This is the conclusion of the Greek sentence which begins in verse 1, and it contains the second part of the introduction to the letter, that is, Paul’s greetings to the people in Rome. The Good News Translation indicates this by and so I write to all of you in Rome, and the New English Bible by “I send greetings to all of you in Rome.” Either “write” or “greet” satisfies the meaning implicit in the Greek (literally “to all who are in Rome”).

Whom God loves translates the Greek genitive phrase “beloved of God.” The Greek word “beloved” is used throughout the New Testament to indicate strong endearment; it is used specifically when the Father addresses the Son (Matthew 3.17; 17.5 and parallels).

Whom God … has called to be his own people is literally “called (to be) saints.” The word “saints” (from the stem “holy”) is not a description of the moral character of the Christians but refers to the fact that they belong to God (see New English Bible “his dedicated people”). In the same way that the Israelites in the Old Testament were God’s people, so those who belong to Jesus Christ are also God’s people. Paul indicates a close bond between himself and the Roman Christians: in the same way that God has called him to preach the Good News, so God has called them to belong to Jesus Christ (v. 6) and to be his own people (v. 7). As in verse 1, here also the verb called presents a number of difficulties in some languages, since the closest equivalent may indicate merely the process of calling to an individual. In this context an equivalent may be similar to “summon.”

Grace and peace is a frequent formula in early Christian greetings and is the standard salutation in all of Paul’s letters (see also 1 Peter 1.2; 2 Peter 1.2; Revelation 1.4). It combines the Christian concept “grace” with the Jewish “peace.” “Grace” expresses God’s love and mercy which he shows toward people who do not deserve it, while “peace” sums up all the benefits of God’s gracious act, both in terms of a reconciled fellowship and of a wholeness of life, resulting in a calm and confident dependence on God. In many languages it is better to render these nouns by verbs. In Greek this last portion of verse 7 is literally “grace and peace to you from God….” In most languages there is no “third person imperative.” Even in English such a rendering is quite unnatural, and for that reason the Good News Translation employs may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. However, in a number of languages some introductory phrase must be employed with such a clause—for example, “I am asking God that….” or “I am wishing that….”

An adequate term for grace, particularly in this type of context, is not easy to find in some languages. The reference here is to God’s gracious dealings with man, and therefore it is better rendered in some languages by a verbal expression—for example, “may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ show you mercy.” In certain languages, however, a more idiomatic expression may be employed—for example, “so that you may experience the good heart of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Similarly, peace implies the experience of peace and hence likewise is frequently translated as a verb—for example, “cause you to know peace,” or, idiomatically, “cause you to sit down in your hearts” or “cause your livers to be sweet.”

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 .

The scripture quotation in this verse comes from Psalm 143.2, with one significant addition: by doing what the Law requires. This phrase (literally “works of the Law”) has reference to those things done in obedience to the Law and which may be looked upon in themselves as a means of establishing one in a right relationship with God.

Put right (in God’s sight) renders the same verb that was used in 1.17. It will be further discussed in 3.24. Once again Paul reminds his readers that the purpose of the Law is not to give men salvation, but to make them know that they have sinned.

The basic relationship in the first part of verse 20 is that of result and means. By doing what the Law requires is the means of the first part of the sentence, though in a sense it is not the means, since no man is by this means put right in God’s sight. This relationship may be expressed in some languages as “just because a man does what the Law requires does not mean that he is put right with God.” In some languages this may be expressed as a condition—for example, “If a man does what the Law requires, that still does not mean that he is put right with God.”

Since the second part of verse 20 is in contrast with the first, it may be necessary to introduce some adversative particle such as “but,” “rather,” or “on the other hand”—for example, “rather, the Law causes men to know that they have sinned.”

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 .

In Greek this verse and the next verse are one sentence. Now that we have been put right with God (two words in Greek) stands emphatic in the Greek sentence structure and relates closely to what was said in 4.25. There is, however, a serious textual problem in this verse and the choice of texts is not easy. As far as the written form of the Greek is concerned, there is a difference of only one letter, and evidently the spoken Greek of the first century A.D. did not differentiate in the sounds between the two letters involved. The difference in meaning is whether Paul said we have peace or “let us have peace.” If Paul said “let us have peace,” then it is best taken in the sense represented by the New English Bible (“let us continue at peace”). Otherwise it could imply that the person who has been put into a right relation with God might have the choice of deciding whether or not he wanted to be at peace with God. In Paul’s thinking, however, to be in a right relation with God is to be at peace with God. On the other hand, in support of the reading we have peace is the observation that the entire passage (vv. 1-11) is written in the indicative (except for the possibility of two subjunctive forms in vv. 2 and 3). Moreover, the use of “but not only” (Good News Translation and … also) is more in keeping with the indicative than it is with the subjunctive usage. Finally, it is easy to see how, as this passage was used in preaching, the indicative was changed to the subjunctive in order to make the passage into a type of exhortation to the church of that day. All in all, the context favors the reading of we have peace, though the manuscript evidence points the other way.

The introductory transition now that may, of course, be rendered as cause—for example, “because we have been put right with God.” However, the expression through faith also introduces either means or cause, and the entire initial clause may be rendered as “since God has put us right with himself because we trust him.”

Both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament the term peace has a wide range of meaning. Basically it describes the total well-being of a person’s life; it was even adopted among the Jews as a formula of greeting. This term had such a profound meaning that it could also be used by the Jews as a description of the Messianic salvation. Because of this fact, there are times when it is used almost synonymously with the term rendered “to be in a right relation with God.” Here the term appears to be used as a description of the harmonious relation established between man and God on the basis of God’s having put man right with himself.

Peace with God is often expressed idiomatically—for example, “to have a still heart in the presence of God,” “to sit down in one’s heart with God,” “to be beside God with a sweet liver,” or “our hearts are glad in sitting beside God.”

The phrase through our Lord Jesus Christ indicates secondary agency, which is expressed in some languages by a formula of cause—for example, “our Lord Jesus Christ caused us to be at peace with God” or “God caused us to be at peace with himself; our Lord Jesus Christ did it.”

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 .

Paul’s question, What, then?, reminds one of the question that he raised in verse 1, What shall we say, then? It is best to understand this, not as a rhetorical question, but as a question which he thinks might be asked by his opponents. Paul’s argument—that the Christian lives under God’s grace and therefore should not sin—could be reversed, and so he begins in this verse to protect himself against such an argument. Most commentators and translators assume that by the use of the word law in this verse Paul has reference to any command of God, and not merely to the Jewish Law. By no means translates the same expression that Paul used in Rom 6.2.

If the question and answer technique cannot be employed as a rhetorical device, it is generally possible to use a strong negation—for example, “we must not sin, for we are not under law but under God’s grace” or “since we are not under law but under God’s grace, we must therefore not sin.”

Under law may be rendered as “abide by law,” “are controlled by law,” or “are ruled by law.” The choice of a term for under law must in some measure be determined by the corresponding term, under God’s grace; this may be expressed in various ways—for example, “God’s grace controls us” or “God’s grace compels us.”

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 .

There is a causal connection between this and the previous verse. Verse 2 gives the basis for affirmation that there is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.

In the phrase law of the Spirit, the word law is used in a way similar to its use in 7.21, 23. In fact, Paul uses the phrase law of the Spirit (rather than simply saying “the Spirit”) because of his use of the same term in the previous chapter. Law of the Spirit possibly means for Paul something like “power of the Spirit” or “rule of the Spirit.” However, for the sake of the relation of this expression to the previous chapter, it is important to use the same word in both places, provided, of course, that there is no distortion of meaning. In many languages one cannot speak of the law of the Spirit, but one can indicate something of the contrast between the action of the Spirit and that of sin and death by translating “being controlled by the Spirit has freed me from the control of sin and death” or “… has set me free, and therefore sin and death do not control me.”

“Spirit of life” is taken by most commentators to mean the Spirit, which brings us life (see New English Bible “the life-giving law of the Spirit”). Which brings us life may be rendered as “which causes us to really live.” It may be necessary to include an expression such as “really” or “truly” in order to indicate that this life is not merely a matter of human existence but has a distinctive quality.

Life in union with Christ Jesus indicates a special quality of life. One may therefore translate as “causes us to really live in union with Christ Jesus” or “causes us to really live, being joined closely to Christ Jesus.”

Some Greek manuscripts read “you” (singular) in place of me of this verse, while still other manuscripts read “us.” The use of the inclusive pronoun “us” was doubtless introduced by some scribe who thought that both Paul and his readers should be included, but the choice between me and “you” is not so easy. The UBS Greek text suggests me, though rating this a “C” decision, indicating a high probability of doubt regarding the original reading. Most modern translators appear to accept me, assuming that it is more probable that a scribe would have changed the text from me to “you,” than the other way around.

Paul continues his play on the word law in the phrase the law of sin and death. He could just as easily have said, “the Spirit has set me free from sin and death.” If one can retain law in this context, it may be possible to translate as “the law which declares sin and death,” “the law which shows sin and death,” or “the law which causes sin and death.”

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 .

Paul sees in the Old Testament a witness, not only to Christ’s sufferings, but to the suffering of his people, and he quotes from Psalm 44.22 as proof of this. We are in danger of death is literally “we are being put to death” (An American Translation*). In 1 Corinthians 15.31 Paul says “I die every day,” but what he obviously means is I face death every day. The Good News Translation assumes that Paul uses the verb “to be put to death” with a similar meaning in the present passage. The first clause in the quotation may be translated in some languages as “every day people threaten to kill us because of you.”

Sheep that are going to be slaughtered is actually a genitive expression “sheep of slaughter,” but there is no doubt regarding the meaning and the Good News Translation has made the relation clear. An active equivalent of this passive expression may be “people treat us just like sheep which they are going to slaughter” or “people treat us badly, as they treat the sheep which they are going to kill.”

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 .

This verse actually begins “as it is written (in scripture).” However, many translations attempt to make the relation between the stone and the passage in scripture explicit: “… stone” that the scripture speaks of (Good News Translation), “… ‘stone’ mentioned in scripture” (New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible). The scripture quotation in this verse is taken from the Septuagint of Isaiah 28.16, combined with words from Isaiah 8.14. Isaiah 28.16 is quoted again in 10.11. If the speaker of these words must be identified, then God is the one speaking. From the context it is clear that Paul understands Christ to be this stone, and his function is necessarily twofold: to be the cause of rejection and of faith.

The Greek particle translated “look” is primarily designed to call attention to what is being said, and it is not a direct command to look at something particular. Therefore in some languages the equivalent expression would be “listen carefully” or “pay attention.”

In rendering the expression a stone that will make people stumble one should avoid the impression that the stone is an active agent in the sense of moving about in such a way as to make people stumble. In many languages the more appropriate expression would be “a stone against which people will stumble” or “a stone which will cause people to trip and stumble.”

One should also avoid the impression that God is placing in Zion both a stone and a rock. The two first lines of the quotation are parallel and refer to the same object. This identity may be expressed in some languages as “that is to say, a rock on which they will trip.”

Whoever believes in him may be translated as “whoever trusts in him” or “if any one trusts in him.”

In some languages will not be disappointed may be translated as “will never have reason to be disappointed” or “I will never fail him.”

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 .