SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 2020 – Page 6

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 15:30

Paragraph 15:30–32

15:30a

Now: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now introduces a new but related topic. It is not a time word. Translate it in a way that is natural for starting to write about a new topic or theme.

I urge you, brothers: The word brothers is in the end of what Paul said to them, both in the Greek and in the Berean Standard Bible. In some languages this word must be first. For example:

Brothers, I appeal to you

I urge you: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as urge has a wide range of meaning. Many scholars believe it means “exhort” here. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I appeal to you (English Standard Version)
-or-
I encourage you (God’s Word)

brothers: This word refers to all the believers living in Rome, both men and women. The word indicates a close relationship between believers because God has made them his (adopted) children. See how you translated this word in 1:13 or 15:14.

15:30b

by our Lord Jesus Christ: This phrase indicates that Paul appealed to the Roman believers in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul asked them to pray for him because they all believed in Jesus and this is something that Jesus wanted them to do. For example:

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (New Living Translation (2004))

by the love of the Spirit: This phrase indicates that love from the Holy Spirit is the basis for Paul appealing to them to pray for him. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

by the love that the Spirit creates (God’s Word)
-or-
on the basis of the love from the Spirit
-or-
because of…the love that the Holy Spirit gives us (New Century Version)

15:30c

to join me in my struggle by praying: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as struggle refers to working hard at helping someone. Here it refers to earnestly praying for Paul, as Paul prayed for himself in taking the collection of money to Jerusalem. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf (NET Bible)

for me: This phrase indicates that Paul wanted the Roman believers to pray for him, as he explained in 15:31a–b.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 1:30

1:30a

slanderers: This word refers to someone who says something for the purpose of hurting someone else’s reputation, name, or status. The words are spoken openly, in public, rather than what gossips do. Here are other ways to translate this word:

people who speak evil of others
-or-
hurt people on purpose with what they say

God-haters: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as God-haters :

(1) It refers to people who hate God. For example:

God-haters (Berean Standard Bible)

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

(2) It indicates that God hates these people. For example:

they are hateful to God (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because “God hating them” is not a deed coming from them like the rest of the words and phrases in this list. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

They hate God (New Century Version)
-or-
hating God

insolent: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as insolent refers to a person who is very proud and therefore is violent against others. Here are other ways to translate this Greek word:

violently proud
-or-
both proud and violent

arrogant: This word refers to a person who is very proud of himself and thinks that he is a better person than others. Here are other ways to translate this word:

haughty (English Standard Version)
-or-
conceited (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
very proud of himself
-or-
puts himself above others

1:30b

boastful: Here this word refers to praising oneself. Here are other ways to translate this word:

brag about themselves (New Century Version)
-or-
always praise themselves

They invent new forms of evil: This phrase refers to finding new kinds of evil deeds or new ways to do evil things. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

thinking of new ways to do evil
-or-
seeking/finding new kinds of evil deeds

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 3:1

Section 3:1–8

God is faithful and righteous

In chapter two, Paul spoke about some wrong ideas that the Jews had. In this section, Paul spoke to someone, probably a Jew, who might think that Paul implied that God was unfaithful to his covenant with the Jews. Paul showed that regardless of how God’s people had behaved, God was always faithful to what he said.

Keep in mind that Paul himself was a Jew. He knew how Jews thought, and he knew how to answer their objections.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

God is faithful to his covenant even if his people are not
-or-
God keeps his word and does what is right

Paragraph 3:1–4

3:1a

What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew?: This is a rhetorical question. It causes the reader to think about what the answer might be. Paul answered this question in 3:2.

then: This conjunction introduces something more that Paul wanted to say about circumcision (2:25–29). Based on what he said there, he now has another question for his readers. For example:

So (New Century Version)

But the connection is not introducing a logical conclusion. Your translation should not introduce a logical conclusion here. Additionally, the Berean Standard Bible places this word after “What.” Place this connecting word in a place that is natural for your language.

advantage: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as advantage means “something greater.” Jews have their covenant with God and his words. This is more than what the Gentiles have. Here are other ways to translate this word:

benefit (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
privilege/bonus

3:1b

Or: This word introduces another question similar in meaning to the question in 3:1a.

what is the value of circumcision?: In 2:25 Paul wrote “circumcision…is of value.” Here the clause is a what question. If possible, translate it using similar words to that verse. For example:

is circumcision valuable?
-or-
what is the worth of circumcision?
-or-
what is the use/benefit of being circumcised?
-or-
what good is circumcision?

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 4:2

4:2a–c

If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God: Here, the word If introduces a situation that was not true. Abraham was not justified because of his works. But the “then” clause (he had something…) imagines what might have happened if Abraham had been justified because of his works.

Here are some ways to translate this:

• Some languages have a word or phrase that indicates this if-clause is a situation that was not true. For example:

if as-might-be-said it was because of his perfect obedience to the laws that this Abraham was declared righteous in God’s sight, he would of course now have something to boast about, (but not before God)
-or-
if-it-had-been,-but-was-not,-that God made Abraham righteous through what he had done, he would have been able to boast, but not before God

• Other languages can add other words to help indicate that this if-clause is a situation that was not true. For example:

If for-example God counted him as righteous because of what he did, there would be something for him to boast-about, but the truth of it is that there is nothing that he could boast-about to God.
-or-
if ⌊it were true that⌋ God called Abraham righteous because of what Abraham did, then Abraham could boast ⌊about that⌋ ⌊to someone⌋, but he could not boast ⌊about it⌋ to God

• Other languages must translate without using the word If. For example:

we know that the reason that God regarded Abraham as righteous was not because he did good deeds, so he has nothing to boast about, and certainly could not boast before God

4:2a

This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that is usually translates as “for.” It introduces an explanation of why Paul asked about Abraham in 4:1. In some languages it is more natural to omit this conjunction and allow the context to imply that connection, as the Berean Standard Bible does. For example:

If Abraham… (New Jerusalem Bible)

Abraham was indeed justified by works: This clause is passive. God justified Abraham. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

his good deeds had made him acceptable to God (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

⌊God⌋ declared Abraham righteous by his/Abraham’s deeds
-or-

⌊God⌋ considered Abraham to be just/innocent because of what he/Abraham did

justified: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as justified means “called and treated as righteous.” God regarded Abraham as righteous. See the above examples. See how you translated this word in 2:13 (where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “declared righteous”) or 3:30.

by works: Here the word works refers to a person’s own effort, or the deeds one does. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

by the things he did (Good News Translation)
-or-
because of what he had done (New Jerusalem Bible)

4:2b

he had something to boast about: This is still part of the statement which is not true (see note at 4:2a–c). If it was possible that his good deeds caused God to call him righteous, Abraham could boast about that.

boast: The word boast means “to talk about one’s own accomplishments or abilities with too much pride.” Here are other ways to translate boast :

brag (God’s Word)
-or-
tell others how good he is

4:2c

but not before God: The words “he had something to boast about” are implied from 4:2b. Some languages must repeat some or all of those words. For example:

but ⌊he could⌋ not ⌊boast⌋ before God
-or-
but ⌊he could⌋ not ⌊boast about it⌋ before God

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 5:9

Paragraph 5:9–11

5:9a–b

Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!: The word since introduces the basis for the comparison (introduced by much more). Some languages may need to translate in a different way to make that clear. For example:

It is true that we have now been justified by his blood. Therefore it is true indeed that we will be saved by him from the wrath of God.
-or-
Therefore, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God, since/because we have now been justified by his blood.

5:9a

we have now been justified: The word now indicates that being justified is still true at the present time. For example:

now that we have been justified (New Jerusalem Bible)

In some languages being justified in the past implies still being justified at the present time. So, those languages can omit the word now if it is not natural here. For example:

we have been made right in God’s sight (New Living Translation (2004))

we have…been justified: See how you translated this clause in 5:1.

by His blood: Here the phrase His blood refers figuratively to Jesus’ death. The phrase by His blood indicates that Jesus’ death was the way that God made believers righteous. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

by shedding his blood
-or-
by his sacrificial death
-or-
when he died for us
-or-
because of Jesus’ blood who died to pay for our sins

5:9b

how much more: This phrase emphasizes what follows. Just like it is true that God justifies us by the blood of Christ, it is also true that Jesus will save us from God’s wrath. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

if God has already counted us as righteous because of Cristo’s blood which flowed-out at his death, we expect yet even-more that Cristo will save-us from God’s judging of people.
-or-
So [having-said] that, we have become straight in God’s sight because of Yesus’ blood who died to pay-for our sins. That’s why we know even more clearly that we will be set-free from the anger of God

These two things are true. In some languages a comparison with much more is not natural or meaningful. If that is true in your language, make the emphasis clear. For example:

So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger, because we have been made right with God (New Century Version)
-or-
Christ has now died in order to clear our sins. Therefore now we greatly are assured that now he has saved us

shall we be saved from wrath through Him: This clause in Greek is future tense. For example:

we will be saved through him (NET Bible)

This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

he will save us

saved: This word refers to being rescued from something harmful or dangerous. Here it refers to God rescuing people from his wrath.

Some languages must say what someone is saved from to make clear what kind of saving is meant. For example:

save us from the punishment
-or-
be freed from punishment
-or-
saved from death

wrath: This phrase refers to God’s anger against sin. See how you translated this phrase in 1:18.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 6:20

Paragraph 6:20–23

6:20a

For: Here this word introduces an explanation or the basis for what Paul said in 6:19b–e. It introduces 6:20–21 or 6:20–23.

slaves to sin: Here the word slaves is a figure of speech. It refers to believers allowing sin to rule their lives, like a master rules the lives of his slaves. If you added “slaves” before “of sin” in 6:16, see how you translated this phrase there.

6:20b

you were free of obligation to righteousness: This clause indicates that the believers, before they believed in Jesus, were not concerned about doing what was right before God. They did what they wanted to, not what God wanted them to do. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you were free from righteousness (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
you felt no obligation to uprightness (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
you had no need to do righteous deeds
-or-
righteousness was not ruling you

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 8:4

8:4a

so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us: The phrase so that introduces a purpose clause. The righteous standard of the law has already been fulfilled in us. In some languages a purpose clause indicates something that has not yet happened. If that is true in your language, introduce this as a result clause. For example:

and so the righteous standard of the law has been fulfilled in us

the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us: This clause is passive. Some languages cannot use a passive clause. For example:

the righteous standard of the law might become true in us

the righteous standard of the law: The word standard is singular, so refers to something that the whole of the law of Moses demands that people be. It probably refers to living righteously as a result of fulfilling this requirement through the sacrificial death of God’s Son, Jesus. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

being righteous as the law/Law demands
-or-
our deeds would be truly upright as the Law ⌊of Moses⌋ commands ⌊us⌋

fulfilled: The Greek tense indicates that this is a complete event. It refers to God declaring us righteous when we believed in Jesus. Sometimes the word “justify” (as in 2:13, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “declared righteous”) describes God doing that. God declared us righteous and that fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law in us.

in us: Here the word in refers to what God does in our lives. He enables us to live righteously.

8:4b

who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit: These words further describe the word “us” in 8:4a. It does not separate some people referred to by “us” from other people referred to by “us.” For the correct meaning in some languages, translators must avoid the word who. For example:

as those who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit
-or-
and we walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit
-or-
as we direct our lives not by our natural inclinations but by the Spirit (New Jerusalem Bible)

do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit: In some languages it is more natural to repeat the verb walk in the second part. For example:

walk not according to the flesh but ⌊walk⌋ according to the Spirit
-or-
walk according to the Spirit and do not ⌊walk⌋ according to the flesh

In some languages it is more natural to have according to the Spirit before not…according to the flesh. For example:

walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh

walk: This is a figure of speech. It refers to living. Believers live as the Holy Spirit directs them. In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

live (New International Version)
-or-
direct our lives (New Jerusalem Bible)

flesh: Here this word refers to having a body, with its needs and passions. See how you translated this word in 7:14 or the first occurrence in 8:3.

the Spirit: This implies the Holy Spirit here.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 8:36

8:36a

As: Here this word indicates a comparison between experiencing any of tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or death by sword (8:35b–c) and “for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered” (8:36b–c). The Scripture supports Paul’s implied statement that believers experience tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and death by sword. In some languages it is more clear to make the implied statement explicit. For example:

⌊We experience those/such things,⌋ as
-or-
Hardships like these are exactly what that which God caused-to-be-written is talking about which says
-or-
We are like this written talk of God

it is written: This Psalm was written more than 500 years before Paul wrote the letter to the Romans. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate the quote was written at the same time as Paul wrote here. If that is true in your language, indicate it was long before Paul wrote. For example:

it was written ⌊long ago⌋

This clause refers to what was written in the Old Testament. Some languages must explicitly say that to make that clear. For example:

as scripture says (Good News Translation)
-or-
it says in the Holy Book

See how you translated this phrase in 1:17 or 4:17.

In 8:36b, the word “Your” refers to God. In some languages it would be more clear to indicate to whom the writer is writing. For example:

someone wrote ⌊to God⌋ ⌊in Scripture⌋

8:36b

For Your sake we face death all day long: The phrase For Your sake is emphasized by being first in the clause. Some languages must have this phrase in its normal place. For example:

We are being killed all the day long for your sake

For Your sake: This is a quote from Psalm 44:22. The writer spoke on behalf of himself and his fellow Jews. They willingly faced danger in order to stand strong for God. Paul used it here to refer to himself and his fellow believers who did the same thing. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

For you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
because we believe in you

You should not refer explicitly to Jews or believers to explain “we” here.

we face death: The Greek verb here is more literally “we are killed.” This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

⌊others⌋ are killing us

The present tense indicates that the killing continues.

all day long: This phrase indicates that the killers kill at any time of day (or night). Here the words all day long are general and refer to any day. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

at all times (Good News Translation)
-or-
all the day (New American Bible, Revised Edition)

8:36c

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered: There is no connecting word at the beginning of 8:36c to connect it to 8:36b, but the context implies a connection between the two. Both sentences refer to the same event: enemies of God killing his people. So languages need to make the connection explicit. For example:

⌊It is also like this:⌋ we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered

we are considered: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊they/people⌋ consider us

sheep to be slaughtered: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

sheep for ⌊them⌋ to slaughter

sheep: The animals called sheep are tame. They usually stay in groups. They weigh 40 to 60 kilograms. They eat plants. Here the writer of this psalm referred to sheep because they are easy to kill. They do not run away or fight back.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 2020