9:3a

For: Here this word introduces an explanation of what Paul said in 9:2.

I could wish: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wish :

(1) It means wish here.

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, English Standard Version, God’s Word, NET Bible)

(2) It means pray here. For example:

I could pray (New Jerusalem Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the context does not indicate or imply that this action is directed to God. Also, it might be appropriate for Paul to wish that he was accursed for the sake of the Jews, but it would not be appropriate for him to pray for God to make him accursed and cut off from Christ.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

if it were possible, I would like
-or-
If I could save my fellow Jews I would do it even if it meant
-or-
If it were possible, I really would not refuse to

could wish: Here the word could indicates that Paul had a true desire to see the Jews saved but stopped short of actually wishing that to happen. See the above examples.

were cursed: Here these words refer to something that is marked for destruction. All people who reject Jesus as the Christ are cursed. Here are other ways to translate this word:

were under a curse
-or-
be placed under God’s curse (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
be put in ⌊eternal⌋ punishment

and cut off from Christ: The Berean Standard Bible and some English versions add the phrase and cut off. It explains the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as from. Here this word indicates separation from Christ forever. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

separated from Christ (New American Standard Bible)
-or-

⌊remove me⌋ from ⌊my life in⌋ Christ

9:3b

for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood: This refers to the Jews who do not believe in Jesus. It refers to some benefit for these Jews related to the possibility of Paul being cut off from Christ. Paul explained clearly in 10:1, but did not say here what he might expect from a wish to be accursed for the sake of these Jews. You may want to explain in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

10:1 explains that Paul wanted very much for the Jews who do not believe in Jesus to believe in him.

for the sake of: This phrase refers to helping or causing advantage for someone. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

to help
-or-
for
-or-
to benefit

See how you translated the phrase “on behalf of” in 1:5.

my brothers, my own flesh and blood: Here the phrase my brothers refers to Jews, because Paul was a Jew. The phrase my own flesh and blood explains the phrase my brothers, because the word brothers is often used to refer to fellow Christians. Connect the second phrase to the first in a way that it explains the first phrase. For example:

my brothers, my kinsfolk by natural descent (Revised English Bible)
-or-
my fellow Jews who are related-to-me-by-blood
-or-
my fellow Jews, ⌊they are⌋ my true tribesmen

my own flesh and blood: This phrase refers to people of the same tribe or people group as Paul according to natural descent. The Jews and Paul all descended from Jacob, whose other name was Israel. This phrase makes it clear that Paul was talking specifically about people who were related to him by birth. See the above examples.

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