2:4a–b
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that this man should not expect God to be kind, forbearing, and patient with him if he continued to sin in that way. Translate this with that meaning. Here are some ways:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
are you not disregarding his abundant goodness, tolerance and patience, failing to realise that this generosity of God is meant to bring you to repentance? (New Jerusalem Bible)
• As a statement. For example:
you are wrong to disregard the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, and you should know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance.
• As a command. For example:
do not disregard the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience. Know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance.
You should probably use the same kind of sentence (rhetorical question, statement, or command) as in 2:3.
2:4a
Or: In this context the word Or indicates that Paul asked a second rhetorical question related to the first rhetorical question (2:3). Both rhetorical questions are rebukes against wrong thinking. Consider how to indicate that meaning.
disregard: Here this phrase refers to despising something. This man should not think of God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience as worthless. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
have contempt for (God’s Word)
-or-
despise (Good News Translation)
-or-
think nothing of (New Century Version)
the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience: Paul used the word riches figuratively here to indicate that God has much kindness, tolerance, and patience. Some languages cannot use the word riches figuratively here. If that is true in your language, translate the figurative meaning. For example:
his great kindness, tolerance, and patience (Good News Translation)
-or-
his abundant goodness, tolerance and patience (New Jerusalem Bible)
kindness: This word refers to doing good to someone because you want to. God does many good things for people.
tolerance: This word refers to waiting to punish someone, to give him time to stop doing bad deeds. God has delayed punishing people when they have deserved it, allowing them the opportunity to repent. Here are other ways to translate this word:
forbearance (English Standard Version)
-or-
waiting to judge ⌊as guilty⌋
patience: This word also refers to waiting for a person to either stop doing bad or to do something good. God is often endures people’s bad deeds waiting for them to do good deeds. You may have an idiom that translates this meaning.
This word is similar in meaning to “tolerance” above. See the General Comment below.
General Comment on 2:4a
The words “tolerance” and “patience” are very similar in meaning. In some languages it is more natural to translate using one word or phrase. For example:
patient (New Century Version)
-or-
God is waiting for the person to separate from evil
2:4b
not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance: This clause is a part of the rhetorical question. It implies that the man should know that God’s kindness leads to repentance but has ignored this fact. Here are some ways to indicate this implied information:
• Make this clause a separate rhetorical question. For example:
Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (New Living Translation (2004))
• Include the implied information in the text. For example:
not thinking ⌊about the fact⌋ that God’s kindness leads you to repentance
leads you to repentance: The Greek is literally “leads you to/toward repentance.” In either case, the phrase indicates that the person is brought to a situation where he has an opportunity to repent. For example:
leads you toward repentance (New International Version (1984))
-or-
so that you will/would repent from your bad doings
-or-
is intended to turn you from your sin (New Living Translation (2004))
repentance: When a person repents he does these three things:
(a) He feels sorry and sad about his past wrongdoings.
(b) He turns his back on his former ways of doing wrong.
(c) He turns to God, depending on him to help him live in a new and different way which pleases God.
Here are other ways to translate this word:
turn…from your sin (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
change the way you think and act (God’s Word)
-or-
turn to him (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
change your hearts and lives (New Century Version)
-or-
abandon your evil behavior
-or-
regret your sins and change your livers
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