Romans 2:11

Respect of persons. Gr. prosopolempsia, literally, “an accepting of the face,” meaning “partiality.” This word occurs elsewhere in the NT only in Col. 3:25; Eph. 6:9; James 2:1. Prosopolemptes, “one who shows partiality,” occurs in Acts 10:34, and prosopolempteo, “to judge with partiality,” in James 2:9. None of the three forms occurs in the LXX or in non-Christian writings; hence the word is believed to be of Christian origin. In the OT the corresponding Hebrew phrase means either to give a gracious reception to a suppliant or suitor (Gen. 19:21; Job 42:8) or to show partiality (Lev. 19:15; 2 Chron. 19:7). In the NT the word always has the bad sense of partiality. Freedom from partiality is part of God’s character as the righteous Judge (Deut. 10:17; 2 Chron. 19:7; Job 34:19).