In Greek verses 15 and 16 form one sentence. This is how it will be refers back to the total content of the preceding verse, and is a stylistic device intended to show the relationship between verses 15 and 16 for the English reader. Most other translations use some stylistic device to show the relation between verse 15 (especially the last half; see New English Bible) and this verse, though both Moffatt and the Jerusalem Bible conclude that verse 16 grammatically follows verse 13.

In rendering this is how it will be one may have to employ a completely restructured expression—for example, “this is just what will happen on the Day” or “the Day when God will judge will be just like what I have said.”

In the Greek text the phrase according to the Good News I preach comes between the secret thoughts of men and through Jesus Christ, but all English translations restructure this for the English reader. In the New English Bible it appears as a separate statement at the end of verse 16: “so my gospel declares.” According to the Good News I preach is rendered in some languages as “the Good News which I preach says that it will be just this way” or “the Good News which I preach agrees with this.”

For the use of the word Day, see the comments on Rom 2.5.

The secret thoughts of men is literally “the secrets of men” (Revised Standard Version), but the reference is obviously to the innermost thoughts of men (New English Bible “the secrets of human hearts”). The secret thoughts of men may be recast as a verbal expression: “how men think secretly to themselves,” “the secrets which men keep in their hearts,” or “how people think in their hearts what no one knows about.”

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 .