In Greek this verse is a continuation of the sentence begun in the previous verse, and from the standpoint of translation it is similar to the preceding verse. A literal translation might read: “In the same way these ones are now disobedient because of your mercy in order that they themselves now may be mercied.” The Good News Translation reorders two of the major parts of this verse, and makes the participants explicit. The first part of this verse actually appears as the second element in the Good News Bible: “these ones” are identified as the Jews and the object of their disobedience is made explicit, disobey God. The second part of the Greek sentence appears first in the English sentence structure, and the ambiguous phrase “your mercy” is clarified to mean mercy that you have received. Finally, in the last part of the verse, God is identified as the one who gives the mercy: that they also may now receive God’s mercy.

The word now (in its second occurrence in this verse) does not appear in some manuscripts; it is omitted by the Revised Standard Version, the New English Bible, and Moffatt. The UBS text committee believes that the evidence supports the inclusion of this word and classifies the choice with a “B” rating.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .