2:20a–b

How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it?: This is a rhetorical question. It implies a negative answer, “It is not to your credit at all.” It is really a strong negative statement. There are two ways to translate it:

• Translate it as a rhetorical question. For example:

What credit do you deserve if you endure a beating for doing something wrong? (God’s Word)

• Translate it as a statement. For example:

If you are beaten for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for being patient in your punishment. (New Century Version)

2:20a

This sentence begins with a Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible does not translate but which the New International Version translates as “But” and the Revised Standard Version as “For.” It introduces a reason why the punishment one endures has to be “unjust” for this to be commendable. You should introduce this in a way that is natural in your language.

How is it to your credit…?: The phrase how is it to your credit means “what honor do you deserve ⌊from God⌋…?” Other translation models include:

who will praise you…?
-or-
what glory is there…?

2:20b

if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it: In some languages it may be natural to translate the events in this verse part in the order in which they happen. For example:

if you do wrong and then receive your punishment patiently

are beaten: The phrase you are beaten is a passive verbal phrase. It refers to being punished severely by being hit repeatedly. In some cases the master would beat the servant personally, but in others he would perhaps order another servant to do it. So you could translate this as:

⌊your master⌋ punishes you
-or-

⌊your master⌋ causes/orders you to be beaten

2:20c

But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here introduces an alternative possibility. Translate this conjunction in a way that is natural in your language. An English idiom to express this idea is:

On the other hand (Revised English Bible)

if you suffer for doing good and you endure it: In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit that the slave suffers “punishment,” or a beating, as in the previous verse part:

if you do nothing but what is right, ⌊and your master still punishes you⌋ and you endure ⌊that punishment⌋ patiently

2:20d

this is commendable before God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this is commendable before God is literally “this ⌊is⌋ grace/favor before God.” It means that this kind of suffering pleases God. See how you translated to be commended in 2:19a. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

this finds favor with God (NET Bible)

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