Romans 2:18

18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;

Romans 2:18 in Other Translations

18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law;

18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.

18 a connoisseur of the best things of God, informed on the latest doctrines!

18 and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

18 know what he wants, and distinguish right from wrong because you have been taught Moses' Teachings.

18 and know His will, and approve the things that are superior, being instructed from the law,

18 You know what God wants. You agree with what is best because the law teaches you.

Romans 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 2:18

And knowest his will
Not the secret will or purpose of God; nor his revealed will in the Gospel, for of this they were ignorant; but his declared will in the law, showing what is to be done, and what is not to be done: to know which in express terms was a privilege, that other people had not; but then the bare knowledge of this will be of no avail: for persons may know their Lord's will, as the Jews did, and not do it, and so be worthy to be beaten with many stripes:

and approvest the things that are more excellent:
or "triest the things that differ"; from one another, and from the will and law of God; or as the Syriac, "discernest" (atylw) , "things that are convenient"; agreeable, which are fit and ought to be done: and having tried and discerned them, they approved of them in their judgment as the things more excellent; but then they did not put these excellent things in practice which they approved of; and the knowledge and approbation they had of these things, arose from their

being instructed out of the law,
and not the Gospel; for the excellent things of the Gospel, they had no discerning, knowledge and approbation of; see ( Philippians 1:10 ) .

Romans 2:18 In-Context

16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;

18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;

19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark,

20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—