flesh (human nature)

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The Greek that is often translated as “flesh” in English (when referring to the lower human nature) can, according to Nida (1947, p. 153) “very rarely be literally translated into another language. ‘My meat’ or ‘my muscle’ does not make sense in most languages.” He then gives a catalog of almost 30 questions to determine a correct translation for that term.

Accordingly, the translations are very varied:

The Toraja-Sa’dan translation uses a variety of terms for the translation of the same Greek term (click or tap here to see the rest of this insight)

  • A form of kale tolinona or “corporeal” is for instance used in Romans 9:5 or Colossians 1:22 (and also in Genesis 6:3 and Exodus 30:32)
  • A form of mentolinona or “the human” is for instance used in Matthew 16:17 or John 1:14
  • Phrases that include pa’kalean or “bodiliness” (also: “human shape”) are for instance used in Romans 6:6 or 1 Peter 2:11 (as well as in Isa 52:14, Isa 53:2, and Lamentations 4:7)

(Source: H. van der Veen in The Bible Translator 1952, p. 207ff. )

See also spirit / flesh, old self, and flesh (John 1:14).

complete verse (Romans 7:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 7:18:

  • Uma: “For I certainly know, there is nothing good in my heart, I am a sinful human. I do want to do good behavior, but I am not able to do it.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I know that I am only a human being and there is really no good in my liver. Even if I really want to do good yet I cannot do (it).” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I know that there is not anything good which comes from the evil desires of my body because even if I want to do good I cannot do it.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because I know that there is absolutely nothing good in my human mind, because even though I want to do good, I am not able-to-do-it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because I know that not any good was done by me. Concerning the good which I wanted to do, I couldn’t do it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 7:18

I know that good does not live in me must be specified in some languages as “I know that the capacity to do good does not live in me,” “… the ability to do good…,” or, as in some languages, “I know that my heart is not able to cause me to do good.”

Human nature (literally “flesh”) is the same term that Paul uses in verse 5; see also the discussion of mortal man in verse 14. A literal translation of this phrase (so Moffatt and Revised Standard Version) means little or nothing; and to translate “in my physical self” (An American Translation*) seems to miss the impact of what Paul is saying. Although Paul does believe that sin may launch its attack against man through his body, he certainly did not think of one’s physical being as evil in itself. Rather he seems to be speaking of that aspect of one’s self which refuses submission to the Spirit of God (New English Bible “in my unspiritual nature”; Jerusalem Bible “in my unspiritual self”). Evidently Paul is contrasting his human nature with the desire to do good that is in him. As pointed out earlier, this is in keeping with the Jewish belief in two impulses that try to control man’s life, an evil impulse and a good impulse. The desperateness of Paul’s situation is demonstrated by the fact that, even though he desires to do good, he is not able to do it.

For some languages in my human nature is equivalent to “in my heart,” but in most instances a more appropriate expression is “in me as just a human being,” “in me as just a man,” or “in the man that I am.”

The clause for even though the desire to do good is in me may be rendered as “even though I want to do good.” This sentence of concession-result may be expressed in some languages as “For I want to do good, but I am not able to 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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Romans 7:18

7:18a

In the Greek, 7:18a begins with a word that is usually translated as “For.” This word introduces a sentence that explains or confirms what Paul said (“sin living in me”) in 7:17. In some languages, it may be more natural to omit this word and leave the connection with 7:17 implicit, as the Berean Standard Bible does.

nothing good lives in me: Paul again referred to himself as a house/place inside which living things can live. The word lives has the same meaning as in 7:17.

7:18b

that is, in my flesh: The words that is introduce a clarification. When Paul wrote “in me” in 7:18a, he specifically meant in my flesh.

my flesh: Here the word flesh refers to the physical side of life. See how you translated the word flesh in 7:14, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “unspiritual.”

7:18c

for: This word introduces a sentence that explains “nothing good dwells in me.”

I have the desire to do what is good: The Greek is literally “the to-will/desire is present with me.” This indicates that in Paul’s situation, the will or desire was available for him to take. Here are other ways to translate this Greek clause:

the desire to do good is in me (Good News Translation)
-or-
the will to do what is good is in me (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
the wanting to do good is present/available to me

The Greek words “the good” (Berean Standard Bible: what is good) appear in the next clause, but apply here as well, so many English versions move it here.

7:18d

but I cannot carry it out:
The Greek is literally “the to-work the good not.” The words “is present with me” from the Greek in 7:18c are implied here and go with “not.” This indicates that in Paul’s situation, the effort to produce good results was not available within him. Here are other ways to translate this Greek clause:

the power to do it is not (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
but doing the good is not (New American Bible, Revised Edition)

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 7.18

Car je sais qu’en moi… : la conjonction γάρ gar pourrait être rendue comme car, « en effet » ou « Oui ». Paul semble hésiter à préciser sa pensée, litt. « car je sais que rien habite en moi… ceci est dans ma chair, bon » ou « ce qui est bon ». La Traduction œcuménique de la Bible essaie d’imiter le grec en plaçant des tirets cadratins : je sais qu’en moi – je veux dire dans ma chair – le bien n’habite pas. D’autres versions préfèrent combiner les propositions, par exemple « Je le sais, rien de bon n’habite en moi, c’est-à-dire dans ma chair » (Nouvelle Bible Segond).

je veux dire dans ma chair : Paul spécifie qu’en moi veut dire « dans sa chair ». Paul ne dénonce pas tout l’être humain complètement, mais il reconnaît qu’il y a une lutte entre le péché et la chair dans son corps. Malgré cela, il ne pense certainement pas que « l’être physique » est mauvais en soi. Il se réfère plutôt à cet aspect d’un être qui refuse de se soumettre à l’Esprit de Dieu. La Bible en français courant propose « en l’être faible que je suis » et la Parole de Vie dit « en moi qui suis faible », voir Rom 7.14. La Good News Bible emploie une autre expression « dans ma nature humaine ». On pourrait aussi dire « en moi qui ne suis qu’un homme ». Paul met cet « être faible » en opposition au désir de faire le bien exprimé dans la suite du verset (voir ci-dessous).

…dans ma chair le bien n’habite pas : le bien rend le mot ἀγαθός agathos, voir Rom 2.10. Comme Paul vient de le dire, il voit deux influences contraires qui agissent en lui, l’une le poussant vers le mal et l’autre vers le bien. Ici il exprime le sentiment que de lui-même, il n’a pas l’aptitude à faire le bien.

vouloir le bien est à ma portée, mais non pas l’accomplir est litt. « car l’intention est présente en moi, mais produire le bon non ». La Bible en français courant exprime bien l’idée en disant : « Certes, le désir de faire le bien existe en moi, mais non la capacité de l’accomplir ». On pourrait aussi dire « Car je désire faire le bien, mais je ne suis pas capable de le faire ». Le mot en grec pour bien ici est différent de la proposition précédente (καλός kalos), mais ici leur sens est très proche.

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