Section 8:31–39
Nothing can separate us from God’s love
In this section, Paul asked a number of rhetorical questions. In asking them he expected the believers in Rome to agree with him in these ways: God is for us and no one has greater power than him when they stand against us. God has made us right with him, so no one can accuse us of wrongdoing that God has not already forgiven. Jesus died for our sins and rose again, so no one can say we are worthy of God punishing us. Nothing of this earth or of the demons and spirits can separate us from God’s love. With God’s power we can overcome all those things.
Here are other possible headings for this section:
God’s love for us because of Jesus Christ
-or-
The love of God will not abandon/leave us
Paragraph 8:31–34
8:31a
What then shall we say in response to these things?: The word then introduces what Paul concluded from what he said in 8:18–30, or possibly chapters 6–8, or even the whole letter to this point. The question “What shall we say?” also introduces what Paul concluded. In some languages it is more natural to have the word then first. For example:
Therefore, what shall we say to these things?
What…shall we say in response to these things?: This is a rhetorical question. It draws attention to what Paul said next. Paul did not expect the readers to answer this question. Here are other ways to translate this question:
How shall we respond to these/those things?
-or-
what will we say about those things ⌊that God did⌋ ?
In some languages the correct meaning is indicated by using a statement instead of a question. For example:
Let us think about what to say about those things.
-or-
Here is something we can say about those things:
shall we say: The Greek tense is the future tense (“will we say”). Here it indicates what someone might say. See the examples above.
these things: Some scholars see this phrase referring to 5:1–8:30, and some see it referring to all of the letter of Romans to this point. Translate in a way that allows for this phrase to include many verses back. For example:
⌊all⌋ those things
8:31b
If God is for us: Here the word If introduces a situation that is true. If this first part is true, that supports the second part (“who can be against us?”).
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:
God is for us, so
-or-
⌊you would agree that⌋ God is for us, ⌊so⌋
God is for us: The Berean Standard Bible and many English versions add the word is here for natural English.
who can be against us: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that no one can be against us, in the sense of no one can stop God from being for us or defeat God’s efforts for us. Translate this clause with that meaning. Here are some ways:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
who can ever be against us? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
who will come against us and gain victory over us?
• As a statement. For example:
no one can defeat us (New Century Version)
-or-
it does not matter who opposes us
can be: There is no verb in the Greek. The Berean Standard Bible and some English versions add the words can be. Some English versions add the same word they added in “if God…for us.” For example:
is (Revised Standard Version)
Here the word can indicates ability. People or Satan may stand against us, but no one can block God’s plan for us.
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