The Greek that is translated as “gift” or similar in English is transliterated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) as Charisma (instead of the commonly-used Gabe or “gift”) to differentiate it from regular human gifts. The translators explain (p. 94): “According to Paul, ‘Charisma’ is an extraordinary gift, that is humanly not explainable. Basically every Christian has such a gift and is supposed to use it in mission-oriented efforts for the one who gives this gift.”
The Greek that is typically translated as “spiritual” in English is translated in Warao as obojona, a term that “includes the concepts of consciousness, will, attitude, attention and a few other miscellaneous notions.” (Source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. )
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 1:11:
Uma: “I really want to meet you, so I can share with you blessings from the Holy Spirit that will strengthen your faith.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “For/because I really want to see you so that I can teach you what God’s Spirit has taught me so that your trust would increase.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because I very much want to come to you and I want to teach you what the Holy Spirit has taught me, so that your faith in God might be drawn tight.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because extreme is my desire to see you so that I can share-with you blessings from the Holy Spirit so that your faith will be strengthened thereby.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Because I want to go there to see you. And I will open up the road about God in order that you will be strengthened more.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-tama (御霊) or “Spirit (of God)” in the referenced verses.
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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
A spiritual blessing (literal “spiritual gift”) may refer either to a gift, favor, or blessing from the Spirit of God, or to that which is related to one’s (human) spirit. Most commentators tend to accept the former of these two interpretation. Paul further discusses this matter of spiritual gifts in 12.6-8.
The equivalent to an expression in order to share a spiritual blessing with you may be “in order that I may cause you to have a blessing from God’s Spirit” or “in order that I may share with you the goodness that God gives by means of his Spirit.”
To make you strong refers to spiritual, not physical strength. To indicate spiritual rather than physical strength, one may say “to make you strong in your hearts,” “to make your spirits strong,” or “to cause your real selves to be firm.”
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 .
For: This word introduces an explanation here. In 1:11 Paul explained why he was praying to visit the believers in Rome. Some languages may omit this word for a more natural connection.
I long to see you: The word long means “want very much” here. The Greek word is present tense, indicating that Paul was continuing to want very much to see the believers in Rome. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
I am wanting very much to see you
-or-
I really/truly want to see you
In some languages “want” already indicates continuing to do that, as in the above example.
see: Here this word implies visiting with the believers in Rome. Here are other ways to translate this word:
meet
-or-
visit
-or-
come
1:11b
impart: This word means “to share or give something.” Here it refers to giving a spiritual gift or blessing (see note below). Here are other ways to translate this word:
convey (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
give (New Century Version)
some: Here this word indicates that Paul did not know at this time which gift he would give to the believers in Rome. It does not indicate a plural: gifts. In some languages another word must be used. For example:
a/another
spiritual gift: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as gift here refers to something that is given generously, without cost to the person receiving it. Calling it a spiritual gift indicates that the gift was not a physical thing (like a chair or table). This gift benefited the believers in their “spirit” (or inner being). Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
spiritual blessing (Good News Translation)
-or-
something to encourage/bless you in your inner being
-or-
something to strengthen/benefit your insides/heart
1:11c
to strengthen you: This phrase indicates that Paul wanted the spiritual gift to make the believers in Rome more strong or firm in their faith. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
that will help you grow strong in the Lord (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Then you will grow stronger in your faith (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to make you strong in your hearts/spirits
-or-
in order that you will be strengthened more
Some languages must use a different word than “strong” here when referring to faith. For example:
that you may stand firm ⌊even more⌋ ⌊in your faith⌋
-or-
so that you may be truly/more straight in your faith
strengthen: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as strengthen is passive. It probably implies that the thing that Paul and the believers in Corinth shared would strengthen them, not that they would strengthen themselves. For example:
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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