καὶ γινώσκεις τὸ θέλημα καὶ δοκιμάζεις τὰ διαφέροντα κατηχούμενος ἐκ τοῦ νόμου,
18and know his will and determine what really matters because you are instructed in the law,
The Greek that is typically translated as “will” 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. .) See other occurrences of Obojona in the Warao New Testament.
In Mairasi, it is translated with “throat.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
See also will (of God) (Japanese honorifics).
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 2:18:
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-kokoro (みこころ) or “will (of God)” in the referenced verses. Two verses (Ezra 10:11 and Ephesians 1:9) use mi-mune (みむね) with the same honorific prefix and meaning.
(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )
See also will and doing the will of God.
The Greek, Hebrew, and Ge’ez that is translated in English as “Law” or “law” is translated in Mairasi as oro nasinggiei or “prohibited things” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Noongar with a capitalized form of the term for “words” (Warrinya) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Yucateco as “ordered-word” (for “commandment,” it is “spoken-word”) (source: Nida 1947, p. 198), and in Central Tarahumara it is “writing-command” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
McKnight’s English translation (publ. 2023) has it as Covenant Code. He explains (p. 301): “The law of Moses was a covenantal arrangement by God with the people of Israel. This code of conduct expected of them was not the same as law in the Roman world or what law means to us today. It is a revelation of God’s will for God’s covenant people but requires ongoing interpretation and adjustments.”
In a 1922 translation into Chagatai, a precursor language of both Uzbek and Uighur, it is translated with the Arabic loan word shari’at (شريعت), originally meaning “(Islamic) law (Shari’a).” (Source: F. Erbay and F.N. Küçükballı in Acta Theologica 2025 45/2, p. 133ff. )
What God wants you to do is in Greek literally “the will,” a phrase current among the Jews when speaking of God’s will in an absolute sense.
You know may be understood in the sense of “you are acquainted with” or “you have learned,” emphasizing the results of having received the Law. In this way the first part of verse 18 becomes parallel to the second part.
To choose what is right (New English Bible “you know right from wrong”; An American Translation*, Jerusalem Bible “can tell what is right”) may have the force of proving what is best after one has put the various possibilities to the test (Revised Standard Version “approve that is excellent”; Moffatt “with a sense of what is vital in religion”; Phillips “truly to appreciate moral values”). It is important, however, in introducing this clause to avoid implying that the Jews habitually chose what is right. A more appropriate wording may be “you have learned from the law how to choose what is right” or “… how one ought to choose what is right,” suggesting that the Law forms the basis for teaching men how to choose the right, without necessarily implying that the Jews always do so.
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 .
2:18a
if: The if from 2:17a affects this verse as well. So the Berean Standard Bible repeats the word here. Consider how to make that connection clear in your language. See the note on if at 2:17a.
know His will: This clause indicates that the Jews know what God wants to do and what he wants them and other people to do. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
know what he wants (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
know what he wants you to do (New Century Version)
-or-
know the Lord’s desire
2:18b
approve: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as approve :
(1) It means approve here. Here the Greek word means “judge as good or genuine based on examination or testing.”
(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)
(2) It means evaluate. Here the Greek word means “examine” or “test.” For example:
determine (New Revised Standard Version)
(New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that fits the context best.
what is superior: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as superior :
(1) It means something better. For example:
excellent (New International Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, NET Bible, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, King James Version)
(2) It means right (versus wrong). For example:
what is right (Good News Translation)
(Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, God’s Word)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that fits the context best.
General Comment on 2:18b
Following both first interpretations above, the clause indicates that the Jews call as good those deeds that God calls good. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
approve of what is excellent (English Standard Version)
-or-
call important deeds good
2:18c
because: This word introduces the reason for the previous statement. Some languages need to put the reason first. If that is true in your language, reorder 2:18b–c to use “therefore.” For example:
18c you are instructed from the law, therefore 18b you approve what is excellent
you are instructed by the law: There are several ways to translate the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by. Here are the two main ones:
(1) It means from here. The law is the source of the instruction.
(Good News Translation, New American Bible, Revised Edition, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)
(2) It means by here. This word indicates that the law itself is doing the instructing. For example:
you are instructed by the law (New International Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it seems likely that Paul would have used a different Greek word if he wanted to clearly indicate by.
This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:
⌊others⌋ have instructed you from the law
-or-
⌊someone⌋ has instructed you from the law
the law: This refers to the first five books of the Bible, but implies the rest of the Old Testament.
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Ce verset continue la pensée du verset précédent. Il commence par la conjonction καί kai (« et ») qui introduit le verset. La quasi majorité des versions omettent cette conjonction dans la traduction.
toi qui connais sa volonté : comme en Rom 2.17 il n’y a pas de pronom relatif qui en grec. Ce verset renvoie à ce qui précède : « si… tu connais… » La personne en question connaît ou reconnaît ce que Dieu veut. Celle-ci a appris et sait ce que Dieu demande.
sa volonté : ce terme évoque tout ce que Dieu veut quant à la conduite de son peuple, plus précisément, ce que Dieu stipule dans sa loi. Bien que le texte grec parle de « la volonté », presque toutes les versions françaises utilisent un pronom possessif, sa volonté. Il est clair qu’il s’agit de la volonté de Dieu, et les traducteurs devront s’assurer que ceci est compris.
toi qui, instruit par la loi, discernes l’essentiel introduit une autre qualification des Juifs. Le texte dit litt. « et tu approuves l’essentiel ayant été instruit de la loi ». Comme dans la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, dans beaucoup de langues, il faudrait renverser l’ordre des propositions.
instruit par la loi rend un participe passif à la deuxième personne du singulier. Dans la majorité des langues, il va falloir reformuler à l’actif, comme la Bible en français courant par exemple : « et la loi t’a enseigné à choisir ce qui est bien ». La Parole de Vie traduit l’expression en disant « et avec l’aide de la loi, tu es capable de choisir… »
discernes l’essentiel parle de « choisir ce qui est important ». Le même verbe se retrouve en Phil 1.10 où la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible a « ce qui convient le mieux », et la Bible en français courant « et de discerner ce qui est bien ». Selon Bruce (p. 88), le terme grec rendu par l’essentiel « signifie en premier lieu “les choses différentes” et aussi “les choses qui diffèrent des autres en les surpassant” », ainsi « les choses les meilleures ». L’expression suggère la certitude d’avoir trouvé « le meilleur » après avoir examiné les diverses possibilités. La La Bible du Semeur suggère, « tu juges de ce qui est le meilleur ». L’idée sous-jacente, c’est que « la loi vous a enseigné comment choisir ce qui est bien » ou « …comment on doit choisir ce qui est le plus important ».
Source: Margot, Jean-Claude & Zogbo, Lynell. La lettre aux Romains – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.
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