Изобретательны на зло.

Ибо не довольствовались сделанным прежде злом: откуда опять видно, что грешили не по увлечению, но намеренно и по собственному расположению.

Непослушны родителям.

И против самой природы, говорит, восстали.

Безрассудны.

И справедливо. Ибо могли ли понять что-нибудь те, которые не слушались родителей?

Вероломны.

That is, they are not stable in contracts.

They are unloving, irreconcilable, unmerciful.

The root of all evil is the very coolness of love: for from this it follows that one does not reconcile with another, one does not love another, one does not have mercy on another. Of this Christ also said: "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold" (Matt. 24:12). Nature itself unites us with each other, as with other animals; But people did not understand this.

They know the righteous judgment of God, that those who do such things are worthy of death; however, not only are they made, but those who do so are approved.

Having proved that the pagans were filled with every vice because they did not want to know God, he now proves that they do not deserve to be excused. They cannot say: we did not know good; for they knew that God was just. This means that they do evil voluntarily, and, what is worse, they approve of those who do it, that is, they patronize evil: which disease is incurable.

CHAPTER TWO

Therefore you are inexcusable, every man who judges another, for by the same judgment with which you judge another, you condemn yourself, because by judging another, you do the same.

All of us are not of the same mood: sometimes we patronize evil, sometimes we are judges of other people's evils, we condemn those who are like us. Wherefore, having spoken before of those who approved of the wicked, he now speaks of condemnation, and says, Thou art therefore inexcusable. That is, you knew that God's justice consists in punishing the wicked with dignity; Therefore Thou who condemnest those who do the same as Thou hast no excuse. It seems that these words refer to rulers, especially to the Romans, as then rulers of the universe; for to judge is the business of rulers. However, this is also appropriate for every person; for every man can judge, even if he does not have the office of judge. Therefore, when you condemn an adulterer, he says, and you yourself commit adultery, you condemn yourself.

And we know that truly there is God's judgment on those who do such things.

Lest anyone say of himself: "I have hitherto committed adultery and escaped judgment," the Apostle, frightening him, says that it is not so with God: with us one is punished, and the other, although he does the same, escapes punishment; but it is not so with God: for God's judgment on bad people is truly there.

Do you think, O man, that you will escape the judgment of God by condemning those who do such things, and by doing the same? Or do you despise the riches of God's goodness, meekness, and longsuffering, not understanding that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you store up for yourself wrath for the day of wrath and the revelation of righteous judgment from God, who will reward each one according to his deeds.

He said above that the recompense of bad people for their error and reverence for creatures consists in the very misfortunes to which they indulged, because the very impurity was a sufficient punishment for them. Now he reveals punishment for them. For you, says man, there is another punishment: you will not escape the judgment of God. How will you escape the judgment of God, when you have not escaped your judgment? For in what thou hast condemned another, in that thou hast pronounced judgment upon thyself. But if you rely on God's long-suffering because you have not yet been punished, then this impunity serves for a greater punishment for you. For God's long-suffering is salvific for those who use it to correct themselves, but for those who use it to increase sin, it serves as a great reason for punishment, not by its nature, but by the hardness of their hearts. You gather wrath, he says, God does not gather for you, but you gather for yourself. How is that? With his unyielding and hard for good heart. For what can be harsher than you, when you are neither softened by goodness nor bowed down by fear? Further, having spoken of the day of wrath, he adds: revelation and righteous judgment from God. And justly, lest any man consider judgment to be an act of wrath. Revelation, he says, is everything. Therefore the recompense is according to what is revealed, and as a consequence the judgment is righteous. Here the truth does not always prevail, because the deeds are hidden, and there the revelation is followed by righteous judgment. Note this passage, comparing it with the following: "I will harden the heart of Pharaoh" (Exodus 4:21), for Paul speaks in almost the same words.

To those who seek glory, honor, and immortality by perseverance in a good deed, eternal life.

Having said that the Lord will reward everyone, he began with the reward of the good, thus making his speech pleasant. In words, by constancy in a good deed, he expresses, first, that one should not depart from good, nor do it negligently, but remain in it to the end, and secondly, that one should not rely on faith alone, because a good deed is also needed. With the word of immortality, He opens the doors of resurrection. Then, since we shall all arise, but not all for the same thing, but some for glory, and others for punishment, he mentioned glory and honor. So, the whole speech has this meaning. To those, he says, who seek future glory, honor, and immortality, and never let them go out of their thoughts, God will reward, that is, in the resurrection, eternal life. In what way are future glory, honor, and incorruptibility gained? By constancy in a good deed. For he who is constant in a good deed and stands firm against every temptation truly wins glory, honor, and immortality, or the enjoyment of incorruptible goods in an incorruptible body.