complete verse (Romans 2:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 2:6:

  • Uma: “He will repay the behavior of every person.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because God repays the human beings what matches their doings.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For He gives to everyone what is proper to give to each person according to what they have done.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “because he will reward all of them according to what they have done.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Concerning God, that which each person does will determine how he pays them.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Honorary "rare" construct denoting God ("repay")

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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 usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme rare (られ) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, mukui-rare-ru (報いられる) or “repay” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Romans 2:6

Although in Greek this verse consists of a relative clause, continuing the sentence begun in the previous verse, many modern translators make this into a separate sentence (An American Translation*, Jerusalem Bible). “Who” of the Greek relative clause is rendered God by the Good News Translation and “he” by many other translations. Paul lays down a thesis in this verse which becomes the basis for what he says in verses 7-11: that is, for God will reward every person according to what he has done (see Psalm 62.12). In English the transitional conjunction for seems appropriate at the beginning of verse 6, but this cannot be rendered literally “because” or “since” in view of the fact that the content of verse 6 is not a reason for what has immediately preceded, but merely a continuation of related events.

Although in English the word reward carries only positive connotations, the Greek word has both negative and positive connotations and may refer to payment for evil as well as for good. It is not easy to find a completely appropriate term for will reward. In general one must use some such term as “recompense” or “pay back,” in order to suggest that what God will do for people is in direct proportion, or in line with, the manner in which they have acted. In verse 6 it may be necessary to employ plural references, rather than singular ones, in order to indicate that God’s reward applies to all persons. Although every person is grammatically singular, it is semantically plural.

What he has done is literally “his works,” a term which Paul defines in verses 7-10. Many feel that Paul is contradicting himself by the mention of God’s rewarding every person according to what he has done, but it is clear that Paul himself sees no conflict between what he says here and his affirmation of “justification by faith” later. Here Paul is not speaking of the works by which one attempts to earn salvation, but rather of the sort of works that grow out of a right relationship already established with God. The “works” mentioned in verses 7 and 10 are the necessary outcome of a right relationship with God.

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 2:6

2:6

Paul talked here about what will take place at God’s judgment time in the future.

God “will repay: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as repay means “to pay back,” or “to give someone what he deserves.” Here are other ways to translate this clause:

He will repay (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
God will reward or punish (New Century Version)

each one: This phrase refers to every person. For example:

to each person (New International Version)

according to his deeds: This phrase indicates that God will reward good deeds and punish bad deeds.

deeds: Here this word means “what someone did.”

General Comment on 2:6

Similar words are found in Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 2.6

Ce verset est une citation légèrement adaptée du Ps 62.13, litt. « Car toi tu rends à chacun selon son œuvre » ou « …selon ses œuvres » (Ps 61.13 d’après la Septante). Dans la Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, comme en grec, il s’agit d’une proposition relative qui continue la phrase commencée en Rom 2.5 (« …le juste jugement de Dieu, * qui rendra à chacun… ») Mais Paul n’établit pas seulement la relation entre ce verset et le précédent. Il utilise Rom 2.6 comme le point de départ de ce qu’il va affirmer en Rom 2.7.

Le pronom relatif qui rendu par « il » dans de nombreuses versions, pourrait être remplacé par « Dieu ». Le Good News Translation ajoute la conjonction « Car », qui sera appropriée si on commence une nouvelle phrase. En fait, cette proposition apporte une précision sur ce qui est dit dans le verset précédent. La La Bible du Semeur renvoie au jugement dernier en commençant par « Ce jour-là ».

rendra à chacun : le verbe est litt. « payer » ou « rembourser », un mot utilisé dans le cadre des prêts d’argent. La Parole de Vie dit : « Il récompensera chacun » et la La Bible du Semeur, « il donnera à chacun » Voir Matt 5.26. Dans ce contexte, il s’agit d’un jugement rendu contre les gens selon leur comportement. Le verbe « récompenser » en français a un sens neutre ou même positif, mais en grec, le verbe a un sens large, avec une connotation soit négative, soit positive, selon le contexte. Dieu traitera chacun selon le bien qu’il a réalisé ou selon le mal qu’il a commis. Voir « il traitera chacun selon ce qu’il aura fait » (Bible en français courant), « il donnera à chacun ce que lui auront valu ses actes » (La Bible du Semeur).

chacun : comme il s’agit de tous les êtres humains, il est possible d’utiliser un pluriel, en disant, par exemple, « Dieu récompensera ou punira tous les humains, selon ce qu’ils auront mérité ». Mais le mot chacun met en exergue la particularité de ce jugement, que ce soit positif ou négatif.

selon ses œuvres : en Rom 2.7 Paul va préciser ce qu’il entend par cette expression. Il vaut mieux utiliser un terme général ici, « selon ce qu’il fait », « selon ses actes ». Certains commentateurs pensent que l’apôtre se contredit lui-même en parlant ainsi, alors qu’ailleurs dans la lettre il insiste sur la justification par la foi et non par les œuvres. Mais cette contradiction n’est qu’apparente : Paul n’évoque pas des œuvres par lesquelles quelqu’un obtiendrait le salut, mais le comportement de tous les jours.

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