The Good News Translation accurately brings out the contrast between the two verbs that Paul uses, conform outwardly and transform … inwardly. Some commentators take the position that Paul did not use these two verbs in such a way as to make this distinction, but most commentators assume that Paul did maintain this difference in meaning. The Good News Translation correctly takes the passive voice of the second of these two verbs as a reference to God’s action, let God transform you inwardly.

There are a number of ways in which one may render Do not conform outwardly to the standards of this world—for example, “Do not follow the customs of this life,” “Do not continue to do what the people in this world do,” or “Do not make yourselves like a picture of this world.” In many languages the concept of standards is simply “customs” or, more specifically in some instances, “the way in which people in the world think one ought to act.”

Let God transform you inwardly may be rendered as “permit God to change your hearts,” “let God give you new hearts,” or “let God make over your desires.” This inward transformation is closely connected in thought by the expression of means, by a complete change of your mind (An American Translation* “your new attitude of mind”; New English Bible “let your minds be remade”). This is rendered “the renewal of your mind” in many translations. The meaning is that the Christian confession demands that the entire bent of one’s mind be changed. The entire clause may be rendered as “permit God to change you inside by giving you a completely new mind” or “… by making your mind and heart completely different.”

To know the will of God may be rendered as “to know what God wants” or “to know what God desires.”

The final phrases what is good, and is pleasing to him, and is perfect are explanations of what God wants. In some languages this series of explanatory phrases must be introduced by an expression such as “that is to say,” “that means,” or “namely.”

The Good News Translation makes it clear that the adjective pleasing has reference to God (to him, that is, “to God”).

Perfect may be rendered “just as it should be” or “what could not be better.”

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 .