gift

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.”

See also powers of the age to come.

complete verse (Romans 1:11)

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)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Romans 1:11

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 1:11

1:11a

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:

that ⌊it⌋ may strengthen ⌊you and me⌋

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 1.11

J’ai en effet un très vif désir de vous voir : le texte grec a la conjonction γὰρ gar qui est rendue par « car » dans certaines versions (Bible de Jérusalem, Nouvelle Bible Segond, La Bible du Semeur) et par en effet ou « oui » dans d’autres. Comme Paul fournit une raison ici, les deux interprétations sont acceptables.

J’ai… un très vif désir… rend un verbe qui exprime un désir fort, comme dans la Bible en français courant et la Parole de Vie : « je désire beaucoup vous voir » ; « Oui, j’ai très envie de vous voir ». Les traducteurs trouveront une expression naturelle qui convient dans leur langue.

afin de vous communiquer quelque don spirituel : le but précis de Paul est de voir ces chrétiens et de partager certains dons spirituels avec eux. afin de rend la conjonction ἵνα hina qui introduit un but.

communiquer… rend un verbe grec qui signifie « partager », « transmettre » ou « donner ». Le texte ne dit pas comment ce don spirituel sera transmis (par l’imposition des mains, par un enseignement spécial, etc.). Donc il vaut mieux utiliser un verbe général comme « donner » ou « partager ».

don spirituel (χάρισμα charisma) vient de la même racine que le mot χάρις charis, « grâce ». Ici, il renvoie à un don, une faveur, ou une bénédiction reçu de la part de l’Esprit de Dieu. Paul traitera la question des divers dons spirituels en Rom 12.6. Comme le nom est au singulier, il vaut mieux éviter la formulation de la Parole de Vie qui parle des « dons de l’Esprit Saint ».

spirituel rend l’adjectif πνευματικός pneumatikos, lié au mot πνεῦμα pneuma, esprit. Ces mots posent souvent des problèmes pour le traducteur puisqu’on peut prendre l’adjectif comme renvoyant au côté spirituel d’une personne. Voir quelque don spirituel (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Bible de Jérusalem, La Bible du Semeur). Alternativement, on peut comprendre que le mot renvoie à l’Esprit de Dieu. Ainsi la Bible en français courant et la Parole de Vie parlent d’un don « de l’Esprit Saint ». Si l’on opte pour cette dernière interprétation, on pourrait dire « afin que je puisse vous transmettre un don venant de l’Esprit de Dieu ».

pour que vous en soyez affermis : la conjonction εἰς eis signifie « en vue de », « afin de », et le but est que les chrétiens soient rendus plus forts par la réception de ce don. Le verbe renvoie à un affermissement ou un renouvellement spirituel et non pas à un renforcement physique. La La Bible du Semeur rend ceci explicite en disant « en vue d’affermir votre foi ». Certains penseront qu’il s’agit en effet du don de l’Esprit de Dieu comme c’était le cas en Act 2, mais la traduction devrait rester générale si possible.

Source: Margot, Jean-Claude & Zogbo, Lynell. La lettre aux Romains – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.