The Greek in Romans 13:12 that is translated as “put on the armor of light” or similar in English is translated as “do what we ought to do because God’s light had entered into our head-hearts” in Yatzachi Zapotec, as “walk in God’s light in order for him to take care of us” in Sayula Popoluca, as “let us have our manner of life towards God which is a new manner of life that we have. That way we will be guarding ourselves from evil” in Miahuatlán Zapotec, and as “do that which is good like that which is done in the light. Be like soldiers who are prepared to fight for what is right” in North Alaskan Inupiatun. (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Rom. 13:12)
Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the writer of the letter and the readers).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
complete verse (Romans 13:12)
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 13:12:
- Uma: “The dark/night is almost over, and the day/sun is about to appear. That’s why we must discard [various kinds of] behavior that are of the darkness, and take-up the weapons [lit., war equipment] that is in the light.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
- Yakan: “This world now is like it is in the dark because-of sin. But now the darkness leaves little-by-little and it will soon be day. That means, Isa Almasi is soon going to arrive again. That’s why we (dual) ought to abandon/leave all our (dual) evil/bad doings and figuratively like armed soldiers we (dual) ought to prepare to oppose/attack everything bad.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
- Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For here in the earth, it’s as if it were very dark because of evil behavior. But the night will soon be done, for the dawn will soon come– which is to say, Christ will soon return. And because of this, let us abandon the evil behavior which is fitting for the night time, and let us put on the armor, which is the light which is to say, let’s do good.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “It’s true that it is still dark, but it is almost daylight. Let us then remove the evil deeds that are appropriate for the darkness so that we can replace them with the armor and weapons that are appropriate for the soldier who is in the daytime.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- Tenango Otomi: “Now there is about to finish the days you live here on the earth, now there is coming the days you will live where God is. Therefore separate from the evil in which people live here in the world. All which is good you must do. Don’t let evil conquer you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Translation commentary on Romans 13:12
As is often done in biblical language, the present evil age is spoken of as night while the time of God’s salvation is spoken of as day. However, the metaphor of contrast between night and day is not universal. It may be advisable to change the metaphor to a simile—for example, “it is as though the night were almost over, and the day about to begin” or “it is as though the night was getting light and the day was almost to come.”
The change from night to day demands a change in one’s way of life. Let us stop doing the things that belong to the dark is literally “let us put off the works of darkness.” The verb is aorist and has the force of initiating an action which is not yet begun; therefore, let us stop…. “The works of darkness” means “the things that one does in the darkness.” Paul mixes his figures of speech here by speaking of actions as clothing worn at night that one must take off so that he can put on the clothing appropriate for the daytime. Since these mixed metaphors are difficult for the reader to grasp, the Good News Translation translates them as a single metaphor by changing “let us put off” to let us stop doing.
A form of admonition, introduced by let in English, must often be translated as a form of obligation in other languages—for example, “we must stop doing the things that belong to the dark.” However, it is not always easy to put across the idea of “the things that belong to the dark.” It may, in fact, be necessary to expand somewhat this expression so as to make the reference clear: “the things that people normally do in the darkness of night” or “those evil things which people do in the darkness.”
Similar observations may be made with regard to the last part of this sentence. Take up the weapons for fighting in the light is literally “put on (that is, dress ourselves in) the weapons of the light.” The verb here is also aorist and has the same force as the previous verb. It is easy to see why “the weapons of the light” is translated as weapons for fighting in the light.
It is not always easy for readers to comprehend exactly what is the significance of the weapons for fighting in the light. Some translators would prefer to use a more neutral expression such as “those things of the light,” but the fact is that Paul in several passages uses terms for weapons and frequently employs the analogy of fighting and conflict. Therefore, it is probably more satisfactory to use the expression weapons both here and in verse 14 and to provide a satisfactory series of cross reference so that the reader may understand the broader implications of what Paul is trying to say. One can always suggest that this metaphor must be understood in a purely figurative sense by introducing a phrase such as “as it were” or “as it seems”—for example, “we must take up, as it were, the weapons which are used in the light” or “… in the daytime.”
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 .
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