15:29a

when I come to you: The Greek is more literally “coming to you.” Here it implies when rather than “if.”

15:29b

in the fullness of the blessing of Christ:
Here the word fullness indicates that, like a basket that is full of good things, the blessing of Christ will be great, rather than small. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

with a full measure of the blessing of Christ (Good News Translation)
-or-
with the fullest blessing of Christ (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
very great will be the blessing of Christ

in: Here this word indicates either means or instrument (BDAG, sense 5), or accompaniment (L&N, §89.80). For example:

with (Good News Translation)

the blessing of Christ: The word of here indicates that Jesus would bless Paul. For example:

Christ’s blessing (New American Bible, Revised Edition)

Paul would go to Rome with that blessing, which probably implies that Jesus would bless the believers in Rome also.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

2:29a

No: This word indicates contrast between outward appearances and thoughts. But 2:28 says it is not about outward appearances, and 2:29 says it is about thoughts.

In some languages it is more natural to allow the context to indicate the connection and not translate the conjunction. For example:

True,
-or-
Indeed,

a Jew: See the note at 2:28a–29a above.

inwardly: Here this word means “the inner being.” It refers to what a person thinks. Here are other ways to translate this word:

on the inside (Good News Translation)
-or-
thoughts
-or-
in what is not seen
-or-
in what he thinks

2:29b

circumcision is a matter of the heart: Here Paul used the word circumcision and heart in a figurative sense. This clause means “the mark of a relationship with God is found in the inner being of a person.” If a person has turned to God, God makes his inner being new and that marks him as having a relationship with God.

In many languages, a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the clause in the text. For example:

circumcision ⌊(and here I mean the mark/sign that he is one of God’s people)⌋ is a matter of the heart

But since you added this implied information in 2:28b, you may not need to repeat it here.

• Translate the meaning of “the mark of a relationship with God is found in the inner being of a person” here. You may then want a footnote to indicate the literal word. Here is an example footnote:

Literally “circumcision is a matter of the heart.”

• Translate the literal meaning of the clause but explain it here in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

Here this clause means “the mark of a relationship with God is found in the heart of a person.”

by the Spirit, not by the written code: There are four ways to interpret the word Spirit here:

(1) It refers to the Holy Spirit, as in the Berean Standard Bible.

(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, New Century Version)

(2) It refers to the intent and purpose of the law of Moses. It contrasts to the letter (the literal words) of that law. For example:

in the spirit, [and] not in the letter (King James Version)

(King James Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition)

(3) It indicates that this circumcision is spiritual. For example:

spiritual and not literal (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible)

(4) It refers to a person’s spirit. For example:

a thing not of the letter but of the spirit (New Jerusalem Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because many scholars support it.

2:29c

Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God: This clause refers to the man who has a relationship with God. The Holy Spirit has “circumcised” his heart.

In some languages this clause would refer to the person of the “written code,” because it is the last word of 2:29b. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Make “Spirit” the last word in 2:29b. For example:

29b and circumcision is a matter of the heart, not by the written code but by the Spirit. 29c Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

• Explain the correct meaning in the text. For example:

⌊The man whose circumcision is by the Spirit,⌋ such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

praise: This word refers to God commending this person. God says that he has done good and approves him.

Some languages must use a verb here. For example:

God, rather than men, praises such a person.

men: Here this word is general and refers to people. For example:

He may not be praised by any human being, but he will be praised by God. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Nobody might praise him, but God praises him.

General Comment on 2:28a–29c

These verses say what a true person of God is not, then says what he is. In some languages it is more natural to say what he is first. For example:

28-29 For a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God. A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Section 4:1–12

God considers/calls people righteous like he did with Abraham

God called Abraham righteous because he believed what God told him (Genesis 15:1–6). In this section, Paul used that example to show that all people must believe in God for him to call them righteous. He did that for Abraham before Abraham was circumcised. So that shows that God makes people right with himself because they believe in him and not because they are circumcised.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

The Example of Abraham (Good News Translation)
-or-
God called Abraham righteous because he believed
-or-
Abraham is/as an example of how to become righteous before God
-or-
The lesson/model of God calling Abraham righteous because he believed God

Paragraph 4:1–3

4:1a–b

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered?: This is a rhetorical question. It introduces a new subject, the example of Abraham. It causes the listener to think about what the answer might be. Translate this rhetorical question with that meaning. Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham? (God’s Word)

• As a statement. For example:

So then, here is what we can say about our ancestor Abraham according to human/natural descent:

What then shall we say: The word then indicates a connection to previous verses. It introduces an example of being justified by faith alone (3:28).

In some languages, the conjunction must be first in the clause. For example:

Then, what shall we say

that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered: There are two issues here.

Issue 1: The text

There is a textual issue here.

(1) Most very old Greek manuscripts have the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has discovered.

(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New Century Version, King James Version)

(2) One very old Greek manuscript omits this word.

(Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), because the UBS Handbook Good News Translation recommends it.

Issue 2: Meaning

There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has discovered :

(1) It means discover or learn here. For example:

Abraham…discovered in this matter (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, God’s Word, King James Version, New Century Version)

(2) It means attain here. For example:

was gained by Abraham (New Revised Standard Version)

(English Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

The Greek is literally “Abraham to have discovered.” It is not passive. Here are other ways to translate this clause according to option (1) and interpretation (1) above:

Abraham…What was his experience? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Abraham…has found? (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
Abraham…learned about faith? (New Century Version)

Abraham: Abraham was an important Jewish ancestor, the first of God’s chosen people. God selected him to be the father of a great nation and established his covenant with him. He was greatly respected by the Jews and they called themselves “sons of Abraham.”

our forefather:
The word forefather refers to an ancestor of long ago. Some Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

our ancestor (NET Bible)
-or-
the father of our people (New Century Version)

The Greek literally says “our forefather according to the flesh.” The Berean Standard Bible does not translate the phrase “according to the flesh,” but it means “as a human being” here, as in 1:3. It emphasizes the physical rather than spiritual. Here are other ways to translate the phrase “according to the flesh”:

humanly speaking, (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
by natural descent (Revised English Bible)

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

5:8a

proves: This verb is present tense because God loves people all the time.

His love for us: In some languages a verb must be used for the noun love here. For example:

that he loves us

in this: This phrase introduces how God shows his love for us. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

by (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
in this way: (New Century Version)

5:8b

still: Here this word means “continue to be.” Christ died for our sins before we could stop sinning. For example:

yet (Revised Standard Version)

sinners: This word refers to people who habitually do what is against what God wants. The word can also refer to people who are outsiders to the community of the people of God. But many English versions translate the Greek word as the Berean Standard Bible does.

for: Here the word for refers to benefiting us or in order to help us, as it does the second time it occurs in 5:7a.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

6:19a

I am speaking in human terms: This clause refers to Paul using words that refer to things that are familiar to people’s experience. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I am using an example from everyday life (New International Version (2011))
-or-
I am now using an illustration that people can easily understand

the weakness of your flesh: The Berean Standard Bible literally translates the Greek words here. Here the weakness of…flesh refers generally to people not always understanding things. The word your indicates that the believers in Rome also do not always understand things. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

you are weak in your natural selves (New International Version)
-or-
you are still weak human beings (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
according to ways of your bodies your understanding of things is weak
-or-
you still think as people of this world ⌊and not as mature believers⌋

6:19b–d

Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness: The phrase Just as introduces something to be compared. Paul compared what the believers used to do (6:19b–c) to what they must now do (6:19d–e).

Some languages do not introduce the thing to be compared as Paul did here. For example:

you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so, in the same way, now offer them in slavery to righteousness

6:19b

The Greek of 6:19b begins with a word that is usually translated as “For” (as in the English Standard Version). This word introduces the reason that Paul spoke in human terms because of the believers’ natural limitations (6:19a). He spoke that way because the believers had at an earlier time presented their members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness (6:19b–c). Some English versions omit this word, as the Berean Standard Bible does, allowing the context to imply that connection.

you used to offer: The word offer refers to giving something to someone for him to control. Believers used to allow themselves to be controlled by sin. See how you translated the word “present” in 6:13.

used to: Here this phrase refers to what believers did at one time before they believed in Jesus. It does not refer to only doing something one time.

the parts of your body: Here the word parts refers to parts of the human body and implies deeds done with those parts. See how you translated parts in 6:13.

in slavery to impurity: Here the word slavery is a figure of speech. It refers to believers allowing impurity to rule their lives, like a master rules the lives of his slaves. See how you translated the similar phrase in 6:17 (“slaves to sin”).

impurity: This word refers to deeds that are immoral to do. Here are other ways to translate this word:

uncleanness (King James Version)
-or-
filthy practices

See how you translated this word in 1:24.

6:19c

and: Here this word indicates another thing to which the believers in Rome used to present their members as slaves.

to escalating wickedness: The Greek phrase is literally “to lawlessness into lawlessness.” It indicates that a person does things that ignore the law or disobeys it. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

to lawlessness for lawlessness (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
lawlessness for a life of lawlessness
-or-
to lawlessness resulting in anarchy

Some other English versions add the word escalating or “increasing” (New International Version: “ever-increasing”). But it is not clear to this author how the Greek words support that meaning.

6:19d

so: The Greek word here introduces what is compared to the words in 6:19b–c. In some languages the word or phrase of comparison is put here. For example:

In the same way (Good News Translation)

now: Here this word means “at this time.” It refers to the time that Paul was writing, but can imply now for any reader of this verse.

righteousness: Here this word refers to deeds and thoughts that God says are right to do or think, as in 6:18.

6:19e

leading to: The Greek word is literally “to,” as in 6:19c. Living a life of righteousness causes the person to become more and more holy. For example:

for (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
for a life of
-or-
resulting in (New American Standard Bible)

holiness: There are several ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as holiness. Here are the two main ways:

(1) It means being made holy here. Every righteous deed makes believers more holy. For example:

you will become holy (New Living Translation (2004))

(Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It means already having been made holy and remaining holy here. For example:

holiness (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, King James Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because Greek words with this particular Greek ending usually refer to a process of becoming something.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

8:3a

For: This word introduces the basis for God setting us free from sin and death (8:2).

what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did: Here the law refers to the laws that God gave to Moses. The law of Moses was not able to free people from sin (8:2). God did that. For example:

The Law of Moses cannot do this (Contemporary English Version)

Paul spoke of the law as if it were a person. Some languages cannot speak of the law as doing things. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

For ⌊no one, obeying⌋ the law ⌊of Moses⌋ can become free like that, because the law operates through our weak human nature. ⌊But⌋ God condemned sin in the flesh (interpretation 1)
-or-
For God condemned sin in the flesh. ⌊No one, obeying⌋ the laws ⌊of Moses⌋, is able to do that, because ⌊people⌋ are weak ⌊regarding obeying them⌋. (interpretation 2)

the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh: These words indicate that the law was unable to accomplish what God intended for it to do, because people are unable to obey it completely.

flesh: This word refers to people living according to their natural way of thinking, the human nature. Here are other ways to translate this word:

human nature (Good News Translation)
-or-
our natural inclinations
-or-
our old nature
-or-
our own desires

See how you translated this word in 7:5 or 7:25.

8:3b

by sending His own Son: The word by here indicates that God sending His own Son was how God condemned sin in the flesh. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

God sent his Son…. That way God condemned sin (God’s Word)
-or-
He sent his Child…. And that’s how God

His own Son: This phrase is a title for Jesus. This title indicates that Jesus has the same nature and character as God. It also indicates that the relationship between God the Father and Jesus, his Son, is similar in some way to the relationship of human fathers and sons. God the Father does not have a physical body. He did not have a sexual relationship that resulted in Mary becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus. See how you translated the phrase “His Son” at 1:3.

in the likeness of sinful man: The word likeness here probably indicates that Jesus became a human being yet still remained who he was before he did that, so he had all the characteristics of a human being except that he was sinless. But all the above information comes from many verses, not just this verse. Translate in a way that implies or allows the above meaning. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

in a body like the bodies we sinners have (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
to be like us sinners (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
he became as sinful people

In some languages it is helpful to explain in the translation how Jesus is the same and different from us. For example:

having a human body and his customs (were) like our (incl.) customs but he was not influenced/carried to sin
-or-
he became a human being like us, but there was no sinfulness in him

sinful man: The word man refers to the physical body here but also includes the human nature as in 8:3a. When Jesus came to earth he took on a physical body as well as human nature. In our human nature while living in this physical body that we have, it is easy for us to sin. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

our sinful nature (Revised English Bible)
-or-
with the same human life that others use for sin (New Century Version)

8:3c

as an offering for sin: There are several ways to interpret the Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as an offering for sin :

(1) It means with regard to sin here. God also sent his Son to do something about sin. For example:

and concerning sin (NET Bible)

(Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, King James Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Revised English Bible, God’s Word)

(2) It means as a sin offering here. For example:

to be a sin offering (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because this phrase is not in the context of the Old Testament system of animal sacrifice, as it is in Hebrews 13:11, where the same Greek phrase is correctly translated “sin offering.”

The words here refer to taking our sins upon himself, paying the penalty for sin by his death, and setting us free from sin. Here are other ways to translate the Greek words according to interpretation (1):

and for the sake of sin (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
and to deal with sin (Revised English Bible)

8:3d

He thus condemned sin in the flesh: In the death of Jesus on the cross, God broke the power of sin. People have the same body and human nature as Jesus. So God has broken the power of sin for all people. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

he condemned ⌊the power of⌋ sin in human nature
-or-
God removed the power of sin to rule us people
-or-
he really broke the control of sin over us

condemned: Here this word refers to a judge saying someone is guilty and giving the punishment. Referring to condemning sin, some languages must use a different word here. See the above examples.

sin: Here sin is spoken of as if it were a person. Some languages must speak of sin in a different way. For example:

sinning
-or-
the power of sin

in the flesh: Here this phrase refers to the place where God condemned sin.

flesh: Here this word refers to the human body.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Paragraph 8:35–39

8:35a

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that no one or no situation will be able to separate believers from the love that Christ has for them. Translate this clause with that meaning. Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

What will separate us from the love of Christ? (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
Who…can separate us from the love of Christ? (Good News Translation)

• As a statement. For example:

No one/thing will/can separate us from the love of Christ.

Who: In Greek, the word translated Who can refer to either people or things. Paul listed seven things below, some of which are caused by people. In some languages “what” would be the general question word to use here, as in the New American Bible, Revised Edition above.

shall: In Greek this is the normal future. This word means “will” here.

separate us from the love of Christ: Here the word separate is used figuratively. It indicates that something prevents Christ from loving us or makes that love ineffective. Some languages cannot use the word separate when referring to love. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

separate us from Christ ⌊and⌋ his love
-or-
make Christ stop loving us
-or-
block Christ’s love to us

us: In the Greek, this word is emphasized by being before the verb. Some languages can do that kind of emphasis.

the love of Christ: This refers to Christ loving us. Here it does not refer to us loving him.

8:35b–c

Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?: In the Greek, there is no verb in this question, but Shall is implied from 8:35a. For a natural English question this implied word must be explicit here.

This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword will not separate us from the love of Christ. Translate this clause with that meaning. Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
Can trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword ⌊separate us from his love⌋ ?

• As a statement. For example:

Trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword will/can ⌊not separate us⌋ ⌊from the love of Christ⌋.

8:35b

trouble: The Greek word here refers to any kind of trouble or suffering. In some languages the plural would be more natural. Here are other ways to translate this word:

tribulation (English Standard Version)
-or-
hardships (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
difficulty

distress: This refers to bad situations or circumstances which cause stress to the people in them. Here are other ways to translate this word:

stressful/difficult times/things
-or-
terrible situations/circumstances

See how you translated this word in 2:9.

persecution: Here this word refers to people causing trouble or suffering for a believer because he or she follows Jesus. Here are other ways to translate this word:

people harming us ⌊because we believe⌋ ⌊in Jesus⌋
-or-
pains because of our(inc) faith
-or-
they cause us who believe to suffer

8:35c

famine: This word refers to an extreme shortage of food. During a famine, people die from a lack of food. Here are other ways to translate this word:

starvation
-or-
hunger (New Century Version)

nakedness: The Greek word can refer to wearing no clothes at all, but here probably refers to not having enough clothes to wear, or having only ragged clothes to wear. For example:

lack of…clothing (New Jerusalem Bible)

danger: This word refers to circumstances that may cause harm or death. Here are other ways to translate this word:

peril (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
if we are harmed or killed
-or-
life threatening situations

sword: Here this is a figure of speech. It refers to violent death, for example, by murder, war or execution. In some languages this figure of speech will not be clear. If that is true in your language, translate the meaning clearly. For example:

violent death (God’s Word)
-or-

⌊killing by⌋ sword

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.