What then are we to say

In Kadiwéu, it is not possible to use a rhetorical question for the purpose of linking subjects as is done in Romans 4:1 in the Greek (and English) text. Instead, the translators translated the whole verse as “Our forefather Abraham, how did he become just (righteous) before God?” (Source: Glyn Griffiths in Notes on Translation June 1986, p. 25ff.)

See also here.

inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Rom. 4:1)

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 4:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 4:1:

  • Uma: “So now we-take / let’s-take as an example Abraham, our forefather [lit., grandparent long ago]. What was the way that Abraham became straight in God’s sight?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then what do we (dual) say about Ibrahim, the forefather of us (excl.) Yahudi?” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For example Abraham, the ancestor of us (excl.) Jews,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Let us consider Abraham who is the ancestor of us Jews. What was the reason for which he was counted as righteous?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “How about our ancestor Abraham? What did he do so that God cleared his sin?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Abraham

The name that is transliterated as “Abraham” in English means “father of a multitude,” “father of mercy,” “father of many nations.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In the vast majority of sign languages, including American Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “hold back arm” (referring to Genesis 22:12).


“Abraham” in American Sign Language (source )

In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with a sign for that demonstrates his new destiny. Previously, he had been called to wander from his home, and the name “Abram” reflected this movement (see here). The new sign name is in one location and stays there, showing Abraham will be given a land to call his own. At this time, Abraham was in the southern part of Canaan, which is shown on the base arm by the location near the elbow. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)


“Abraham” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

In Tira it is transliterated as Abaram. The choice of this, rather than the widely-known “Ibrahim,” as used in the Tira translation of the Qu’ran, was to offset it against the Muslim transliteration which originates from Arabic. (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )

Click or tap here to see two short video clips about Abraham (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also our ancestor Abraham and Abram.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Abraham .

Translation commentary on Romans 4:1

Since Abraham was the father of the Jewish nation and was looked upon by them as being completely acceptable in God’s sight, it will strengthen Paul’s argument to point out that Abraham was put right with God through faith, rather than through obedience to the Law.

The translation of this verse is complicated by the presence of a textual problem. Some manuscripts omit altogether the words what was his experience? (see Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, An American Translation*). If these words are omitted, then the passage may be translated: “What, then, are we to say about Abraham, our racial ancestor?” Other manuscripts place these words (literally “what did he find?”) in such a position in the sentence that they are connected with the phrase that the Good News Translation renders racial (literally “according to the flesh”). In this case the words “according to the flesh” must be taken to mean something like “on his own,” and the entire verse then rendered: “What did Abraham our ancestor accomplish on his own (that is, without God’s grace)?” but apparently no modern translations follow this choice of text (La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée gives it as an alternative possibility, though accepting the same reading as the Good News Translation in his text).

Most modern English translations prefer the shorter text, apparently assuming that the longer texts are the result of including a marginal note in the text. On the other hand, the Zürich Bibel, Luther, and La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée, along with the Good News Translation, are in accord with the UBS Committee as to the Greek text. In favor of the UBS text is the diversity of manuscript evidence, which gives strong support to their choice of text, while the shorter reading has very little manuscript support.

Verse 1 presents a number of translational problems. In the first place, the rhetorical questions may need to be expressed as statements, “we should now speak of Abraham, our ancestor. The following was his experience” or “… this was what happened to him.” However, a more difficult problem is involved in whether the inclusive or exclusive first person plural should be used in the phrase our racial ancestor. In his letter to the Romans Paul is obviously addressing an audience which is largely Gentile, as is clearly indicated in 1.6. Therefore it is necessary, in languages which do make a distinction in first person plurals, to use an exclusive form of “our” or to say “Abraham, the ancestor of the Jews.” Similarly, the editorial we in the rhetorical question should be changed to “I” in a number of languages.

In a number of languages it is both confusing, as well as superfluous, to translate “according to the flesh,” since a term for ancestor indicates specifically this kind of human relationship. Therefore, a term such as racial is often better omitted since it may constitute a misleading redundancy.

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 4:1

Section 4:1–12

God considers/calls people righteous like he did with Abraham

God called Abraham righteous because he believed what God told him (Genesis 15:1–6). In this section, Paul used that example to show that all people must believe in God for him to call them righteous. He did that for Abraham before Abraham was circumcised. So that shows that God makes people right with himself because they believe in him and not because they are circumcised.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

The Example of Abraham (Good News Translation)
-or-
God called Abraham righteous because he believed
-or-
Abraham is/as an example of how to become righteous before God
-or-
The lesson/model of God calling Abraham righteous because he believed God

Paragraph 4:1–3

4:1a–b

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered?: This is a rhetorical question. It introduces a new subject, the example of Abraham. It causes the listener to think about what the answer might be. Translate this rhetorical question with that meaning. Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham? (God’s Word)

• As a statement. For example:

So then, here is what we can say about our ancestor Abraham according to human/natural descent:

What then shall we say: The word then indicates a connection to previous verses. It introduces an example of being justified by faith alone (3:28).

In some languages, the conjunction must be first in the clause. For example:

Then, what shall we say

that Abraham, our forefather, has discovered: There are two issues here.

Issue 1: The text

There is a textual issue here.

(1) Most very old Greek manuscripts have the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has discovered.

(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New Century Version, King James Version)

(2) One very old Greek manuscript omits this word.

(Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), because the UBS Handbook Good News Translation recommends it.

Issue 2: Meaning

There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has discovered :

(1) It means discover or learn here. For example:

Abraham…discovered in this matter (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, God’s Word, King James Version, New Century Version)

(2) It means attain here. For example:

was gained by Abraham (New Revised Standard Version)

(English Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

The Greek is literally “Abraham to have discovered.” It is not passive. Here are other ways to translate this clause according to option (1) and interpretation (1) above:

Abraham…What was his experience? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Abraham…has found? (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
Abraham…learned about faith? (New Century Version)

Abraham: Abraham was an important Jewish ancestor, the first of God’s chosen people. God selected him to be the father of a great nation and established his covenant with him. He was greatly respected by the Jews and they called themselves “sons of Abraham.”

our forefather:
The word forefather refers to an ancestor of long ago. Some Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

our ancestor (NET Bible)
-or-
the father of our people (New Century Version)

The Greek literally says “our forefather according to the flesh.” The Berean Standard Bible does not translate the phrase “according to the flesh,” but it means “as a human being” here, as in 1:3. It emphasizes the physical rather than spiritual. Here are other ways to translate the phrase “according to the flesh”:

humanly speaking, (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
by natural descent (Revised English Bible)

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