Section 1:8–17

Paul wanted to visit the believers at/in Rome

In this section, Paul thanked God that, in many places, people had heard about the faith of the believers in Rome. He also told them that he was asking God to make a way for him to go and visit them. He expected that he and they together would strengthen each other in their faith in Jesus Christ. He told them that he had been wanting to visit them for a long time and was eager to preach the gospel to the people there.

Then Paul wrote down the main things he wanted to talk about in the rest of the letter. He spoke of the gospel and who it is for.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Paul wanted to visit Rome
-or-
Paul hoped to visit them

Paragraph 1:8–12

1:8a

First: The word First here has a general meaning of “the first thing I want to say.” It implies that what Paul was about to say something that was important to him. Here are other ways to translate this word:

Let me say first that (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
First of all, (NET Bible)
-or-
So first and foremost

I thank: The Greek word probably indicates that, during that time, Paul thanked God for the believers in Rome. For example:

I am thanking
-or-
I am thankful

my God: The word my here indicates that Paul had a relationship with God. But he did not mean “he is my God but not yours.” In some languages, my here would mean “mine and not yours.” If that is true in your language, use “our (incl.) ” here. For example:

our God

Some languages do not use possessive pronouns with God. If that is true in your language, indicate the relationship in another way. For example:

God, whom I believe in,
-or-
God, whom I follow,

through Jesus Christ: This phrase indicates that his relationship with Jesus Christ was the basis for his thanking God for the believers in Rome. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

because of Jesu Cristo
-or-
because of what Jesus Christ did for me

1:8b

your faith is being proclaimed: This clause is passive. Some languages must use a non-passive clause here. For example:

• Use an active clause. Some languages can use “they” in a general way, as long as it does not refer to any group in previous verses. Other languages must say who proclaimed. If that is true in your language, you should add a general word, such as “people.” For example:

⌊they/people⌋ proclaim your faith

• Use an intransitive clause. For example:

⌊people⌋ are talking about your faith
-or-
the whole world is hearing about your faith (Good News Translation)

your faith: This phrase refers to people in Rome believing in Jesus Christ. Some languages must say who people believe in. For example:

your faith in him (New Living Translation (2004))

In some languages must use a verb for the meaning of faith. For example:

you believe in him

faith: To have faith in a person refers to believing in him, who he is, and who he claims to be. See how you translated this word in 1:5.

is being proclaimed: This word means “tell something in public for many people to hear.” Here it probably indicates that the news of many people of Rome becoming Christians spread far. People probably did not stand in public and announce this news. Here are other ways to translate this word:

talked about publicly
-or-
is well-known
-or-

the news of your faith is spreading (God’s Word)

all over the world: This phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as all over the world is literally “in all the world.” It is a figure of speech that exaggerates something for emphasis. The news of their faith in Jesus had spread probably to many parts of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was only one part of the world.

In some languages people would understand this in a literal way. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Moderate the exaggeration in your translation. For example:

in all the ⌊known⌋ world
-or-
everywhere in the ⌊Roman⌋ world

• Translate literally and explain the meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

This phrase exaggerates how far the news of their faith in Jesus had spread probably to indicate that the news was important or worth spreading. It had probably spread to many parts of the Roman Empire.

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