unfoldingWord_en_tn/rom/02/13.md

# Connecting Statement:

Paul continues to let the reader know that perfect obedience to God's law is required even for those who never had God's law.

# For

Verses 14 and 15 interrupt Paul's main argument to give the reader extra information. If you have a way to mark an interruption like this in your language, you can use it here.

# it is not the hearers of the law

Here "the law" refers to the law of Moses. AT: "it is not those who only hear the law of Moses" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# who are righteous before God

"whom God considers righteous"

# but it is the doers of the law

"but it is those who obey the law of Moses"

# who will be justified

You can translate this in an active form. AT: "whom God will accept" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

# Gentiles, who do not have the law ... are a law to themselves

The phrase "law to themselves" is an idiom that means that these people naturally obey God's laws. AT: "have God's laws already inside them" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])

# they do not have the law

Here "the law" refers to the law of Moses." AT: "they do not actually have the laws that God gave to Moses" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lawofmoses]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/righteous]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/justify]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/gentile]]