transgression, trespass

The Greek that is often translated as “trespass” or “transgression” in English is translated as “missing the commandment” in Kipsigis and “to step beyond the law” in Navajo (Dinė). (Source: Bratcher / Nida 1961)

In Tepeuxila Cuicatec it is translated as “thing not reached.” Marjorie Davis (in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 34ff. ) explains: “[This] implies that the goal was not reached, the task was not finished, or of finished, it was not satisfactorily done. According to the Cuicateco way of thinking of one does not what is expected of him, he offends [or: trespasses] and is an offence.”

complete verse (Romans 5:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 5:18:

  • Uma: “So from the transgression of Adam all people become wrong/guilty and fit to be punished. So also from the straight thing that Yesus did, all people can become straight in God’s sight and they get good life forever.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then because of one sin only all mankind is destined to be punished by God. Likewise also because of one straight deed all human beings can be forgiven and be considered straight by God and they live without end.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And in the same way also, we can see that because of the one evil thing that Adam did, everybody was judged worthy of punishment. But also because of one righteous thing that Jesus Christ did, which was His allowing Himself to be killed, it’s possible that as for everybody who believes, God will consider them righteous and He will give them life forever.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore all people were condemned to die because of the one sin, but because of the one right-thing that Cristo did, it is also possible for all people to be counted righteous so that they will have life that has no end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This Adam committed sin and thus all the people are subject to going to punishment. But this Jesus Christ did good and thus all the people are subject to having their sins cleared and encountering the new life.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 5:18

In this verse Paul compares the obedience of Christ and its results to the disobedience of Adam and its results. The particle translated so then indicates that the conclusion of the argument begun in verse 12 is now introduced. Exegetically this verse is not difficult except for the phrase rendered rather literally by the King James Version as “unto justification of life.” All commentators point out that the word rendered in the King James Version as “justification” means “acquittal” in this passage. In fact, many modern translations make this meaning explicit for their readers (for example, Revised Standard Version “leads to acquittal and life”; New English Bible “is acquittal and life”; An American Translation* “means acquittal and life”.) “Acquittal” is simply a technical term used in law to indicate that a person is set free from the jurisdiction of the court. Hence the Good News Translation renders the entire phrase as sets all men free and gives them life.

In some languages one cannot speak of “sin condemning all men” or “one righteous act setting all men free.” This cause and effect relationship must be expressed by clauses in which both “sin” and “setting free” have their corresponding subjects—for example, “just as all men were condemned because one man sinned, in the same way all men are set free because one person acted in a righteous way.”

Sets all men free may be translated as “God declares that all men are innocent,” but this is accomplished by “what one person did which was righteous.”

Gives them life may be rendered as a causative, “causes them to live.”

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 5:18

Paragraph 5:18–19

5:18a–b

just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men: The phrases just as and so also indicate that the second clause is similar to the first clause in some way. Both clauses talk of one deed that affects all people. Here are other ways to translate that meaning:

as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men (English Standard Version)
-or-

as the one sin condemned all people, in the same way the one righteous act sets all people free and gives them life (Good News Translation)

5:18a

one trespass brought condemnation for all men: The Greek is literally “through one trespass to/for all men to/for condemnation.” For natural English a verb must be used. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
condemnation for all people came through one transgression (NET Bible)
-or-
the one sin condemned all people (Good News Translation)

one trespass: Translate this phrase as you did in 5:16, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “one sin.”

all men: Here the word men refers to all people, men and women. See the examples above.

5:18b

one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men: The Greek is literally “through one act of righteousness to/for all men to/for justification and life.” For natural English a verb must be used. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
through the one righteous act came righteousness leading to life for all people (NET Bible)
-or-
the one righteous act sets all people free and gives them life (Good News Translation)

justification: This word indicates that God decides that a person is acceptable to him. When people believe that Jesus died for their sins, God forgives them, accepts them, and considers them as righteous. See how you translated this word in 4:25.

life: Here this word implies eternal life and life in God while here on earth.

all men: Here the word men refers to all people, men and women.

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 5.18

5.18-21

Certaines versions font un nouveau paragraphe, mais d’autres (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) font couler le texte du Rom 5.15 à Rom 5.21. D’autres divisent le Rom 5.18 en deux paragraphes, à Rom 5.18 et à Rom 5.20. Voir Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, Parole de Vie, Bible de Jérusalem, Osty-Trinquet.

Dans ce verset, Paul oppose l’obéissance du Christ et ce qui en résulte, à la désobéissance d’Adam, avec ses conséquences.

Bref rend deux mots grecs ἄρα οὖν ara oun, litt. « Ainsi donc » (Segond Révisée, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Bible de Jérusalem, Osty-Trinquet), une formule qui introduit une conclusion à la suite d’une argumentation (à partir du Rom 5.12).

comme par la faute d’un seul ce fut pour tous les hommes la condamnation : encore une fois, il y a une référence implicite à Adam que la Bible en français courant rend explicite « la faute d’un seul être, Adam, a entraîné la condamnation de tous les humains ».

ainsi par l’œuvre de justice d’un seul c’est pour tous… la justification : encore une fois, ces deux événements et leurs conséquences s’opposent : la faute d’Adam qui mène à la condamnation et la mort de Jésus-Christ qui a pour résultat la justification de tous, c’est-à-dire l’œuvre de justice (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Osty-Trinquet). Le mot δικαίωμα dikaiôma n’est pas celui qui rend la justification ailleurs (δικαίωσις dikaiôsis). La Bible en français courant précise « l’œuvre juste d’un seul, Jésus-Christ ».

c’est pour tous les hommes la justification qui donne la vie : litt. « en vue de tous les hommes en vue de justification de vie ». Ici, le mot pour homme est le même qu’ailleurs, mais au pluriel. Voir Rom 5.12. Le mot δικαίωσις dikaiôsis est souvent compris comme « l’acquittement » (La Bible du Semeur). Il s’agit d’un terme technique juridique indiquant qu’une personne est déclarée non coupable par un tribunal. La Bible en français courant rend cette notion par « libère tous les humains du jugement ». C’est un acquittement « qui donne la vie » ou « …et les fait vivre » (Bible en français courant).

Les traducteurs pourront expliciter en disant, par exemple, « de même que tous les humains ont été condamnés parce qu’un seul homme, Adam, a péché, de même tous les humains sont libérés du jugement parce qu’une seule personne, Jésus-Christ, a réalisé une œuvre juste ». L’agent du passif « ont été condamnés » est « Dieu », d’où, à l’actif, « de même que Dieu a condamné tous les humains… »

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