Romans 2 10

Romans 2:10 kjv

But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

Romans 2:10 nkjv

but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 2:10 niv

but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 2:10 esv

but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

Romans 2:10 nlt

But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good ? for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.

Romans 2 verses

Romans 2 10 Meaning

Romans 2:10 declares that God bestows divine approval, recognition, and comprehensive well-being upon everyone who genuinely lives righteously. This divine reward, consisting of glory, honor, and peace, is offered impartially to all who demonstrate a life characterized by goodness, initially extended to the Jewish people due to their historical covenantal relationship with God, but equally available and administered to the Gentiles. It stands in direct contrast to the tribulation and wrath promised to those who practice evil.

Romans 2 10 Context

Romans chapter 2 begins Paul’s extended argument that both Jews and Gentiles are accountable to God and equally stand under His righteous judgment. Having previously established the Gentile world's inexcusability due to their suppression of truth (Rom 1:18-32), Paul now turns to those (specifically, but not exclusively, Jews) who would judge others while committing the same offenses (Rom 2:1-5). He asserts that God’s judgment is based on truth and is perfectly righteous, rendering to each person according to their deeds (Rom 2:6). Romans 2:7-8 contrasts eternal life for those who persistently seek God through good deeds with wrath for those who are selfish and disobedient. Verse 2:9 describes the negative consequence – tribulation and distress – for every evil-doer, applied "to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Romans 2:10 then presents the positive parallel to this, offering glory, honor, and peace to those who do good, following the same "Jew first and also to the Greek" order. This entire section culminates in the explicit declaration of God's impartiality in Rom 2:11, setting the stage for Paul’s comprehensive thesis on justification by faith in Christ, available to all without distinction.

Romans 2 10 Word analysis

• but (ἀλλά, alla): This is a strong adversative conjunction, signifying a direct contrast. It intentionally presents the opposite outcome to the "tribulation and distress" described in the preceding verse (Rom 2:9). It signals a turning point from negative consequences to positive blessings.
• glory (δόξα, doxa): In the biblical context, doxa frequently refers to God's manifest splendor, majesty, and radiant presence. When applied to believers as a reward, it signifies participation in God's divine brilliance, an elevated state of honor, and ultimate divine approval. It suggests a share in the glorious nature or kingdom of God.
• honor (τιμή, timē): This word conveys the idea of worth, esteem, respect, or dignity. As a divine reward, timē indicates God's commendation and recognition of a person's life and actions, bestowing upon them a position of value and regard in His eyes. It is the acknowledgement of inherent worth by the ultimate authority.
• and peace (καὶ εἰρήνη, kai eirēnē): Eirēnē encompasses more than just the absence of conflict; it represents comprehensive well-being, wholeness, prosperity, and harmony, deeply rooted in the Hebrew concept of shalom. In this context, it refers especially to spiritual peace – harmony with God and a deep, inward sense of tranquility that flows from a right relationship with Him, along with holistic flourishing in one's life.
• to everyone (παντὶ, panti): This universal pronoun emphasizes the inclusive and impartial nature of God’s administration of rewards. It means "to every single one," highlighting that the principle applies without exception based on ethnicity, social status, or any other external human category.
• who works good (τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθόν, tō ergazomenō to agathon):
  • τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ (tō ergazomenō) means "to the one who works, practices, or performs." The present participle denotes ongoing or habitual action. It's about an active, consistent engagement in good deeds.
  • τὸ ἀγαθόν (to agathon) refers to that which is intrinsically good, morally excellent, beneficial, and virtuous. This is not simply about being "nice" but about actions that align with God's perfect standard of righteousness. While Rom 2:6-10 speak of rewards based on "works," this is crucial in Paul’s theology: these "good works" are not human efforts to earn salvation apart from Christ. Rather, within Paul’s broader message in Romans, they are the necessary fruit and evidence of a heart made righteous by faith in Christ, enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph 2:8-10). They signify genuine faith and obedience.
• to the Jew first (Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον, Ioudaio te prōton): Prōton means "first" in terms of priority or sequence, not exclusivity or superiority in receiving the reward. This acknowledges the unique historical and theological privilege of Israel, who were first entrusted with God’s revelation, promises, and the Messiah (cf. Rom 3:1-2, 9:4-5). God’s redemptive plan consistently begins with Israel, just as the gospel was initially preached to the Jews.
• and also to the Greek (καὶ Ἕλληνι, kai Hellēni): Hellēni here represents the Gentile world, all non-Jews. This phrase underscores the universality of God’s impartial judgment and blessing. It emphasizes that while there was a historical sequence, there is ultimately no distinction in God's eyes regarding the standard for judgment or the offer of divine reward; the principle applies equally to all humanity.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "glory, honor, and peace": This triad describes a comprehensive set of divine blessings that encapsulate holistic well-being and ultimate divine commendation. "Glory" relates to God's inherent majesty, shared with His redeemed; "honor" speaks of personal dignity and esteem granted by God; and "peace" signifies spiritual tranquility and harmonious relationship with God. These are antithetical to the "tribulation and distress" in the preceding verse.
• "to everyone who works good": This phrase clearly articulates the criterion for receiving these blessings: an active life of righteousness. This underscores Paul’s emphasis throughout Romans that while justification is by faith (Rom 3-5), genuine faith necessarily manifests itself in obedient actions (Rom 6-8), aligning with God's ultimate judgment according to deeds (Rom 2:6).
• "to the Jew first and also to the Greek": This repeated Pauline phrase (found also in Rom 1:16 and 2:9) simultaneously upholds God's historical particularity with Israel and His ultimate universal purpose for humanity. It denotes the order in which God deals with humanity (beginning with His chosen people), but also ensures that no group is excluded from His just and gracious dealings, confirming God's impartial nature.

Romans 2 10 Bonus section

• The "working good" mentioned here should not be misconstrued as salvation by works, but rather as the essential outward manifestation of an inward spiritual reality. In Paul's theology, good works are the fruit of genuine faith and a transformed heart, enabled by God's grace and the Holy Spirit, not the root of justification (cf. Eph 2:8-10, Jas 2:17-26). They are evidence that one is "doing good" because they are truly God's, aligning with His character.
• The sequence of "glory, honor, and peace" is a reversal of "tribulation and distress" in Rom 2:9. This literary device emphasizes the distinct outcomes for obedience versus disobedience, illustrating God's precise and just nature in His judgments and rewards.
• The emphasis on God's impartiality in Rom 2:10-11 directly refutes any contemporary Jewish belief that their lineage or possession of the Law automatically guaranteed favor or exemption from judgment, without genuine obedience. It's a polemic against religious presumption.
• "Peace" (eirēnē / shalom) as a reward points towards a complete and flourishing state, free from the unrest and judgment of God's wrath, and characterized by spiritual wholeness and prosperity that only God can grant.

Romans 2 10 Commentary

Romans 2:10 is a pivotal statement within Paul’s exposition of God's righteous and impartial judgment. It stands as the positive counterpart to the preceding verse, detailing the glorious rewards awaiting those whose lives are characterized by consistent goodness. The "glory, honor, and peace" represent a divine trifecta: glory signifying divine approval and a share in God's radiance, honor denoting recognition and dignity bestowed by God, and peace encompassing profound spiritual well-being and harmony with the Creator. Crucially, these blessings are universally accessible, extended "to everyone who works good." This emphasizes that God's assessment is based on actual conduct that demonstrates a life lived in accordance with His will, whether that knowledge came through revealed law or innate conscience. The reiteration of "to the Jew first and also to the Greek" reaffirms God's covenantal priority with Israel in the economy of salvation, acknowledging their historical position as recipients of revelation, while simultaneously asserting the boundless scope of His divine justice and blessings, available equally to the Gentile world. It underpins the principle of impartiality: ethnicity or religious privilege are irrelevant to God's ultimate standard of judgment, which weighs actions that flow from an obedient heart. The verse sets a foundational truth about divine reciprocity for righteousness, laying groundwork for the revelation of God's solution for humanity's universal sinfulness through Christ.