Romans 2 5

Romans 2:5 kjv

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Romans 2:5 nkjv

But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

Romans 2:5 niv

But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 2:5 esv

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 2:5 nlt

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 2 verses

Romans 2 5 Meaning

Romans 2:5 declares that those who persist in hardened disobedience and refuse to repent are actively accumulating divine wrath for themselves. This accumulated wrath will be manifested and executed by God's righteous judgment on a specific future "day of wrath." The verse emphasizes the direct and self-inflicted consequence of human obstinacy against God's patience and kindness.

Romans 2 5 Context

Romans 2:5 is central to Paul's argument in chapters 1-3, which establishes the universal need for God's righteousness by faith. Having first exposed the sinfulness of the Gentiles (Rom 1:18-32), Paul turns in Romans 2 to address those (primarily Jews, but also any moralistic individual) who pride themselves on judging others yet practice similar sins themselves. Paul challenges their self-righteousness, emphasizing God's impartial judgment that is based on deeds, not on external privileges like the Law or circumcision. Verse 5 follows immediately from verse 4, where Paul highlights God's kindness, forbearance, and patience as leading to repentance. The hardening mentioned in verse 5 is the opposite, negative reaction to this divine grace, signifying a rejection of the opportunity for spiritual change. Historically, this passage corrects a prevalent Jewish assumption that their covenant status guaranteed salvation regardless of their conduct, thereby undercutting any basis for hypocrisy and demonstrating that all humanity stands under God's righteous judgment.

Romans 2 5 Word analysis

• But because of your stubbornness:

  • Greek: ἀλλά κατά σκληρότητα (alla kata sklērotēta).
  • "But because of" (ἀλλά κατά - alla kata): Introduces a strong contrast, marking the negative outcome as a direct result of the preceding statement's opposite intention (God's patience leading to repentance, not hardening).
  • "your" (σου - sou): Points directly to the audience Paul is addressing—the self-righteous judge.
  • "stubbornness" (σκληρότητα - sklērotēta): Implies spiritual hardness, inflexibility, and an unwillingness to change or yield. This term often appears in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) in reference to Pharaoh's hardened heart (e.g., Ex 4:21; 7:3, 22), signifying a defiant resistance to God's will and truth, despite ample evidence or prompting. It denotes a deliberate stiffening of the neck against divine guidance.

• and unrepentant heart:

  • Greek: ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν (ametanoēton kardian).
  • "unrepentant" (ἀμετανόητον - ametanoēton): A compound word meaning "without a change of mind." It describes a refusal to turn away from sin, a rejection of transformation, or an unwillingness to reconsider one's actions and attitudes.
  • "heart" (καρδίαν - kardian): In biblical terms, the heart is not merely the organ of emotion but the core of a person's being—the seat of intellect, will, and conscience. An "unrepentant heart" signifies a deliberate, conscious choice to persist in sin and not yield to God.

• you are storing up:

  • Greek: θησαυρίζεις (thēsaurizeis).
  • Present active indicative verb, suggesting an ongoing, continuous action. Literally "to treasure up," "to lay up in store," or "to heap up."
  • Used ironically and powerfully here. While usually referring to accumulating valuable things, in this context, it refers to accumulating something dreadful: wrath. It emphasizes the active, intentional, and cumulative nature of unrepentant sin—each act of defiance adds to the eventual outcome. The individual is actively, if unconsciously, preparing their own condemnation.

• wrath:

  • Greek: ὀργήν (orgēn).
  • Refers to divine wrath, which is not capricious human anger but God's holy, settled, and just opposition to sin and rebellion. It is a righteous response from His character, signifying His punitive judgment and determined recompense for ungodliness.

• for yourself:

  • Greek: σεαυτῷ (seautō).
  • Emphasizes the direct personal responsibility for the accumulation of wrath. The consequences are self-inflicted, not imposed arbitrarily by God, but brought about by the individual's own choices of stubbornness and unrepentance.

• in the day of wrath:

  • Greek: ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς (en hēmerā orgēs).
  • Refers to a specific, appointed future time of divine judgment. This echoes the Old Testament concept of "the Day of the Lord" (e.g., Zeph 1:15), an eschatological period when God's justice will be decisively revealed and His judgment executed on unrighteousness. It is not an abstract concept but a coming reality.

• and revelation:

  • Greek: καί ἀποκαλύψεως (kai apokalypseōs).
  • "revelation" (ἀποκαλύψεως - apokalypsōs): Meaning "unveiling," "disclosure," or "making manifest." On that appointed day, God's wrath and righteous judgment will be plainly and powerfully revealed for all to see. It signifies that the true character of individuals (their inner stubbornness and unrepentance) and the just character of God will both be made fully evident.

• of the righteous judgment of God:

  • Greek: δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ (dikaiokrisias tou Theou).
  • "righteous judgment" (δικαιοκρισίας - dikaiokrisias): A compound word derived from 'dikaios' (righteous, just) and 'krisis' (judgment). This single word powerfully encapsulates the nature of God's final verdict: it will be perfectly equitable, impartial, and utterly consistent with His holy character. No one will be able to dispute the fairness or justice of God's decision.
  • "of God" (τοῦ Θεοῦ - tou Theou): Identifies God as the ultimate source and executor of this perfectly just and inevitable judgment.

Romans 2 5 Bonus section

• This verse starkly contrasts God's riches of kindness and forbearance and patience (Rom 2:4) with human stubbornness and unrepentant heart. It illustrates that grace, when spurned, can intensify judgment.
• The concept of "storing up" wrath is an antithesis to the biblical command to "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matt 6:20). It signifies that a life lived in rebellion against God results in a detrimental accumulation that leads to destruction, rather than blessing.
• The phrase "the day of wrath and revelation" indicates that divine judgment will not be hidden or mysterious, but rather clearly manifest, unveiling both human sin and God's perfect justice. This serves as a vindication of God's character before all creation.
• It reinforces the theological truth that while God is love (1 Jn 4:8), He is also a God of justice, whose holiness demands a response to sin. His attributes of grace and judgment are not contradictory but harmonious in His divine nature.

Romans 2 5 Commentary

Romans 2:5 serves as a potent warning against spiritual complacency and defiance. It posits a direct, causal link between an individual's persistent, hardened will and their ultimate encounter with God's holy retribution. Despite God's abundant patience, intended to lead people to repentance (Rom 2:4), those who stubbornly refuse to change are paradoxically "storing up" or accumulating a severe and just response from Him. This accumulation is not an arbitrary act by God, but a direct consequence of ongoing unrepentance; people prepare their own doom by their choices. The verse highlights that God's future judgment will be transparent ("revelation") and perfectly fair ("righteous judgment"), administered on a decisive "day of wrath." It underscores that God is not mocked (Gal 6:7) and His justice will prevail, providing no exemption for those who presume on their external privileges while maintaining an inwardly defiant heart. For instance, imagine a student consistently procrastinating and neglecting studies despite repeated warnings; they are effectively "storing up" a failing grade for themselves at the final examination. Their persistent choices dictate their ultimate academic outcome.