Paragraph 6:5–7

6:5a–b

if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection: Here, the word if introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, that supports the second part (we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection).

Here the word if does not indicate that we have been united with Him like this in His death might not be true. In some languages a literal translation would indicate this incorrect meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning without using if. For example:

consider this : we have been united with him like this in his death, therefore we will also certainly be united with him in his resurrection
-or-

it is true that we have been united with him like this in his death, therefore we will also certainly be united with him in his resurrection
-or-
we have been united with him like this in his death, therefore we will also certainly be united with him in his resurrection

6:5a

For: This word introduces support for what Paul said in 6:4 and also an explanation of it. Some languages can omit this word and the connection is still clear.

we have been united with Him: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

⌊God⌋ has united us with him

united with Him: Here this phrase refers to symbolically/mystically sharing with Jesus in his experience of death. We are joined to Jesus in some way. We have not yet died physically like he did. But something about his death is true for us now as well. Here are other ways to translate this word:

joined (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
become one (Good News Translation)
-or-
connected

like this in His death: Here the word in indicates that His death was the situation in which God united us with Jesus. We share some of the characteristics of his death.

like this: Here the words like this indicate that the death that believers share is in many ways like the death of Jesus, but is not the same in all ways.

6:5b

we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection: The Berean Standard Bible adds the words united with Him. They are clearly implied from 6:5a. This clause is what Paul said is also true based on what he said in 6:5a. For example:

⌊then⌋ we will also certainly be united with him in his resurrection
-or-

in the same way we… (Good News Translation)
-or-

so we… (New Jerusalem Bible)

in His resurrection: The word resurrection refers to God making Jesus alive again after he was dead. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

in being raised from death like he was
-or-
when ⌊God⌋ raises us from the dead like ⌊he⌋ raised him/Jesus/Christ
-or-
when ⌊God⌋ causes us to live again after we die, like ⌊he⌋ did with him/Jesus

See how you translated the word resurrection in 1:4 or 4:24 (“raised from the dead”).

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