12:19a

avenge yourselves: This phrase refers to hurting someone because they hurt you. For example:

take revenge (New International Version)
-or-
Do not pay back someone who hurt you by hurting him

beloved: This word indicates that Paul loved the believers in Rome. For example:

my dear friends (New Jerusalem Bible)

12:19b

but: Some languages will not see contrast between “never avenge yourselves” and “leave it to the wrath of God.” For example the Uma Back Translation and the Otomi Back Translation (both on TW) omit this word.

leave room for God’s wrath: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as leave room for refers to waiting for someone else to do something. Believers should let God be angry with that person and do something to him, when and where God chooses to. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

leave it to the wrath of God (English Standard Version)
-or-
wait for God to punish them with his anger (New Century Version)
-or-
allow the opportunity for God’s anger ⌊to avenge you⌋

12:19c

For: Here this word introduces support for what Paul said in 12:19a–b.

it is written: This clause introduces a quote from Scripture. The quote is from Deuteronomy 32:35. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.

This quote was written hundreds of years before Paul wrote the letter to the Romans. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate the quote was written at the same time as Paul wrote here. If that is true in your language, indicate it was long before Paul wrote. For example:

it was written ⌊long ago⌋

This clause refers to what was written in the Old Testament. Some languages must make that explicit to make that connection clear. For example:

the scripture says (Good News Translation)

This clause is passive. Moses wrote what God told him to write. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

⌊Moses/someone⌋ wrote ⌊long ago⌋
-or-
what God caused-to-be-written saying,
-or-
it says in the Holy Book

See how you translated this clause in 1:17 or 11:26.

Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord: In many languages it is more natural to have who speaks before what is spoken. For example:

The Lord says, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay.’

Vengeance is Mine: The word Vengeance refers to refers to hurting someone because they hurt you, as “avenge” does in 12:19a. Some languages must use a verb here. For example:

Deeds of revenge are mine ⌊to do⌋

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Mine is emphasized in the Greek by being first in the clause. For example:

It is mine to avenge

I will repay: This word refers to doing something in return to someone for what he did to you. For example:

I will pay back (Good News Translation)

The meaning of I is emphasized in the Greek. For example:

I myself will repay

the Lord: The word Lord refers to someone who has authority over people. Here this phrase refers to God. In some languages it is more natural to indicate who this Lord is. For example:

the Lord ⌊God⌋

See how you translated the word Lord in 4:8 or 12:11.

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