Paragraph 3:5–8

3:5a–c

if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us?: The second question answers the first question. The clause what shall we say is also the then-clause after the if -clause. In some languages it might be more natural to combine these two questions into one question. For example:

if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, ⌊then⌋ might we ask this: “Is God unjust to inflict his wrath on us?”
-or-
if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, ⌊then⌋ we might ask this: “Is God unjust to inflict his wrath on us?”

3:5a

But: There is some contrast between God judging rightly (3:4) and people’s evil deeds showing that God is righteous (3:5a). Many English versions begin this verse with But. However, in some languages it is more natural not to indicate contrast here. For example:

If our evil deeds show… (Contemporary English Version)

if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God: Here the word if introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, that supports the second part (“what shall we say?”).

In some languages, using an if -clause would have a different meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

since our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God
-or-
our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God. ⌊True?⌋ ⌊So⌋…
-or-

⌊Would you agree that⌋ our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God? ⌊So⌋…
-or-

⌊You would agree that⌋ our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God. ⌊So⌋…

our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as highlights is literally “demonstrates.” It means that our sins are in contrast to God’s righteous deeds. People seeing our sins will see that God’s deeds are very different. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
our evil deeds show how right God is (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
When we do wrong, that shows more clearly that God is right. (New Century Version)

unrighteousness: Here this word means “wrongdoing.” Here are other ways to translate this word:

wickedness (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
doing wrong (Good News Translation)

the righteousness of God: This phrase indicates that God does what is right. See the examples above in the note on “our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God.”

3:5b–c

what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us?: The Greek is literally “what will we say? God is surely not unrighteous to inflict wrath on us, (is he)?” The last question answers the first question. The last question expects an answer of “no, he is righteous to do that.”

The words what shall we say? introduces what someone might say based on “our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God.” Paul showed that he did not agree that we should say that God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us, when he said “Certainly not!” in 3:6a. Your translation should indicate or imply that Paul was not agreeing that God is unrighteous here. A literal translation in some languages may not do that. If that is true in your language, you should indicate or imply that Paul was not agreeing That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us. For example:

shall we say, ⌊as some do,⌋ that God is unjust to inflict his wrath on us?
-or-
what shall we say? Should we say, ⌊as some do,⌋ that God is unjust to inflict his wrath on us?

3:5c

That: This word introduces indirect speech. In many languages this word with this meaning here cannot begin a sentence. If that is true in your language, introduce the indirect speech in a natural way in your language. For example:

⌊Shall we say⌋ that

to inflict His wrath on us: This phrase refers to punishing in anger. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

to become angry and punish us (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to punish us in/with his anger

3:5d

I am speaking in human terms: The Greek grammar indicate that this clause is extra information. It is not a part of Paul’s main thought. But he wanted to explain the source of his last question (3:5c). Some translates place this phrase in parenthesis. Consider how to indicate that this clause is extra information.

This clause indicates here that what Paul wrote in 3:5c is only human kind of thinking, as someone without the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I am using a human argument (New International Version)
-or-
to use human terms (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
I speak only as a man
-or-
This is merely a human point of view. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I am talking as people might talk. (New Century Version)

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