God’s Righteous Judgment (Psalm 75:1–10)
1 UST Consequently, any one of you who judges another person cannot excuse yourself{ at all}{ when God condemns you}.{ This is} because you are actually condemning yourself when you judge someone else, since you who judge someone else do the exact same things{ that they do}! BSB BSB: You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
2 UST Certainly, we acknowledge that God will correctly judge those people who continue doing such{ inappropriate} things. BSB BSB: And we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.
3 UST You who judge the people who continue to do such{ inappropriate} things while you do the exact same things yourself should certainly not think that you can escape when God judges you! BSB BSB: So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
4 UST You who despise{ how} abundantly kind, tolerant, and patient God is must certainly know that God’ s kind acts{ are meant to} cause you to repent. BSB BSB: Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
5 UST Instead, because you are stubborn and refuse to repent, you are causing God to punish you even more severely.{ This will happen} when God punishes{ sinners} and reveals how justly he judges. BSB BSB: But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
7 UST Living eternally{ is how God repays} those people who keep striving for God to glorify, honor, and preserve them{ forever}.{ They do this} by persisting in doing what is good. BSB BSB: To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.
8 UST By contrast, God will fiercely punish those people who refuse to do what he says is true and right because they are selfishly ambitious. BSB BSB: But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
9 UST { God will cause} every human being who does what is evil to become distressed and troubled.{ This will happen} especially to the Jew{ who does what is evil} and also to everyone else{ who does so}. BSB BSB: There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;
10 UST By contrast, God will glorify, honor, and reconcile every person who does what is good.{ This will happen} especially to the Jew{ who does what is good} and also to everyone else{ who does so}. BSB BSB: but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek.
11 UST { These things are true} because God is impartial. BSB BSB: For God does not show favoritism.
12 UST { We know this about God,} because he will punish forever all people who sin without{ knowing} the laws{ that God gave the Jews}{ even though} they do not know those laws. At the same time, God will judge according to his laws whoever sins while knowing those laws. BSB BSB: All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
13 UST { God will judge everyone who sins} because God does not make righteous those people who{ only} hear his laws. Rather, God will make righteous those people who obey his laws. BSB BSB: For 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.
15 UST { By naturally following some laws that God gave through Moses,} these people demonstrate that God has made each person aware of how to obey his laws. What they think shows that this is true, in that what each of them thinks will either accuse or even defend their actions. BSB BSB: So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them
16 UST { This will happen} at the time when God{ finally} judges the hidden thoughts that people think.{ God’ s} good news that I proclaim teaches that he will judge{ mankind} through the Messiah Jesus. BSB BSB: on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
The Jews and the Law 17 UST Now,{ I am addressing} you who identify yourselves as Jews: You depend on the laws{ God gave you}{ to avoid God’ s judgment}. You brag that you know God. BSB BSB: Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;
18 UST You know what God wants. Also, since{ some people} have taught you{ God’ s law}, you approve of what is superior. BSB BSB: if you know His will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;
19 UST You have even convinced yourselves that you{ Jews} are the only ones who can teach those{ non- Jewish people} who do not know{ about God}.{ You are convinced that} only you can enable ignorant people to understand{ who God is}. BSB BSB: if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,
20 UST { You have convinced yourself that} you should instruct people who are foolish.{ You have convinced yourself that} you should teach{ people who are as ignorant as} infants.{ You think this way} because you know the laws{ God gave the Jews}, which fully contain what we can know and what is true. BSB BSB: an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—
21 UST So{ even though you Jews have convinced yourself that these things are true}, you should teach yourselves to do what you teach others to do{ because you do not do those things}! You keep telling others that they should not steal, but you steal! BSB BSB: you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
22 UST You keep telling{ people} not to have sexual relations with people whom they did not marry,{ but} you do so! You{ supposedly} detest idols,{ but} you ransack temples{ that contain idols}! BSB BSB: You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23 UST You brag about{ how well you understand} the laws{ God gave you},{ but} you disgrace God by disobeying those laws! BSB BSB: You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
24 UST { These things are true} because it is what{ the prophet Isaiah meant when} he wrote{ in the Scriptures},“The nations say bad things about God because of{ how wickedly} you{ Jews act}.” BSB BSB: As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
25 UST { You Jews who have sinned will be judged} because, being circumcised{ only} benefits you if you obey the laws{ God gave you}. However, if you disobey those laws, being circumcised does not benefit you at all. BSB BSB: Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
26 UST So then, if uncircumcised people obey what God requires in the laws{ he gave the Jews}, God will regard those uncircumcised people as being circumcised. BSB BSB: If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
27 UST And people who are physically uncircumcised yet fully obey the laws{ from God} will judge you{ Jews}! Although{ you know} the written rules{ God gave the Jews} and you are circumcised, you have disobeyed those laws! BSB BSB: The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 UST { This is true} because a{ true} Jew is not someone who does Jewish rituals that people can see.{ Similarly,} people cannot see{ true} circumcision on a person’ s body. BSB BSB: A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.
29 UST Rather, a{ true} Jew is one{ by means of something} that people cannot see.{ True} circumcision{ happens} in a person’ s mind{ and} the{ Holy} Spirit does it.{ Obeying} the written rules{ God gave the Jews} cannot do it. God commends a true Jew, but other people do not. BSB BSB: No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.