Paragraph 1:16–17
1:16a
In the Greek, 1:16a begins with a word that is often translated as “for.” This word introduces an explanation for why Paul said he was so eager to preach the gospel in Rome (1:15). In some languages, it may be more natural to omit this word and leave the connection with 1:15 implicit, as the Berean Standard Bible does.
I am not ashamed of the gospel:
The gospel is about a poor Jewish itinerant preacher who was crucified on a Roman cross. Some Romans would be ashamed to follow such a leader. But Paul was not ashamed of him or the message he preached, the gospel. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
I do not have shame about the gospel
-or-
I am not ashamed of the good news ⌊of/about Jesus⌋
1:16b
because: Here this word introduces the reason for Paul saying that he was not ashamed of the gospel. Some languages have the word “therefore” and not the word because. If that is true in your language, reorder 1:16b–c and 1:16a. For example:
For 16b the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, 16c to the Jew first and also to the Greek, and therefore 16a I am not ashamed of it.
it is the power of God for salvation: Here the word it refers to the gospel. This clause indicates that the gospel is the power that God uses to save people. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
it is the power of God that brings salvation (New International Version (2011))
-or-
it is God’s power to save (Good News Translation)
salvation: This word refers to being rescued from something harmful or dangerous. In Scripture it generally refers to rescue from God’s anger at the final judgment. Here are other ways to translate this word:
to save (Good News Translation)
-or-
their lives will be saved
In some languages it is necessary to say what people are saved from. If that is true in your language, refer to destruction or punishment. For example:
to save/rescue ⌊people⌋ ⌊from destruction⌋
-or-
to save/rescue ⌊people⌋ ⌊from the final judgment⌋
-or-
which frees them from ⌊the great punishment of God⌋
to everyone who believes: One day God will judge everyone in a final judgment. He will save all people who believe the gospel about Jesus.
believes: To “believe” in someone means to agree to what someone stands for, to trust him, to rely on him, to be committed to him. See how your translated the word “faith” in 1:5.
In some languages it is necessary to say what these people believe in. If that is true in your language, refer to Jesus or his gospel. For example:
believes it (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
believes ⌊in Jesus⌋
1:16c
first to the Jew, then to the Greek: The word first indicates that God gave his message of salvation to the Jews first, then he gave it to the Greeks. It may also indicate that the Jews had higher status in God’s sight because he chose them to be his people. Here are other ways to translate these words:
first to the Jew, then to the Greek
-or-
Jews first, but Greeks as well (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
It was made known first to the Jews, after that to the Gentiles. Some languages can imply both first in time and first in status, as the Greek word does. But many languages must choose one meaning or the other. If that is true in your language, translate it as first in time.
the Jew…the Greek: The words Jew and Greek are singular, but they refer generally to any Jew or Greek. In some languages it is more natural to use plurals, as the New Jerusalem Bible does above.
the Greek: The word Greek refers to all non-Jews here. Non-Jews generally did not like the term “Gentile,” because it implied that the Jews thought that they were better than the Gentiles. So Paul probably used the word Greek here to avoid bad feelings on the part of the non-Jews.
In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to people from the country of Greece. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
Here the word “Greek” refers to all non-Jews. It is a more polite word than “Gentiles.”
• Use the word you normally use for “Gentile” here. You may then want to explain the situation in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
Literally “Greek.” At that time, the word “Greek” was more polite than “Gentile” when speaking to non-Jews.
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