For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that the "work of the law" isn't just about the written commandments given to Israel, but about the inherent moral principles God has woven into human nature. Even without the Mosaic Law, people's conscience and reason can prompt them to act in ways that align with God's will, effectively becoming their own internal guide.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is building his argument that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is accountable to God. He’s just stated that it’s not enough to be a hearer of the law; one must be a doer to be justified. Now, he addresses the Gentiles, who don't have the Mosaic Law, by explaining that they still possess an inner sense of right and wrong, a "law written on their hearts," that guides their conscience and actions, making them accountable even without the written code.
How can people who've never heard of the Ten Commandments know what's right and wrong? Paul says they have a 'law' within them.
Paul is addressing a common objection: 'I don't have the Law (meaning the Mosaic Law), so how can I be held accountable?' He answers that even without the written Law, Gentiles have an internal sense of right and wrong. They naturally do what the Law requires, not because they've read it, but because there's an innate moral compass guiding them. This 'law written on their hearts' isn't about achieving perfect obedience, but about demonstrating a fundamental awareness of moral duty. It shows that God's standards are not entirely foreign to anyone.
When you do something wrong and feel guilty, or do something right and feel a sense of peace, who's speaking? It's your conscience, acting as a divine internal judge.
Paul explains that this 'law unto themselves' operates through conscience and reasoning. Conscience acts as a witness, either confirming that someone has done right or accusing them when they've done wrong. Their thoughts then process this, either defending their actions or condemning them. This internal court demonstrates that even without the Mosaic Law, people have an awareness of moral accountability. It's God's way of making His standards known, proving that no one is truly without excuse when they fall short of what is right.
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ethnos · Greek Noun
People who are not part of the covenant nation of Israel; biblically, it refers to all humanity outside the Jewish lineage, yet all are included in the promise of the Gospel.
physis · Greek Noun
The innate character or essential qualities of a person, often used in Scripture to describe the condition of humanity apart from the direct revelation of the Mosaic Law.
This passage shows God giving humanity a direct command before the Mosaic Law, highlighting that a moral framework existed even in the early stages of creation, reflecting the 'law written on the heart' mentioned in Romans 2:14.
Psalm 19:1-4This psalm speaks of creation itself testifying to God's glory and truth, suggesting a natural revelation that Gentiles could perceive and respond to, aligning with the idea of an internal 'law' guiding them.
Jeremiah 31:33This prophecy looks forward to a new covenant where God's law will be written 'on their inward parts' and 'on their heart,' directly paralleling the concept of an internal law that Paul describes for the Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 6:11This verse lists various wrongdoers and then states, 'such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God,' showing a transformation from actions guided by a less-than-perfect internal law to righteousness through Christ.
Acts 17:22-29Paul's speech in Athens demonstrates how he appeals to the Gentiles' existing 'religious nature' and their own poets to point them toward the unknown God, illustrating the natural knowledge of God and morality he discusses in Romans 2:14.
ellicottRomans 2:14: "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:"
(14) A sort of parenthesis begins here. Romans 2:16 refers back to the main subject of the paragraph, and not to the particular point on which the Apostle digresses in Romans 2:14-15 , the virtual operation of law among the Gentiles as well as Jews. By nature.—Spontaneously; of their own motion; not acting under the coercion of any ext…
bensonRomans 2:14: "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:"
Romans 2:14-15 . For when the Gentiles — That is, any of them who have not the law — Not a written revelation of the divine will; do by nature — That is, by the light of nature, without an outward rule, or by the untaught dictates of their own minds, influenced, however, by the preventing grace of God, which hath appeared to all men, T…
The verse highlights that the "work of the law" isn't just about the written commandments given to Israel, but about the inherent moral principles God has woven into human nature. Even without the Mosaic Law, people's conscience and reason can prompt them to act in ways that align with God's will, effectively becoming their own internal guide.
Paul is building his argument that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is accountable to God. He’s just stated that it’s not enough to be a hearer of the law; one must be a doer to be justified. Now, he addresses the Gentiles, who don't have the Mosaic Law, by explaining that they still possess an inner sense of right and wrong, a "law written on their hearts," that guides their conscience and actions, making them accountable even without the written code.
Paul is building his argument that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, is accountable to God. He’s just stated that it’s not enough to be a hearer of the law; one must be a doer to be justified. Now, he addresses the Gentiles, who don't have the Mosaic Law, by explaining that they still possess an inner sense of right and wrong, a "law written on their hearts," that guides their conscience and actions, making them accountable even without the written code.
"For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law." — The verse highlights that the "work of the law" isn't just about the written commandments given to Israel, but about the inherent moral principles God has woven into human nature. Even without the Mo…
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Last reviewed October 2026