distinguished for beauty, ornament, majesty, splendor, as of the sun, etc.; and then it is used to denote the highest happiness or felicity, as expressing everything that shall be splendid, rich, and grand. It denotes that there will be an absence of every thing mean, grovelling, obscure. The word “honor” (τιμὴν timēn) implies rather the idea of reward, or just retribution - the honor and reward which shall be conferred in heaven on the friends of God. It stands opposed to contempt, poverty, and want among people. Here they are despised by people; there, they shall be honored by God.

Immortality - That which is not corruptible or subject to decay. It is applied to heaven as a state where there shall be no decay or death, in strong contrast with our present condition, where all things are corruptible, and soon vanish away. These expressions are undoubtedly descriptive of a state of things beyond the grave. They are never applied in the Scriptures to any condition of things on the earth. This consideration proves, therefore, that the expressions in the next verse, indignation, etc. apply to the punishment of the wicked beyond the grave.

Eternal life - That is, God will “render” eternal life to those who seek it in this manner. This is a great principle; and this shows that the apostle means by “their deeds” Romans 2:6, not merely their external conduct, but their inward thoughts, and efforts evinced by their seeking for glory, etc. For the meaning of the expression “eternal life,” see the note at John 5:24.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 2:7. To them, &c.] In this manner will God, in the great day, dispense punishments and rewards:

1. He will give eternal life to them who, in all the trials and difficulties of the present state, have persevered in well doing-seeking for and expecting glory, honour, and immortality.