complete verse (Romans 15:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 15:22:

  • Uma: “Because of that work of mine, that’s what has resulted in my being hindered many times from visiting you, relatives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “This work of mine of announcing/proclaiming hinders me that’s why I was not able to go to you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And because of all these things that I’ve done in preaching in those towns, I’ve been hindered coming to see you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because of this work of mine, I have often not been able to fulfill my desire to go visit you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Therefore because of that I didn’t have time to go there where you live to see you. Although many times I decided that I would go, yet I couldn’t.” (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 15:22

For this reason is perhaps best taken to refer back to Paul’s words at the beginning of verse 20, my ambition has always been to proclaim the Good News in places where Christ has not been heard of. However, for this reason seems to present an anomaly. Why should Paul’s desire to preach the Gospel where Christ had not been known prevent him, on many occasions, from visiting the Romans? It may mean that Paul was so busy going elsewhere to preach Christ that it was not possible for him to go to Rome, where obviously some persons had already heard about Jesus Christ.

I have been prevented may be perhaps more satisfactorily rendered in some languages as simply “I have been unable.” If this is to be rendered as an active expression, it may be valid to translate “circumstances have many times prevented me.” There is no reason for suggesting that God or the devil had prevented Paul from visiting Rome.

Many times is a different expression from the one used in 1.13; the word used here is stronger than the earlier expression. However, it is quite likely that both expressions should be translated in the same way.

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 15:22

Section 15:22–33

Paul planned to visit Rome

In this section, Paul explained his plan to go to Spain and visit the believers in Rome on the way. He also explained that he was currently going to Jerusalem with a gift of money for the poor believers there from the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Once he was finished with that, he planned to go to Spain.

Paul asked the believers in Rome to pray for him. Paul wanted to avoid being blocked in his ministry by Jews who did not believe in Jesus. He also asked them to pray that the gift he was taking to Jerusalem would be acceptable to the believers there. If it was, he would have joy and be able to enjoy his visit with the believers in Rome.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Paul wanted to visit the believers in Rome on his way to Spain
-or-
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome (New International Version)

Paragraph 15:22–24

15:22

That is why: This phrase probably introduces a result of God causing him to be the apostle who preaches in new places among the Gentiles (15:18–20). Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

For this/that reason
-or-
Therefore

You may want to make the connection to 15:18–20 clear:

• Explain the connection in your translation. For example:

⌊God has caused me to work/minister in that way,⌋ therefore

• Translate the literal meaning and explain it in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

The word “therefore” indicates that God caused Paul to be the apostle who preached in new places, therefore he had been unable to go to Rome.

But if the major language translation translates without explaining in any way, you may want to do the same.

I have often been hindered: This clause is passive. Probably included in what hindered him are the needs of the ministry, negative circumstances, or God’s will. Some languages must use an active clause. Use a general term for what hindered Paul. For example:

⌊Things/Situations⌋ have often hindered me

hindered: This word refers to preventing something from happening. Here are other ways to translate this word:

prevented (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
stopped/blocked

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