the Second Week after Epiphany
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New Living Translation
Romans 2:17
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But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God
Beholde, thou art called a Iewe, and restest in the Lawe, and gloriest in God,
Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God,
Indeed you bear the name of a Yehudi, and rest on the law, and glory in God,
But if *thou* art named a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast in God,
What about you? You say you are a Jew. You trust in the law and proudly claim to be close to God.
But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely on the Law [for your salvation] and boast in [your special relationship to] God,
But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,
Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;
Some of you call yourselves Jews. You trust in the Law and take pride in God.
But if you call yourself a Jew and rest on Torah and boast about God
Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast about God,Isaiah 45:25; 48:2; Micah 3:11; Matthew 3:9; John 8:33,41; Romans 9:4,6-7; 2 Corinthians 11:22;">[xr]
But if thou (who) a Jihudoya art called, and reposest on the law, and boastest in Aloha,
But if thou, who art called a Jew, and reposest thyself on the law, and gloriest in God,
Behold, thou art called a Iew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God:
Behold, thou art called a Iewe, and restest in the lawe, and makest thy boast of God,
But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God
Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest in the Law, and boast in God,
What about you? You call yourself a Jew. You trust in the law of Moses and brag that you are close to God.
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relationship to God
Indeed [fn] you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God
If, however, thou, art taking the name of Jew, and resting thyself upon law, and boasting in God,
But if thou art called a Jew and restest in the law and makest thy boast of God,
Now if you who are called a Jew, trust on the law and are proud of God,
What about you? You call yourself a Jew; you depend on the Law and boast about God;
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law,
And since you claim the name of Jew, and find rest and satisfaction in the Law, and make your boast in God,
But if thou art named a Jew, and restist in the lawe, and hast glorie in God,
Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God,
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely upon the law and boast of your relation to God
Beholde thou arte called a Iewe and trustest in the lawe and reioysist in God
But if you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God,
Lo, thou art named a Jew, and dost rest upon the law, and dost boast in God,
But as for you who have the name of Jew, and are resting on the law, and take pride in God,
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
But take hede, thou art called a Iewe, and trustest in the lawe, & makest thy boost of God,
'Tis true, you bear the name of a Jew, you depend upon the law, and boast of your worship:
If you're brought up Jewish, don't assume that you can lean back in the arms of your religion and take it easy, feeling smug because you're an insider to God's revelation, a connoisseur of the best things of God, informed on the latest doctrines! I have a special word of caution for you who are sure that you have it all together yourselves and, because you know God's revealed Word inside and out, feel qualified to guide others through their blind alleys and dark nights and confused emotions to God. While you are guiding others, who is going to guide you? I'm quite serious. While preaching "Don't steal!" are you going to rob people blind? Who would suspect you? The same with adultery. The same with idolatry. You can get by with almost anything if you front it with eloquent talk about God and his law. The line from Scripture, "It's because of you Jews that the outsiders are down on God," shows it's an old problem that isn't going to go away.
You are a Jew and think you are safe because of the Law. You tell others about how you know God.
Some of you claim to be some of God's original cowboys, the Jews. You claim to follow the Code and boast about your ride with God.
But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
thou art: Romans 2:28, Romans 2:29, Romans 9:4-7, Psalms 135:4, Isaiah 48:1, Isaiah 48:2, Matthew 3:9, Matthew 8:11, Matthew 8:12, John 8:33, 2 Corinthians 11:22, Galatians 2:15, Ephesians 2:11, Philippians 3:3-7, Revelation 2:9, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:9
restest: Romans 2:23, Romans 9:4, Romans 9:32, Jeremiah 7:4-10, Zephaniah 3:11, Luke 10:28, John 5:45, John 7:19, John 9:28, John 9:29
makest: Isaiah 45:25, Isaiah 48:2, Micah 3:11, John 8:41
Reciprocal: Ezra 9:1 - doing according Job 24:13 - rebel Psalms 19:8 - enlightening Psalms 44:8 - In God Psalms 50:16 - What Psalms 76:1 - In Judah Isaiah 42:19 - Who is blind Isaiah 65:5 - Stand Jeremiah 2:8 - and they that Jeremiah 7:9 - steal Jeremiah 8:8 - We Matthew 6:23 - If Matthew 21:30 - I go John 8:54 - ye say Romans 1:30 - boasters Romans 3:27 - Where Romans 5:11 - but we Romans 7:1 - them that Galatians 6:13 - keep James 3:14 - glory James 4:17 - General Revelation 3:17 - knowest
Cross-References
So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed.
This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
Instead, springs came up from the ground and watered all the land.
The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches.
The gold of that land is exceptionally pure; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there.
The second branch, called the Gihon, flowed around the entire land of Cush.
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him."
He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.
So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the opening.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Behold, thou art called a Jew,.... From hence to the end of the chapter the Jews are particularly addressed; their several privileges and characters are commemorated, which by an ironical concession are allowed them; several charges are brought against them, even against their principal men; and the plea in favour of them, from their circumcision, is considered; and the apostle's view in the whole, is to show that they could not be justified before God by their obedience to the law of Moses: "behold"; take notice, observe it, this will be granted: "thou art called a Jew"; thou art one by name, by nation, and by religion; but no name, nor outward religion, nor a mere profession, will justify before God:
and restest in the law; which may be understood of their having the law and the knowledge of it, what is to be done and avoided easily, without any fatigue and labour; of their pleasing and applauding themselves with the bare having and hearing of it; of their trust and confidence in it; and of their inactivity and security in it, as persons asleep; and so of their coming short of the knowledge of the Gospel, and of Christ the end of the law for righteousness, their whole confidence being placed in that: so the Targumist in Jeremiah 8:8 paraphrases the words,
"we are wise, "and in the law of the Lord", אנחגא רחיצון, do we trust;''
and makest thy boast of God. There is a right boasting of God in opposition to boasting in the creature, when men ascribe all the blessings of nature and grace to the Lord alone, and praise him for all their enjoyments, temporal and spiritual; and when they trust in, and glory, and make their boast of Christ as the Lord their righteousness, in whom alone they are, and can be justified. But the boasting here spoken of, was such that was not right; these men boasted of their bare external knowledge of the one God, when the Gentiles around them were ignorant of him; of their being the covenant people of God, when others were aliens and strangers; and of their having the word and worship of the true God, which other nations were unacquainted with; and, on these external things they depended, which was their fault.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Behold - Having thus stated the general principles on which God would judge the world; having shown how they condemned the Gentiles; and having removed all objections to them, he now proceeds to another part of his argument, to show how they applied to the Jews. By the use of the word “behold,” he calls their attention to it, as to an important subject; and with great skill and address, he states their privileges, before he shows them how those privileges might enhance their condemnation. He admits all their claims to pre-eminence in privileges, and then with great faithfulness proceeds to show how, if abused, these might deepen their final destruction. It should be observed, however, that the word rendered “behold” is in many manuscripts written in two words, ἔι δὲ ei de, instead of ἴδε ide. If this, as is probable, is the correct reading there, it should be rendered, “if now thou art,” etc. Thus, the Syriac, Latin, and Arabic read it.
Thou art called - Thou art named Jew, implying that this name was one of very high honor. This is the first thing mentioned on which the Jew would be likely to pride himself.
A Jew - This was the name by which the Hebrews were at that time generally known; and it is clear that they regarded it as a name of honor, and valued themselves much on it; see Galatians 2:15; Revelation 2:9. Its origin is not certainly known. They were called the children of Israel until the time of Rehoboam. When the ten tribes were carried into captivity, but two remained, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The name Jews was evidently given to denote those of the tribe of Judah. The reasons why the name of Benjamin was lost in that of Judah, were probably,
(1)Because the tribe of Benjamin was small, and comparatively without influence or importance.
- The Messiah was to be of the tribe of Judah Genesis 49:10; and that tribe would therefore possess a consequence proportioned to their expectation of that event.
The name of Jews would therefore be one that would suggest the facts that they were preserved from captivity, that they had received remarkably the protection of God, and that the Messiah was to be sent to that people. Hence, it is not wonderful that they should regard it as a special favor to be a Jew, and particularly when they added to this the idea of all the other favors connected with their being the special people of God. The name “Jew” came thus to denote all the peculiarities and special favors of their religion.
And restest in the law - The word “rest” here is evidently used in the sense of trusting to, or leaning upon. The Jew leaned on, or relied on the Law for acceptance or favor; on the fact that he had the Law, and on his obedience to it. It does not mean that he relied on his own works, though that was true, but that he leaned on the fact that he had the Law, and was thus distinguished above others. The Law here means the entire Mosaic economy; or all the rules and regulations which Moses had given. Perhaps also it includes, as it sometimes does, the whole of the Old Testament.
Makest thy boast in God - Thou dost boast, or glory, that thou hast the knowledge of the true God, while other nations are in darkness. On this account the Jew felt himself far elevated above all other people, and despised them. It was true that they only had the true knowledge of God, and that he had declared himself to be their God, Deuteronomy 4:7; Psalms 147:19-20; but this was not a ground for boasting, but for gratitude. This passage shows us that it is much more common to boast of privileges than to be thankful for them, and that it is no evidence of piety for a man to boast of his knowledge of God. An humble, ardent thankfulness that we have that knowledge a thankfulness which leads us not to despise others, but to desire that they may have the same privilege - is an evidence of piety.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. Behold, thou art called a Jew — What the apostle had said in the preceding verses being sufficient to enforce conviction on the conscience of the Jew, he now throws off the cover, and openly argues with him in the most plain and nervous manner; asserting that his superior knowledge, privileges, and profession, served only to aggravate his condemnation. And that, in fact, he who, under all his greater advantages, transgressed the law of God, stood condemned by the honest Gentile, who, to the best of his knowledge obeyed it. Dr. Taylor.
And restest in the law — Thou trustest in it for thy endless salvation. The word επαναπαυη, implies the strongest confidence of safety and security. Thou reposest thy whole trust and confidence in this law.
And makest thy boast of God — That thou knowest his nature and attributes, which are not known to the Gentiles. The word, καυχασαι, implies the idea of exulting in any thing, as being a proper object of hope and dependence: and, when referred to GOD, it points out that HE is the sure cause of hope, dependence, joy, and happiness; and that it is the highest honour to be called to know his name, and be employed in his service. As if the apostle had said: You rejoice in God as the object of your hope and dependence; you praise and magnify him; you account it your greatest honour that HE is your God, and that you worship him.
