9:25a
As: This word introduces support for what Paul said in 9:24. Some languages must use a full clause here. For example:
⌊It is⌋ as/like
-or-
⌊That talk is⌋ like
The Greek has a word that is usually translated as “indeed” here. It probably emphasizes what follows. Here are other ways to translate this word:
in fact
-or-
certainly
But some English versions, such as the Berean Standard Bible, do not translate this word.
He says: The Greek and the Berean Standard Bible use the present tense here, as in 9:15. Greek scholars call it the historical present. In many languages the normal way of referring to a past event must be used. For example:
he said
He: Here this word refers to God.
in Hosea: Here the name Hosea refers to the Old Testament book of Hosea. In some languages all or some of that information will need to be made clear. For example:
in ⌊the book of⌋ Hosea
-or-
in ⌊the book of⌋ Hosea ⌊in Scripture⌋
Hosea: The prophet Hosea lived about eight hundred years before Paul. In some languages a literal translation would imply that Hosea wrote about the same time as Paul. If that is true in your language, indicate that it was many years before Paul. For example:
Hosea ⌊long ago⌋
9:25b–c
These words are from Hosea 2:23, but it is not an exact quote. However, God spoke in 9:25b–c, so quote marks are needed in English. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.
Paul used these words in Hosea to imply a promise for the Gentiles. In the context of the book of Hosea, these words refer to the ten clans of Israel who had rebelled against God. You should not add the word “Gentiles” in this quote.
9:25b
I will call them ‘My People’: Here God promised to begin or restart a relationship with the people who he formerly said were not his people. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
I will call them my people
-or-
I will now call my people
-or-
I will count them as my people
who are not My people: This refers to people whom God did not consider to be his people. They did not have a relationship with him or that relationship was completely broken. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
The people who were not mine (Good News Translation)
-or-
People who were formerly not my people
9:25c
I will call her ‘My Beloved’ who is not My beloved: In Hosea 2:23, the word her refers to Hosea’s wife. Here it is used poetically to refer to the same group as “those who were not my people” in 9:25b. In some languages a literal translation would not refer to the same group of people. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain the meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
Here, Paul used “her” to refer to the same group of people as “those who were not my people.”
I will call her ‘My Beloved’: Here God promised to love the people who he formerly did not love as his people.
who is not My beloved: The word beloved refers to someone who is loved. Here are other ways to translate this word:
who was unloved (NET Bible)
-or-
whom I did not love before (New Living Translation (2004))
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