body of death

The Greek in Romans 7:24 that is translated in English as “body of death” is translated in Chichewa as khalidwe langa lino londidzetsera imfa or “this nature of mine that brings death upon me” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999). (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 91)

Wretched man that I am!

The Greek in Romans 7:24 that is translated as “Wretched man that I am!” or similar in English is translated in Chitonga as Maawe! Nde mucaangu! or “Mercy me, I am my own younger brother [i.e., I have no one to look to for help in this situation].” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 153)

complete verse (Romans 7:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 7:24:

  • Uma: “I here am indeed a person [in] disaster! Who will please free me from this body that brings death?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am really troubled in my thinking/mind! Who will be the one to help me so that I no longer happen-to-follow/obey my inborn sinning/old nature. If there is no one helping me I will eventually die and I will go to hell.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “How difficult is this which happens to me; who can redeem me from this slavery of my sinful body that is sentenced to death?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Oh what-a-pitiful -wretch-I-am! Who perhaps will save me from this body of mine which is condemned to die?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But pity the person who is like this. Who can save him so that he won’t go to the punishment that he must go to?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 7:24

The exclamation what an unhappy man I am! may be rendered as “I am exceedingly unhappy,” “I am not at all happy,” or “I am indeed miserable.”

Here Paul uses a phrase which is ambiguous (literally “this body of death”), which the Good News Translation takes to mean this body that is taking me to death. The New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible translate this phrase as “this body doomed to death” (see An American Translation* “this doomed body”), and the New English Bible gives an alternative rendering, “the body doomed to this death.” This body that is taking me to death may be translated as “this body which is causing me to die” or “this body which will result in my dying.” In some languages the expression “body of death” is rendered as “this old heart which is killing me.”

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 7:24

7:24a

What a wretched man I am!: The Greek is literally “I (a) miserable/wretched man,” with the word “miserable/wretched” first to emphasize it. Here Paul considered himself very unhappy and distressed about the terrible situation he was in (wanting to do right but always sinning). Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I am such a miserable man!
-or-
A man of unhappiness/distress, that is me.

7:24b

Who will rescue me from this body of death?: Here the word rescue means “deliver.” This question is a rhetorical question. Paul wanted his readers to think about the answer before he told them the answer in 7:25a. Translate this clause in that meaning. Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Who will rescue me from this body of death? (New International Version)
-or-
Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death? (New Jerusalem Bible)

• As a statement. For example:

There is only one person who will rescue me from this body destined to die.

this body of death: 7:23 says that the law of sin dwelt in the parts of Paul’s body. 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. So in that way Paul here referred to his body as connected to death. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

this body that is subject to death (New International Version (2011))
-or-
this body that brings me death

Also see the ways this phrase was translated in the previous note.

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Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 7.24

Se voyant comme un prisonnier, Paul est complètement découragé et lance un cri : Malheureux homme que je suis !. Le mot grec ταλαίπωρος talaipôros, « misérable » est mis en relief au début de la phrase. Le mot grec pour homme est celui qui désigne l’être humain en général. Les traducteurs devront chercher à rendre cette forte émotion : « Malheureux que je suis ! » (Bible en français courant, Segond Révisée, La Bible du Semeur) ou « Me voilà bien malheureux ! » (Parole de Vie). On pourrait même commencer par une interjection « Oh, que je suis misérable ! » L’ajout d’un point d’exclamation peut être bien à propos.

Qui me délivrera de ce corps qui appartient à la mort est litt. « qui me sauvera de ce corps de mort ? » Contrairement à d’autres questions dans cette lettre, on aura de la peine à transformer celle-ci en affirmation. Paul veut que l’auditoire réfléchisse avec lui pour trouver une réponse. délivrer veut dire « sauver d’un danger ».

ce corps qui appartient à la mort semble avoir le sens de corps « …qui m’entraîne à la mort » (Bible en français courant), « …qui me voue à la mort » (Bible de Jérusalem), qui est « …destiné à la mort » (Contemporary English Version). Comme Leenhardt (p. 112) l’explique « la délivrance demandée doit faire cesser la domination du péché qui transforme le corps en instrument de péché et, par conséquent, de mort ». On pourrait parler de « ce corps qui cause ma mort », « …qui m’apporte la mort ».

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