There is a textual problem at the beginning of this verse: the question is whether the verse begins with “in order that” or “and in order that.” The latter of these possibilities (“and in order that”) is to be favored, both on the basis of manuscript evidence and in light of the fact that it is obviously the more difficult reading. Furthermore, this form of the text tends to lend support to the causal interpretation of the participle discussed in verse 22. For that reason the Good News Translation uses the words he wanted in each case.

His rich glory is literally “the richness of his glory” (so Jerusalem Bible), but in a construction of this type the abstract noun should be interpreted as a qualifier of the noun which appears in the genitive. To reveal his rich glory may be rendered as “to show how very glorious he is.”

In some languages one cannot say glory, which was poured out on us, since it is impossible to speak of glory being poured out on someone. But one can often say “glory, which he shared with us” or even change a clause into a complete sentence: “glory. He has given some of this glory to us.”

Objects is literally “vessels” (see the comments on verse 22), but the reference is obviously to the people with whom God had shared his mercy (see verse 24), and so the Good News Translation makes this information explicit by introducing a pronoun: us … those of us. The clause who are the objects of his mercy may be rendered in some languages as “to whom he has been merciful” or “to whom he has shown mercy.”

The Greek verb rendered prepared actually has the force of “to prepare beforehand” (see New English Bible “from the first” and Jerusalem Bible “long ago”). Paul identifies God’s actions in history as the working out of his eternal purpose. Elsewhere in the New Testament this verb appears only in Ephesians 2.10, where it is rendered by the Good News Translation as already prepared.

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 .