The chosen people is literally “Israel” (see the comments on 9.4). The genitive expression “law of righteousness” must be taken to mean a law that would put them right with God (An American Translation* “a law that should bring uprightness”; Jerusalem Bible “a righteousness derived from Law”). It should be noted that Paul does not say that the Jews made righteousness their goal but rather that their goal was a law that would bring them righteousness.

The conjunction while should not be understood in a temporal sense, but in the sense of “in contrast with this” or “but on the other hand.” Similarly, the contrast between seeking a law and not find it may be expressed as an adversative clause—for example, “on the other hand, the chosen people were looking for a law that would put them right with God, but they did not find it.” In this context, it may be necessary to employ a plural, “laws,” in order to designate a body of laws and not merely some particular regulation.

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 .