complete verse (Romans 12:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 12:21:

  • Uma: “Don’t pay back the evil behavior of others with evil behavior too. If it’s like that, we end up being defeated because we have been defeated by evil. Rather, repay evil behavior with good behavior, in order that we defeat evil with goodness.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “If evil/bad has been done to you (pl.), let your repayment not be evil/bad. But repay with good and/so-that the bad/evil is defeated.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Even though someone harms us in a very evil way, let’s not pay back with evil. Because if we pay it back, we are defeated because we are influenced by evil. What we should do is pay back with good, and because of this it will be our enemy who is defeated, because he will be influenced by good.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Don’t permit evil to defeat you (pl.) but rather defeat evil with the good that you do.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Don’t let evil conquer you in that you do like your enemies do. Rather conquer evil in that you do good to your enemies.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 12:21

The translation of this verse is not difficult, though it may be necessary in some languages to fill out certain elliptical elements—for example, “conquer what is evil by doing what is good.” This verse is best taken as a summary statement of what Paul has said in verses 17-20.

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 12:21

12:21a

Do not be overcome by evil: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

Evil must not overcome you
-or-
Do not let evil defeat you (Good News Translation)

overcome: This word refers to winning a fight or contest. Here it indicates that evil could become the ruler over our deeds and words, and so we do and say evil things. Here are other ways to translate this word:

conquered (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
gain victory

evil: The Greek word here refers to harm that someone has done to you. See how you translated this word at 12:17.

12:21b

but: Some languages will not see “overcome evil with good” as contrasting with “do not be overcome by evil.” For example, the Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation omits this word.

overcome evil with good: The believer is to do and say good things. That defeats the evil that tries to rule his life.

evil: The Greek word here refers to harm that someone has done to you, as in 12:21a.

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