Romans 2:12 — "under the law" refers to Jews who have the Law of Moses

Romans 2:12: "all who have sinned without the law will perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law." This is Paul's first use of the phrase in Romans, contrasting Gentiles (without the law) and Jews (under the law). The phrase clearly means having and being accountable to the Law of Moses, not being under sin's power — because Gentiles are certainly under sin's power too.