Romans 2:11

Christian Standard Bible ®

For there is no favoritism with God.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
God judges everyone the same. It doesn't matter who they are.

Revised Standard Version
For God shows no partiality.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For ther is no parcialyte with god. But whosoever hath synned with out lawe shall perisshe wt out lawe.

Hebrew Names Version
For there is no partiality with God.

International Standard Version
For God does not show partiality.Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 1:34:19; Acts 10:34; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
For there is no partiality with God.

New Century Version
For God judges all people in the same way.

Update Bible Version
for there is no respect of persons with God.

Webster's Bible Translation
For there is no respect of persons with God.

English Standard Version
For God shows no partiality.

World English Bible
For there is no partiality with God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For there is no respect of persons with God.

Weymouth's New Testament
For God pays no attention to this world's distinctions.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For accepcioun of persones is not anentis God.

English Revised Version
for there is no respect of persons with God.

Berean Standard Bible
For God does not show favoritism.

Contemporary English Version
God doesn't have any favorites!

Amplified Bible
For God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another].

American Standard Version
for there is no respect of persons with God.

Bible in Basic English
For one man is not different from another before God.

Complete Jewish Bible
For God does not show favoritism.

Darby Translation
for there is no acceptance of persons with God.

Etheridge Translation
for there is no acceptance of faces with Aloha.

Murdock Translation
For there is no respect of persons with God:

King James Version (1611)
For there is no respect of persons with God.

New Living Translation
For God does not show favoritism.

New Life Bible
God does not show favor to one man more than to another.

New Revised Standard
For God shows no partiality.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For there is no respect of persons wt God.

George Lamsa Translation
For there is no respect of persons with God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For there is no respect of persons with God; -

Douay-Rheims Bible
For there is no respect of persons with God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For there is no respect of persos with God.

Good News Translation
For God judges everyone by the same standard.

King James Version
For there is no respect of persons with God.

Lexham English Bible
For there is no partiality with God.

Literal Translation
For there is no respect of persons with God.

Young's Literal Translation
For there is no acceptance of faces with God,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For there is no respecte of personnes before God: Who so euer haue synned without lawe,

Mace New Testament (1729)
since with God there is no respect of persons.

New English Translation
For there is no partiality with God.

New King James Version
For there is no partiality with God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
God don't play favorites.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For there is no partiality with God.

Legacy Standard Bible
For there is no partiality with God.

Contextual Overview

¹Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. ²We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. ³Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? ⁵Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. ⁶He will repay each one according to his works: ⁷eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; ⁸but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. ⁹There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; ¹⁰but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Deuteronomy 10:17, Deuteronomy 16:19, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Job 34:19, Proverbs 24:23, Proverbs 24:24, Matthew 22:16, Luke 20:21, Acts 10:34, Galatians 2:6, Galatians 6:7, Galatians 6:8, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25, 1 Peter 1:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:9 - a great Deuteronomy 1:17 - shall not 2 Samuel 14:14 - neither Isaiah 56:3 - the son Malachi 1:9 - will he

Cross-References

Genesis 10:7
Cush’s sons: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. And Raamah’s sons: Sheba and Dedan.

Genesis 10:29
Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were Joktan’s sons.

Genesis 25:18
And they settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Asshur. He stayed near all his relatives.

1 Samuel 15:7
Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For there is no respect of persons with God. It will not come into consideration, at the day of judgment, of what nation men are; or from what parents they are descended; nor of what age and sex persons be; nor in what state and condition they have lived in this world; nor will it be asked to what sect they have belonged, and by what denomination they have been called; or whether they have conformed to such and such externals and rituals in religion; but only whether they are righteous men or sinners; and accordingly as they appear under these characters, judgment will proceed. Some object from hence, though without any reason, to the doctrine of particular election of certain persons to everlasting salvation. This passage respects matters of strict justice, and is a forensic expression relating to courts of judicature, where persons presiding are to have no regard to the faces of men, but do that which is strictly just between man and man; and does not respect matters of grace and free favour, such as giving alms, forgiving debts, c. A judge, as such, is to regard no man's person, but to proceed in matters before him, according to the rules of law and justice should he do otherwise, he would be chargeable with being a respecter of persons; but then he may bestow alms on what objects he pleases; and forgive one man who is personally indebted to him, and not another, without any such imputation. This, applied to the case in hand, abundantly clears it; for though God, as a Judge, respects no man's person; yet in matters of grace he distinguishes one person from another, as it is plain he does by the bounties of his Providence. Besides, God is not bound to any person by any laws, but acts as a Sovereign; he is not moved by anything in the creature; as his choice is not confined to persons of any particular nation, family, sex, or condition, so neither does it proceed upon anything, or a foresight of anything in them, or done by them; and as there is no worthiness in them that are chosen, and saved above others, so no injury is done to the rest: add to all this, that those that are saved by virtue of electing grace, are saved in a way of righteousness agreeably to the holy law, and strict justice of God; so that no complaint can be made against the distinguishing methods of grace, upon the foot of strict justice.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For - This particle is used here to confirm what is said before, particularly that this punishment should be experienced by the Jew as well as the Gentile. For God would deal with both on the principles of justice.

Respect of persons - The word thus rendered means “partiality,” in pronouncing judgment, in favoring one party or individual more than another, not because his cause is more just, but on account of something personal - on account of his wealth, or rank, or function, or influence, or by personal friendship, or by the fear of him. It has special reference to a judge who pronounces judgment between parties at law. The exercise of such partiality was strictly and often forbidden to the Jewish magistrates; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; Proverbs 24:23; James 2:1, James 2:3,James 2:9. In his capacity as a Judge, it is applied often to God. It means that he will not be influenced in awarding the retributions of eternity, in actually pronouncing and executing sentence, by any partiality, or by regard to the wealth, function, rank, or appearance of people. He will judge righteous judgment; he will judge people as they ought to be judged; according to their character and deserts; and not contrary to their character, or by partiality.

The connection here demands that this affirmation should be limited solely to his dealing with people as their judge. And in this sense, and this only, this is affirmed often of God in the Scriptures; Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; Galatians 6:7-8; 1 Peter 1:17; Acts 10:34. It does not affirm that he must make all his creatures equal in talent, health, wealth, or privilege; it does not imply that, as a sovereign, he may not make a difference in their endowments, their beauty, strength, or graces; it does not imply that he may not bestow his favors where he pleases where all are undeserving, or that he may not make a difference in the characters of people by his providence, and by the agency of his Spirit. All these are actually done, done not out of any respect to their persons, to their rank, function, or wealth, but according to his own sovereign good pleasure; Ephesians 1:0. To deny that this is done, would be to deny the manifest arrangement of things everywhere on the earth. To deny that God had a right to do it, would be,

1. To maintain that sinners had a claim on his favors;

(2)That he might not do what he willed with his own; or,

1. To affirm that God was under obligation to make all people with just the same talents and privileges, that is, that all creatures must be, in all respects, just alike.

This passage, therefore, is very improperly brought to disprove the doctrine of decrees, or election, or sovereignty. It has respect to a different thing, to the actual exercise of the office of the Judge of the world; and whatever may be the truth about God’s decrees or his electing love, this passage teaches nothing in relation to either. It may be added that this passage contains a most alarming truth for guilty people. It is that God will not be influenced by partiality, but will treat them just as they deserve. He will not be won or awed by their rank or function; by their wealth or endowments; by their numbers, their power, or their robes of royalty and splendor. Every man should tremble at the prospect of falling into the hands of a just God, who will treat him just as he deserves, and should without delay seek a refuge in the Saviour and Advocate provided for the guilty: 1 John 2:1-2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 2:11. For there is no respect of persons with God. — The righteous Judge will not act according to any principle of partiality; the character and conduct, alone of the persons shall weigh with him. He will take no wicked man to glory, let his nation or advantages be what they may; and he will send no righteous man to perdition, though brought up in the very bosom of Gentilism. And as he will judge in that day according to character and conduct, so his judgment will proceed on the ground of the graces, privileges, and blessings which they had received, improved or abused. And as there is no respect of persons with God in judgment, so there can be none in the previous administration of his saving blessings. He that will be condemned for his unrighteousness, will be condemned on the ground that he had sufficient grace afforded him for the salvation of his soul; and his condemnation will rest on the simple principle, that he abused the grace which was sufficient to save him, by acting in opposition to its dictates and influence. No man, in that great day, shall be brought to heaven through any partiality of the Judge; and no man sent to hell because God did not afford him sufficient grace, or because he had made a decree which rendered even his use of it ineffectual to his salvation. In reference to the great design of God, in the salvation of man, it shall be said,-in time, at the day of judgment, and throughout eternity,- -THERE IS NO RESPECT OF PERSONS WITH GOD.