The word translated worthless appears in the emphatic position in this sentence. Some translators see in the word the idea of “futility” (so Revised Standard Version, New American Bible), others see in it the meaning of “frustration” (New English Bible, An American Translation*), while in the Jerusalem Bible it appears as “unable to attain its purpose.” In the New Testament this word appears elsewhere only in Ephesians 4.17 (Good News Translation worthless; New English Bible “good-for-nothing”; Jerusalem Bible “aimless”) and in 2 Peter 2.18 (Good News Translation stupid; New English Bible “empty”; Jerusalem Bible “hollow”). In the Septuagint the word is often used in reference to heathen idols. The concept of worthless is rendered in a variety of ways in other languages—for example, “has no meaning,” “has no use,” “has no purpose,” “is full of nothing” (that is to say, “empty”), or “to be as though it were nothing.”

The verb rendered was condemned literally means “was made subject to.” The tense is aorist, and commentators see here a specific reference to Genesis 3.17, when God brought his judgment against the earth because of Adam’s sin. This reference to Genesis helps to explain the translation of but because God willed it to be so (literally “but because of the one who subjected it”). Some see in “the one who subjected it” a reference either to the sin of Adam (or the sin of man in general) or a reference to Satan. However, most commentators agree that the reference is to God, and some translators make this information explicit (so Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt, Phillips; see alternative rendering in New English Bible).

The passive expression was condemned must frequently be changed into an active expression in which God is the agent. Under such circumstances, however, the term condemned is not necessarily the most satisfactory rendering. Some chose to use an expression such as “God decided that,” “God determined that,” or God judged all creation as.

There is a difference of opinion as to how the latter part of this verse should be punctuated, and the decision that is made in this respect will also affect the translation of verse 21. (1) One may do as the Good News Translation does and put a full stop after because God willed it to be so (literally “because of the one who subjected it”). (2) Or one may relate the last words of the verse, yet there was this hope (literally “on the basis of hope”), with the preceding words and so translate as the Revised Standard Version does: “by the will of him who subjected it in hope.” This problem also relates to verse 21, which begins with a word which may mean either “because” or “that” (in its latter meaning the word often introduces indirect discourse). The Good News Translation, of course, translates this word as that, and so makes the passage read: Yet there was this hope, that creation …

The contrast between what creation did not want and what God decided may be expressed as “that is not what creation itself wanted but it was what God determined” or “that was not what creation decided but what God decided.”

In many languages it is difficult to speak of hope without relating it in some way to the person who hopes. One may, therefore, translate the last clause of verse 20 as “nevertheless God had this hope” or “God looked forward in confidence.”

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 .