The Meaning of Romans 2:9 Explained

Romans 2:9

KJV: Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

YLT: tribulation and distress, upon every soul of man that is working the evil, both of Jew first, and of Greek;

Darby: tribulation and distress, on every soul of man that works evil, both of Jew first, and of Greek;

ASV: tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of man  that doeth  evil,  of the Jew  first,  and  also  of the Gentile; 

What does Romans 2:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Romans 2:1-11 - Leave Judgment Unto God
In this chapter the Apostle turns to address the Jews. His purpose is to prove that though they may deem themselves superior to the Gentiles and capable of judging them, they may be therefore liable to more severe judgment; because, notwithstanding their superior knowledge, they commit the same sins. God will judge men, not by their professions but by their works. Those who are harshest in condemning others are often guilty of the same sins, though in their own ease they manage to find some excuse which extenuates their shortcomings. Rid yourself of the beam in your own eye, that you may see clearly how to rid your brother of his mote, Matthew 7:5.
God's silence does not mean indifference, but the desire to give opportunity to repent. The Lamb is in the midst of the throne, Revelation 5:6. Our redemption is by His precious blood, and that alone; but the rewards of the future, and the enjoyment of what God means by life, are conditioned upon our obedience. Glory, honor, and peace are within your reach, if you will accept the reconciliation offered you in Christ, which will bring you into at-one-ment with God; and if you will live to do your Heavenly Father's will. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 2

1  No excuse for sin
6  No escape from judgment
14  Gentiles cannot;
17  nor Jews

Greek Commentary for Romans 2:9

Every soul of man [πασαν πσυχην αντρωπου]
See note on Romans 13:1 for this use of πσυχη — psuchē for the individual. [source]
Of the Jew first and also of the Greek [Ιουδαιου τε πρωτον και ελληνος]
See note on Romans 1:16. First not only in penalty as here, but in privilege also as in Romans 2:11; Romans 1:16. [source]
Tribulation and anguish [θλῖψις καὶ στενοχωρία]
For tribulation, see on Matthew 13:21. Στενοχωρία anguishwhich occurs only in Paul (Romans 8:35; 2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 12:10), literally means narrowness of place. The dominant idea is constraint. In Deuteronomy 28:53, Deuteronomy 28:57, it describes the confinement of a siege. Trench remarks: “The fitness of this image is attested by the frequency with which, on the other hand, a state of joy is expressed in the Psalms and elsewhere, as a bringing into a large room,” Psalm 118:5; 2 Samuel 22:20. Aquinas says: loetitia est latitia, joy is breadth. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 2:9

Mark 7:27 Let the children first be filled [απες πρωτον χορταστηναι τα παιδια]
The Jews had the first claim. See the command of Jesus in the third tour of Galilee to avoid the Gentiles and the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5). Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, but he gave the Jew the first opportunity (Romans 2:9.). See note on Matthew 15:24. [source]
Acts 6:1 Grecians [Ἑλληνιστῶν]
Rev., much better, Grecian Jews, with Hellenists in margin. “Grecians” might easily be understood of Greeks in general. The word Hellenists denotes Jews, not Greeks, but Jews who spoke Greek. The contact of Jews with Greeks was first effected by the conquests of Alexander. He settled eight thousand Jews in the Thebais, and the Jews formed a third of the population of his new city of Alexandria. From Egypt they gradually spread along the whole Mediterranean coast of Africa. They were removed by Seleucus Nicator from Babylonia, by thousands, to Antioch and Seleucia, and under the persecutions of Antiochus Epiphanes scattered themselves through Asia Minor, Greece, Macedonia, and the Aegean islands. The vast majority of them adopted the Greek language, and forgot the Aramaic dialect which had been their language since the Captivity. The word is used but twice in the New Testament - here and Acts 9:29- and, in both cases, of Jews who had embraced Christianity, but who spoke Greek and used the Septuagint version of the Bible instead of the original Hebrew or the Chaldaic targum or paraphrase. The word Ἕλλην , Greek, which is very common in the New Testament, is used in antithesis, either to “Barbarians” or to “Jews. ” In the former case it means all nations which spoke the Greek language (see Acts 18:17; Romans 1:14; 1 Corinthians 1:22, 1 Corinthians 1:23). In the latter it is equivalent to Gentiles (see Romans 1:16; Romans 2:9; 1 Corinthians 10:32; Galatians 2:3). Hence, in either case, it is wholly different from Hellenist. [source]
Romans 11:3 Life [ψυχήν]
From ψύχω tobreathe or blow. In classical usage it signifies life in the distinctness of individual existence, especially of man, occasionally of brutes. Hence, generally, the life of the individual. In the further development of the idea it becomes, instead of the body, the seat of the will, dispositions, desires, passions; and, combined with the σῶμα bodydenotes the constituent parts of humanity. Hence the morally endowed individuality of man which continues after death. Scripture. In the Old Testament, answering to nephesh primarily life, breath; therefore life in its distinct individuality; life as such, distinguished from other men and from inanimate nature. Not the principle of life, but that which bears in itself and manifests the life-principle. Hence spirit (ruach πνεῦμα ) in the Old Testament never signifies the individual. Soul ( ψυχή ), of itself, does not constitute personality, but only when it is the soul of a human being. Human personality is derived from spirit ( πνεῦμα ), and finds expression in soul or life ( ψυχή ). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The New-Testament usage follows the Old, in denoting all individuals from the point of view of individual life. Thus the phrase πᾶσα ψυχή everysoul, i.e., every person (Romans 2:9; Romans 13:1), marking them off from inanimate nature. So Romans 11:3; Romans 16:4; 2 Corinthians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Philemon 2:30; 1 Thessalonians 2:8, illustrate an Old-Testament usage whereby the soul is the seat of personality, and is employed instead of the personal pronoun, with a collateral notion of value as individual personality. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
These and other passages are opposed to the view which limits the term to a mere animal life-principle. See Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 3:23; the compounds σύμψυχοι withone soul; ἰσοψύχον like-minded(Philemon 1:27; Philemon 2:20), where personal interest and accord of feeling are indicated, and not lower elements of personality. See, especially 1 Thessalonians 5:23. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
As to the distinction between ψυχή souland πνεῦμα spiritit is to be said:-DIVIDER-
1. That there are cases where the meanings approach very closely, if they are not practically synonymous; especially where the individual life is referred to. See Luke 1:47; John 11:33, and John 12:27; Matthew 11:29, and 1 Corinthians 16:18. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
2. That the distinction is to be rejected which rests on the restriction of ψυχή to the principle of animal life. This cannot be maintained in the face of 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Corinthians 2:14, in which latter the kindred adjective ψυχικός naturalhas reference to the faculty of discerning spiritual truth. In both cases the antithesis is πνεῦμα spiritin the ethical sense, requiring an enlargement of the conception of ψυχικός naturalbeyond that of σαρκικός fleshlyThat ψυχή soulmust not be distinguished from πνεῦμα ; spirit as being alone subject to the dominion of sin, since the πνεῦμα is described as being subject to such dominion. See 2 Corinthians 7:1. So 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 7:34, imply that the spirit needs sanctification. Compare Ephesians 4:23. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
4. Ψυχή soulis never used of God like πνεῦμα spiritIt is used of Christ, but always with reference to His humanity. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Whatever distinction there is, therefore, is not between a higher and a lower element in man. It is rather between two sides of the one immaterial nature which stands in contrast with the body. Spirit expresses the conception of that nature more generally, being used both of the earthly and of the non-earthly spirit, while soul designates it on the side of the creature. In this view ψυχή soulis akin to σάρξ , flesh, “not as respects the notion conveyed by them, but as respects their value as they both stand at the same stage of creatureliness in contradistinction to God.” Hence the distinction follows that of the Old Testament between soul and spirit as viewed from two different points: the soul regarded as an individual possession, distinguishing the holder from other men and from inanimate nature; the spirit regarded as coming directly from God and returning to Him. “The former indicates the life-principle simply as subsistent, the latter marks its relation to God.” Spirit and not soul is the point of contact with the regenerating forces of the Holy Spirit; the point from which the whole personality is moved round so as to face God. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Ψυχή soulis thus:-DIVIDER-
1. The individual life, the seat of the personality. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
2. The subject of the life, the person in which it dwells. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
3. The mind as the sentient principle, the seat of sensation and desire. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Romans 1:16 To the Jew first, and also to the Greek [Ιουδαιωι τε πρωτον και ελληνι]
Jesus had taught this (John 4:22; John 10:16; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). The Jew is first in privilege and in penalty (Romans 2:9.). It is not certain that πρωτον — prōton is genuine, but it is in Romans 2:9. [source]
Romans 10:2 But not according to knowledge [αλλ ου κατ επιγνωσιν]
They had knowledge of God and so were superior to the Gentiles in privilege (Romans 2:9-11), but they sought God in an external way by rules and rites and missed him (Romans 9:30-33). They became zealous for the letter and the form instead of for God himself. [source]
Romans 13:1 Every soul [πασα πσυχη]
As in Romans 2:9; Acts 2:43. A Hebraism for πας αντρωπος — pās anthrōpos (every man). [source]
Romans 3:22 Through faith in Jesus Christ [δια πιστεως Ιησου Χριστου]
Intermediate agency See note on 1 Corinthians 14:7 for the difference of sounds in musical instruments. Also in Romans 10:12. The Jew was first in privilege as in penalty (Romans 2:9.), but justification or setting right with God is offered to both on the same terms. [source]
Romans 3:22 Distinction [διαστολη]
See note on 1 Corinthians 14:7 for the difference of sounds in musical instruments. Also in Romans 10:12. The Jew was first in privilege as in penalty (Romans 2:9.), but justification or setting right with God is offered to both on the same terms. [source]
Romans 5:13 Until the law [αχρι νομου]
Until the Mosaic law. Sin was there before the Mosaic law, for the Jews were like Gentiles who had the law of reason and conscience (Romans 2:12-16), but the coming of the law increased their responsibility and their guilt (Romans 2:9). [source]
2 Corinthians 6:4 Distresses [στενοχωρίαις]
See on Romans 2:9. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 2:9 mean?

tribulation and distress upon every soul of man - working - evil of Jewish both first and also of Greek
θλῖψις καὶ στενοχωρία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἀνθρώπου τοῦ κατεργαζομένου τὸ κακόν Ἰουδαίου τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνος

θλῖψις  tribulation 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: θλῖψις  
Sense: a pressing, pressing together, pressure.
στενοχωρία  distress 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: στενοχωρία  
Sense: narrowness of place, a narrow place.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
πᾶσαν  every 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
ψυχὴν  soul 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ψυχή  
Sense: breath.
ἀνθρώπου  of  man 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κατεργαζομένου  working 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κατεργάζομαι  
Sense: to perform, accomplish, achieve.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κακόν  evil 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κακός  
Sense: of a bad nature.
Ἰουδαίου  of  Jewish 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
τε  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: τέ  
Sense: not only … but also.
πρῶτον  first 
Parse: Adverb, Superlative
Root: πρῶτον 
Sense: first in time or place.
καὶ  and  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Ἕλληνος  of  Greek 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἕλλην  
Sense: a Greek either by nationality, whether a native of the main land or of the Greek islands or colonies.