3:22a
But: There is a contrast between 3:21 and 3:22. The contrast is between what the law cannot do (give life) and what the law does (imprisons/confines). Languages have different ways to indicate this negative-positive order of contrast. Some of the ways are:
• With the conjunction “but.”
• With a conjunction other than “but.” For example:
Rather
-or-
Instead (New Century Version)
• With no conjunction.
the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin: In this clause, Paul spoke about the Scripture as if it were a judge who condemns people to prison/jail, and Paul spoke about sin as if it were a jailer who has control over prisoners. These are two figures of speech called personification. In some languages, it will not be possible to translate one or both of these personifications.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
the Scriptures have declared that we are all prisoners of sin (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
the Scriptures say that sin controls everyone (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
They wrote in God’s book that that sin ties up all people
-or-
?God in his? holy book says that the desire to sin has power over everyone
the Scripture: When Paul used the phrase the Scripture, he often referred to a particular verse in Scripture. Here, he was probably referring to Deuteronomy 27:26, “Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.” This verse is part of the law that God gave to Moses. So here the phrase the Scripture is a way to refer to the law.
The law tells people what sin is. It says that when someone sins, he is guilty. In that sense, Scripture is like a judge who says/declares that people are guilty. The law also shows people that they are under the power of sin.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
the scripture says that (Good News Translation)
-or-
the ?law written in? Scripture tells us that
-or-
?God in? his holy book says that
-or-
?they wrote in? God’s book that
all things: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as all things refers to everything that God created. In this passage, the focus is on people. So here the word refers particularly to “everyone.”
Some other ways to translate this word are:
everyone (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the whole world (New International Version)
-or-
we are all (New Living Translation (2004))
confined by sin: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as confined by sin means “under the power of sin” or “controlled by sin.” By using the word confined, Paul was using imprisonment terminology and speaking of sin as if it were a jailer who controls human beings as a jailer controls prisoners. Just as prisoners do what the jailer says, human beings do what sin tells them to do. Sin controls them.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
a prisoner of sin (New International Version)
-or-
controlled by the power of sin (God’s Word)
-or-
under the power of sin (Good News Translation)
-or-
the desire to sin controls everyone
3:22b
so that: There are two ways to interpret the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that :
(1) It introduces God’s purpose for imprisoning people under sin. His purpose is to give people the promise by means of their faith in Jesus. For example:
so that (New International Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
(2) In introduces the result of our being a prisoner under sin.
Therefore (God’s Word)
(Good News Translation, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), New Jerusalem Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The majority of English versions follow this interpretation.
Some other ways to introduce this purpose are:
This was so (New Century Version)
-or-
?He did this? so that
by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe: The word faith is the noun form of the Greek verb that English versions translate as believe. So in these phrases, to have faith in Jesus Christ is the same thing as to believe in him. The same idea is repeated. People receive the promise by (or because of) their faith/belief in Jesus Christ. And God gives the promise to people who believe.
Paul repeated the idea of believing to add emphasis. He emphasized that believing in Jesus is what is important. It is more important than obeying the law.
In some languages, it will not be natural to repeat the idea of believing. So the phrase faith in Jesus Christ and the phrase those who believe can be translated as one. For example:
God’s promises will be for anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
?God? will give the ?blessing that he? promised to people who believe in Jesus Christ.
faith: See faith, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.
the promise might be given: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as might be given is passive.
Some ways to translate this clause are:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
the promise would be given (New Century Version)
• Use an active verb. For example
?God? might give the promise
-or-
?God? might give the ?blessing that he? promised
the promise: This phrase refers to the promise that God made to Abraham. More specifically, it refers to what God promised Abraham. He promised to bless all the nations through him.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
what was promised (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
what ?God? promised
-or-
the promised blessing (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the ?blessing that God? promised
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