2:17a–c

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!: In Greek, 2:17 is a complex sentence. Before you translate this complex sentence, it is important to understand its grammatical structure.

The main part of this verse is the rhetorical question at the end of the verse: does that make Christ a minister of sin? This rhetorical question begins with an if clause. In the middle of this if clause, there is an embedded clause: while we seek to be justified in Christ.

Your translation may be easier to understand if you put this embedded clause first. For example:

We are endeavoring/seeking to be justified in Christ. ?But? if, ?while doing that,? we too are found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

The parts of this verse are explained below.

2:17a

But: There is a contrast between the clause “not Gentile ‘sinners’” (in 2:15) and “if…we ourselves are found to be sinners” (here in 2:17). The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction But.

This contrast is between two clauses that are separated by several verses. So some English versions do not indicate this contrast with a conjunction. In some languages, no conjunction will be necessary here either.

while we seek to be justified in Christ: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as while we seek means “we are seeking/looking.” It implies success.

The clause to be justified in Christ has the same meaning as “we may be justified by faith in Christ” (2:16d). It means that God makes us right with him because we believe in Christ.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
we try to be put right with God by our union with Christ (Good News Translation)
-or-
we want ?God? to consider us righteous because of ?our faith in? Christ

2:17b

we ourselves are found to be sinners: The pronoun we refers to Paul, Peter, Barnabas, and other Jews who became Christians.

There are several ways to interpret this clause. Two of the main interpretations are centered on the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as are found :

(1) It has a passive meaning. Peter, Paul, and other Jewish Christians were found to be sinners by other Jews who still followed the law. One example of this was when the men from James arrived in Antioch and found Peter and other Jews eating with Gentiles. They found that they were not obeying the law. The men from James found/considered Peter and other Jewish Christians to be sinners just as the Gentiles were sinners.

(2) It has a reflexive meaning. Peter, Paul, and other Jewish Christians found themselves to be sinners. This happen when they were searching to be right before God and they realized that the law would not save them. They realized that they themselves were sinners just like the Gentiles. For example:

we discovered that we are sinners too (Contemporary English Version)

Most English versions are ambiguous, and it is not possible to tell which interpretation they follow. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation suits the context of 2:16 and also the previous paragraph about the men from James.

According to interpretation (1), some Jews accused Peter and Paul of being sinners because they had abandoned the law of Moses. But their accusation was not true. Peter and Paul were not sinners in God’s eyes. Paul did not agree with their accusation, but he included it to show that its conclusion was not logical.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

• Use a passive clause. For example:

we ourselves have also been found to be sinners (NET Bible)

• Use an active clause. For example:

hey found/regarded us also to be sinners
-or-

?some Jews? considered us also to be sinners

found: Here, the word found means “considered” or “regarded.” Jews who followed the law “regarded” Jewish Christians as sinners. This word does not mean “found” in the sense of lost and then found.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

considered/regarded
-or-
counted
-or-
looked upon

sinners: Here the word sinners refers to someone who does not follow all the Jewish laws. One example is Peter. The men from James found Peter to be a sinner because he ate with Gentiles. He also probably ate their food. These things were against Jewish laws. The Jews considered Peter and the other Jewish believers to be sinners, but they were not sinners in God’s eyes.

To make this meaning clear, it may be necessary to add some information. For example:

sinners ?in the eyes of some Jews?
-or-
found ?by some Jews? to be sinners

2:17c

does that make Christ a minister of sin?: The phrase a minister of sin refers to someone who “serves sin” or “works for sin.” A person who works for sin is someone who encourages other people to sin.

This clause is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to emphasize that Christ does not serve sin. He does not encourage people to sin.

Some ways to translate this rhetorical question are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

does that mean that Christ encourages us to sin? (God’s Word)
-or-
Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Does this mean that Christ is the one who makes us sinners? (Contemporary English Version)

• As a statement. For example:

This does not in any way mean that Christ encourages us to sin.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize that Christ does not serve sin.

Certainly not!: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Certainly not is a strong response, “No!” to the rhetorical question.

Some ways to translate this are:

Never!
-or-
Absolutely not!
-or-
No, no, no!

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