Rom 2:11: "lifting the face" (Deut 10:17; 2 Chr 19:7)

Says Rom 2:11: οὐ γάρ ἐστιν προσωπολημψία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ("for there is no partiality with God").

Says Deut 10:17 describes God אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִשָּׂא פָנִים וְלֹא יִקַּח שֹׁחַד (asher lo'-yissa' fanim velo' yiqqakh shokhad, "who does not lift the face and does not take a bribe"). To "lift the face" (BDB p. 669, "lift"; p. 815, "face") of someone is to show him favor. Deut 10:18 continues: God does justice for the orphan and widow וְאֹהֵב גֵּר (ve'ohev ger, "and loves the sojourner"). 2 Chr 19:7 grounds Jehoshaphat's charge to the judges in the same truth: אֵין עִם־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַוְלָה וּמַשֹּׂא פָנִים וּמִקַּח־שֹׁחַד (en 'im-YHWH eloheynu 'avlah umasso' fanim umiqqakh-shokhad, "with the Lord our God there is no injustice, partiality, or taking of bribes").

Says Swete's LXX renders the idiom with θαυμάζω πρόσωπον: ὅστις οὐ θαυμάζει πρόσωπον (Deut 10:17); οὐδὲ θαυμάσαι πρόσωπον (2 Chr 19:7). Elsewhere it uses λαμβάνω πρόσωπον, as at Lev 19:15, οὐ λήμψῃ πρόσωπον πτωχοῦ.

Implies The NT noun προσωπολημψία corresponds to the LXX's λαμβάνω πρόσωπον (cf. Acts 10:34; Jas 2:1). Deut 10:17–18 joins God's impartiality to his love for the outsider, which fits "the Jew first and also the Greek" (2:9–11).

Uncertain Whether Paul alludes to Deut 10:17 or uses the common biblical confession of God as impartial judge. The noun's first attestation is left to the Greek note.