This verse introduces a logical inference, so then, drawn on the basis of the scripture quotation in the previous verse. The Good News Translation rendering is somewhat different from a literal rendering of the Greek text, “So then, not of the one who wills or of the one who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” The Revised Standard Version translates: “So it depends not upon man’s will or exertion, but upon God’s mercy;” and the New English Bible: “Thus it does not depend on man’s will or effort, but on God’s mercy.” All three translations take the verb “to run” in the more general sense of “to exert oneself” (Good News Translation does; Revised Standard Version “exertion”; New English Bible “effort”). Although the pronoun it does not appear in the Greek text as such, a good English translation of Paul’s words almost requires this type of construction. In fact, many English translations use a construction very similar to that employed by the Good News Translation (Jerusalem Bible is an exception: “the only thing that counts is not what human beings want or try to do…”).

In a number of languages one must specify what the pronoun it refers to. In the present passage, it has reference to God’s choice. Therefore, one may render verse 16 as “hence, whether God chooses a person or not does not depend on what a man wants or does, but only upon the mercy which God shows” or “… is not because of what a man wants or does but only because God wants to show mercy.” In this type of context “to show mercy” must be understood in a very broad sense of “do good to” or “to cause good for.”

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 first part of this verse literally reads “for from him and through him and to him are all things.” The first of these phrases, “from him,” indicates that God is the source of everything, and so is translated by the Good News Translation as all things were created by him. The other two phrases, “through him” and “to him,” indicate that God is the one who keeps the created order in existence and that it is moving in the direction that he intends. The Good News Translation renders these last two phrases as and all things exist through him and for him. In the last part of this verse the Good News Translation makes the pronoun “to him” explicit: to God.

The passive construction for all things were created by him may be rendered as “God has created everything.” One might be inclined to translate through him as “because of him,” but this might suggest “by means of him,” which would be essentially the same as the first clause of verse 36, or “for his sake,” which would be equivalent to the last phrase of the sentence. A more satisfactory equivalent may be “he sustains all things” or “he keeps all things going.” The final phrase, for him, may be expressed as “all things exist for his sake.”

The final exclamation To God be the glory forever! may be equivalent to “we must praise God forever” or “God deserves honor forever.”

As in a number of other contexts, the term Amen may appropriately be rendered as “this is surely true” or “this is certainly the way it should be.”

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 .

As is often done in biblical language, the present evil age is spoken of as night while the time of God’s salvation is spoken of as day. However, the metaphor of contrast between night and day is not universal. It may be advisable to change the metaphor to a simile—for example, “it is as though the night were almost over, and the day about to begin” or “it is as though the night was getting light and the day was almost to come.”

The change from night to day demands a change in one’s way of life. Let us stop doing the things that belong to the dark is literally “let us put off the works of darkness.” The verb is aorist and has the force of initiating an action which is not yet begun; therefore, let us stop…. “The works of darkness” means “the things that one does in the darkness.” Paul mixes his figures of speech here by speaking of actions as clothing worn at night that one must take off so that he can put on the clothing appropriate for the daytime. Since these mixed metaphors are difficult for the reader to grasp, the Good News Translation translates them as a single metaphor by changing “let us put off” to let us stop doing.

A form of admonition, introduced by let in English, must often be translated as a form of obligation in other languages—for example, “we must stop doing the things that belong to the dark.” However, it is not always easy to put across the idea of “the things that belong to the dark.” It may, in fact, be necessary to expand somewhat this expression so as to make the reference clear: “the things that people normally do in the darkness of night” or “those evil things which people do in the darkness.”

Similar observations may be made with regard to the last part of this sentence. Take up the weapons for fighting in the light is literally “put on (that is, dress ourselves in) the weapons of the light.” The verb here is also aorist and has the same force as the previous verb. It is easy to see why “the weapons of the light” is translated as weapons for fighting in the light.

It is not always easy for readers to comprehend exactly what is the significance of the weapons for fighting in the light. Some translators would prefer to use a more neutral expression such as “those things of the light,” but the fact is that Paul in several passages uses terms for weapons and frequently employs the analogy of fighting and conflict. Therefore, it is probably more satisfactory to use the expression weapons both here and in verse 14 and to provide a satisfactory series of cross reference so that the reader may understand the broader implications of what Paul is trying to say. One can always suggest that this metaphor must be understood in a purely figurative sense by introducing a phrase such as “as it were” or “as it seems”—for example, “we must take up, as it were, the weapons which are used in the light” or “… in the daytime.”

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 first part of this verse is a continuation of the Greek sentence begun in the previous verse, and its relation to verse 8 is difficult to define with precision. The Good News Translation understands these words as introducing a second reason why Christ became a servant to the Jews and so introduces the words also to enable to make this relation clear. Most translations follow this same interpretation, though it is possible to connect the first part of verse 9 with the previous verse in a different way. That is, it is possible to understand these words as the object of the verb I tell you and so to translate: “I tell you that Christ became a servant of the Jews to show that God is truthful and has made his promises to the patriarchs come true; (9) while, on the other hand, the Gentiles praised God for his mercy.” The latter interpretation is followed by the New American Bible, but all other English translations follow the same exegesis as the Good News Translation.

Also to enable the Gentiles to praise God is normally expressed as a causative: “and also to cause the Gentiles to praise God.”

For his mercy (so most translations) is literally “in behalf of mercy.” This may be translated in some languages as “because he is merciful” or “because he shows mercy.”

As the scripture says is literally “as it has been written” (see 1.17; 2.24; 3.4, 10; 4.17; etc).

I will give thanks to you is literally “I will confess to you” (see 14.11). The same meaning is possible here as in the earlier passage; but in light of the second line of this quotation from Psalm 18.49, and in view of the way in which Paul uses “confess” in this context, “to give thanks” seems to be the meaning here.

If one adopts the interpretation “confess,” it may be possible to say “therefore I will confess you as God to the Gentiles.” However, if one follows the interpretation give thanks to, there are somewhat more complex problems involved in the phrase among the Gentiles. It may, in fact, be necessary to render this as a clause relating to the subject—for example, “therefore, while I am among the Gentiles, I will give thanks to you” or “therefore, when I am there among the Gentiles, I will give thanks to you.”

I will sing praises to your name may require some recasting in order to show the relation between sing and praises and the relation of both to your name—for example, “I will praise you by singing” or “I will sing and in this way praise you.”

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 Christ’s service is literally “in Christ” (see v. 3).

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 .