Over the Gentiles is not an actual part of the Greek text, but it is assumed in Paul’s argument, and is made explicit in the Good News Translation. Perhaps it should be noted also, that whereas the Greek has the singular “Jew,” the Good News Translation renders by a plural Jews, because in English discourse structure this is more natural. Or is there any value in being circumcised? means “What good does it do for the Jews to be circumcised?”

This first section in Romans 3 (vv. 1-8) involves a number of structural problems, primarily because of the question-answer structure. For languages in which rhetorical questions are permitted, this is a very effective means of highlighting an issue and then providing a satisfactory response. However, for languages which do not employ this rhetorical device, it is not easy to find an appropriate and satisfactory equivalent. While it is true that some languages do not permit a rhetorical question such as Do the Jews have any advantage over the Gentiles, then?, they do permit rhetorical questions which begin with some such introductory phrase as “Do you think therefore that…?” or “Do you suppose that…?” Such a question borders on the rhetorical type of interrogation, but it is often regarded as perfectly appropriate, since it would seem natural that Paul might himself ask his audience in Rome about their reactions to such issues. It is also possible to deal with such rhetorical questions by introducing them in another manner—for example, “Someone may ask, Do the Jews have any advantage over the Gentiles?” Placing the question into the speech of someone else frequently makes it completely admissible, and it is precisely this type of question which is important in a passage such as this, in which very definite responses to the question are included in the text.

It is not always easy to find a ready equivalent to the expression have any advantage over. However, there are always ways in which the same concept may be expressed, often in an idiomatic form—for example, “how do the Jews go ahead of the Gentiles?” or “how are the Jews lifted up higher than the Gentiles?” Any value in being circumcised? may be translated as “any good to be circumcised?” or “does it help at all to be circumcised?”

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 .