# Romans 2.15
**Book:** [Romans](/codex/romans/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT
## Immediate context (±2 verses)
**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 13. for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified: 14. (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves;
>
> **15. in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them);**
>
> 16. in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. 17. But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God, (Romans 2:13-17, ASV)
**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 13. For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified 14. (for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves,
>
> **15. in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them)**
>
> 16. in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ. 17. Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God, (Romans 2:13-17, WEB)
**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 13. (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
>
> **15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) their conscience: or, the conscience witnessing with them the mean: or, between themselves**
>
> 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 17. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, (Romans 2:13-17, KJV)
**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 13. for not the hearers of the law [are] righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be declared righteous: 14. For, when nations that have not a law, by nature may do the things of the law, these not having a law, to themselves are a law;
>
> **15. who do shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also witnessing with them, and between one another the thoughts accusing or else defending,**
>
> 16. in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my good news, through Jesus Christ. 17. Lo, thou art named a Jew, and dost rest upon the law, and dost boast in God, (Romans 2:13-17, YLT)
## Setting
- **Speaker:** Paul the Apostle
- **Audience:** Christian believers in Rome (Jew + Gentile)
- **Location:** composed in Corinth; addressed to Rome
- **Time period:** composed c. AD 57
## Theological reading
## Key words
- [G2588 - kardia](/codex/g2588-kardia/), *kardia* (Strong's G2588). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/), [Matthew 6.21](/codex/matthew-6-21/), [Matthew 9.4](/codex/matthew-9-4/).
- [G3551 - nomos](/codex/g3551-nomos/), *nomos* (Strong's G3551). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.17](/codex/matthew-5-17/), [Matthew 5.17-18](/codex/matthew-5-17-18/), [Matthew 22.37-40](/codex/matthew-22-37-40/).
- [G4893 - syneidesis](/codex/g4893-syneidesis/), *syneidesis* (Strong's G4893). Also appears in: [Romans 9.1-29](/codex/romans-9-1-29/), [Hebrews 9](/codex/hebrews-9/), [Hebrews 9.14](/codex/hebrews-9-14/).
## Why these four translations
ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.
The four:
- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.
See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
## Quoted in
**Arguments and defeaters:**
- [Anthropology Defeats Christianity Objection Defeater](/codex/anthropology-defeats-christianity-objection-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Argument from Conscience](/codex/argument-from-conscience/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Argument from Irrevocability](/codex/argument-from-irrevocability/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Argument from the Reliability of Reason](/codex/argument-from-the-reliability-of-reason/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Atheism Cannot Justify Compassion](/codex/atheism-cannot-justify-compassion/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Atheism is a Belief](/codex/argument-from-science-as-faith-based-guillen/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Atheism Moral Neutrality Failure](/codex/atheism-moral-neutrality-failure/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Atheist Moral Realism Defeater](/codex/atheist-moral-realism-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Belief-Choice Objection Defeater](/codex/belief-choice-objection-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-16](/codex/romans-2-14-16/)
- [Cartesian Skeptical Argument and Christian Responses](/codex/cartesian-skeptical-argument-and-christian-responses/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Christian God is the Only True God](/codex/christian-god-is-the-only-true-god/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Christianity Stolen From Kemet Objection Defeater](/codex/christianity-stolen-from-kemet-objection-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Deuteronomy 21 Captive Bride Objection Defeater](/codex/deuteronomy-21-captive-bride-objection-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Divine Hiddenness Objection Defeater](/codex/divine-hiddenness-objection-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Evidential Problem of Evil Defeater](/codex/evidential-problem-of-evil-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Evolution and Empathy Ground Morality (Defeater)](/codex/evolution-and-empathy-ground-morality-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [God Causes Cancer Objection Defeater](/codex/god-causes-cancer-objection-defeater/)
- [Harm-Reduction Cannot Ground Morality (Defeater)](/codex/harm-reduction-cannot-ground-morality-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Intersubjective Morality Defeater](/codex/intersubjective-morality-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Moral Anti-Realism Defeater](/codex/moral-anti-realism-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Moral Argument](/codex/moral-arguments/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Performative Self-Refutation of Atheist Denial](/codex/performative-self-refutation-of-atheist-denial/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Stealing from God Argument](/codex/stealing-from-god-argument/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Subjective Morality Defeater](/codex/subjective-morality-defeater/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Transcendental Argument for God](/codex/transcendental-argument-for-god/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
**Concepts:**
- [Apologetics](/codex/apologetics/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Atheism](/codex/atheism/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Diagnostic Doorways](/codex/diagnostic-doorways/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Divine Hiddenness](/codex/divine-hiddenness/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Evangelism](/codex/evangelism/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [General Revelation](/codex/romans-1-19-20/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Hard Questions for Atheists](/codex/hard-questions-for-atheists/)
- [Hearing God](/codex/hearing-god/)
- [Hell and Eternal Punishment](/codex/hell-and-eternal-punishment/), via [Romans 2.11-16](/codex/romans-2-11-16/), [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Is Atheism a Religion](/codex/is-atheism-a-religion/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Moral Arguments](/codex/moral-arguments/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Morality](/codex/morality/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Natural Theology](/codex/natural-theology/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Origins and Cosmology](/codex/origins-and-cosmology/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Presuppositionalism](/codex/presuppositionalism/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Quick Objection Responses](/codex/quick-objection-responses/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Reformed Epistemology](/codex/reformed-epistemology/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Salvation of the Unevangelized](/codex/salvation-of-the-unevangelized/), via [Romans 2.12-16](/codex/romans-2-12-16/), [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/), [Romans 2.14-16](/codex/romans-2-14-16/)
- [Sensus Divinitatis](/codex/sensus-divinitatis/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Soul and Spirit, Origin and Awareness](/codex/soul-and-spirit-origin-and-awareness/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Spiritual But Not Religious](/codex/spiritual-but-not-religious/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
**People:**
- [C.S. Lewis](/codex/c-s-lewis/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [David Hume](/codex/david-hume/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [Sharon Street](/codex/sharon-street/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
**Lexicon:**
- [G0626 - apologeomai](/codex/g0626-apologeomai/)
- [G3551 - nomos](/codex/g3551-nomos/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [G4893 - syneidesis](/codex/g4893-syneidesis/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)
- [G627 - apologia](/codex/g627-apologia/)
- [H8451 - torah](/codex/h8451-torah/), via [Romans 2.14-15](/codex/romans-2-14-15/)