scripture

The Greek and Ge’ez that is translated “scripture” or “scriptures” in English is translated as “God’s word which people wrote” in Guerrero Amuzgo (source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125), “paper writings” in Copainalá Zoque (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.), “writing that one believes” in Cherokee (putting the focus on the ones who interact with them rather the scriptures themselves) (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 101), and Toposa as “carved material” (source: Schröder 2026, p. 104).

For other translations of scripture see all scripture is inspired by God and examined the scriptures.

complete verse (Romans 9:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 9:17:

  • Uma: “Remember also the words of God to Firaun, the king in the land of Mesir long ago, that say: ‘I lifted you (sing.) up to be king with just one purpose: so that from your (sing.) rebelliousness I could show my power, with the result that my name would be made-big in the whole world.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “There is also something told about a king in the land of Misil long ago. It is written in the holy-book that God said to the king, ‘I make you the king to rule here in this land so that I can demonstrate/show my power because-of you and so that my name will become known/famous in all the earth/world.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But if He wants to it is possible that He does not pity a person, for example, the king long ago in Egypt, God didn’t pity him but said to him, ‘The reason I made you a king is so that I might be made famous here in all the earth.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Let us consider the written word of God to Faraon who was king of Egipto. He said, ‘I have made you a king in order to show my power because of you and so that my name will become known in the many-towns/countries on the earth.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “It is written in the Holy Book what God told the ruler who ruled in the land of Egypt. He said: ‘I appointed you to rule in order that concerning the signs I show you, they will cause that people everywhere will know about me, and they will know that I have power.’ he said” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

For the Old Testament quote, see Exodus 9:16.

Pharaoh

The term that is used for monarchs in ancient Egypt and is transliterated as “Pharaoh” in English is translated in Finnish Sign Language with the sign signifying the “fake metal beard (postiche)” that was used by Pharaohs during official functions. (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Pharaoh” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Pharaoh .

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Romans 9:17

In order to make his argument even stronger, Paul appeals to a further passage of scripture (Exodus 9.16). The Good News Translation takes the first verb in this verse (literally “I raised you up”) to mean I made you king.

In some languages it is impossible to introduce direct discourse beginning with I (I made you king …) by the phrase the scripture says to Pharaoh, since the pronoun I would seem to refer to the scripture. Rather, one must have “for the scripture quotes God as saying to Pharaoh” or “for the words of God to Pharaoh occur in the scripture as” or “in the scripture God says to Pharaoh.”

In this quotation God tells Pharaoh that he has two reasons for making him king: (1) to use you to show my power and (2) to make my name known in all the world. Since there are clearly two purposes, for this very purpose may have to be made plural—for example, “for these reasons” or even “for the following reasons.”

To use you to show my power is literally “to show my power in you” (New English Bible “to exhibit my power in my dealings with you”; Jerusalem Bible “to use you as a means of showing my power”). In some languages this may be rendered as “to cause you to show how strong I am” or “… to show to all how great my power is.”

To make my name known in all the world (New English Bible “to spread my fame over all the world”; Moffatt “to spread news of my name over all the earth”) may be translated as “to cause all people throughout the world to know about me” or “… to know my name.”

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 9:17

9:17a

For: Here this word introduces a quote from the Old Testament that supports what Paul said in 9:16.

the Scripture says to Pharaoh: The Greek and the Berean Standard Bible use the present tense here, as in 9:15. In many languages the normal way of referring to a past event must be used. For example:

the Scripture said to Pharaoh

the Scripture says: In some languages it is not natural for a book to “say” anything. If that is true in your language, refer to God speaking and his words are found in Scripture. For example:

⌊in⌋ the Scripture ⌊God⌋ says/said

Pharaoh: This title refers to the rulers over Egypt. Here it refers to the Pharaoh who ruled during the time of Exodus 9.

9:17b–d

“I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”: This is a quote from Exodus 9:16, with small differences. The English versions put quote marks on these words. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.

9:17b

I raised you up for this very purpose: In the Greek, the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for this very purpose is in front of the main clause to emphasize it. In some language, this might be normal. For example:

For this very purpose I have raised you up (English Standard Version)

However, other languages may need to place the words for this very purpose after up, as the Berean Standard Bible does.

I raised you up: Here the words raised…up refer to God causing this man to be king (Pharaoh) over the Egyptians. God also chose him to be hardhearted against the Israelites. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I made you king (Good News Translation)
-or-
I appointed you to rule

for this very purpose: The Greek is literally “to/for this (thing) itself.” Here it indicates that the purpose is stated in 9:17c–d. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

This is why (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
This is why I raised you up, ⌊namely,⌋ that…
-or-
That is the reason I raised you up. ⌊It is this:⌋ so that…

9:17c

that: Here this word introduces a purpose clause. Here are other ways to translate this word:

to (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
so that (Contemporary English Version)

I might display My power in you: Here the word in indicates that God would show his power by means of what Pharaoh did. Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, and so God did a number of miracles to show his great power. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

show my power through you (New American Bible, Revised Edition)
-or-
use you to show my power (Good News Translation)

9:17d

My name might be proclaimed: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊people⌋ might proclaim my name

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as proclaimed refers to telling many people publicly so that the news spreads far. Here are other ways to translate this word:

spread my fame (Good News Translation)
-or-
my name will become known in the many-towns/countries

My name: This refers to God but also implies the quality of person he is and what he has done. In some languages that must be made explicit for the correct meaning. For example:

my name ⌊and who I am⌋

© 2020 by SIL International®
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Commentaire sur la traduction de la lettre aux Romains 9.17

Pour donner encore plus de poids à son argumentation, Paul a recours à un autre passage de l’Écriture, basé sur Ex 9.16.

C’est ainsi que l’Écriture dit au Pharaon : la conjonction γάρ gar est ici rendue par ainsi. Dans le texte de l’Exode, c’est Dieu (et non l’Écriture) qui adresse cette parole au Pharaon. La Parole de Vie fait un compromis heureux « Dans les Livres Saint, Dieu dit… »

Pharaon : selon certains biblistes, Pharaon est le titre du roi d’Égypte et non son nom. Ainsi la Bible en français courant propose « Dans l’Écriture, Dieu déclare au roi d’Égypte », et la Parole de Vie fait de même.

Je t’ai suscité… : C’est Dieu qui parle ici au discours direct en disant Je. Pour éviter toute incompréhension, il sera préférable de s’inspirer des exemples de Bible en français courant ou Parole de Vie proposés ci-dessus.

susciter rend un verbe qui veut dire « établi roi » (Bible en français courant) ou qu’il l’a « fait roi » (Good News Bible). Deux raisons suivent, introduites toutes les deux par la préposition ὅπως hopôs.

pour montrer en toi ma puissance rend le grec littéralement. Dieu va utiliser le roi d’Égypte pour montrer sa force. Pour puissance, voir Rom 1.4.

pour que mon nom soit proclamé par toute la terre : au lieu de dire simplement pour, Good News Bible a « dans ce but précis ». Mais puisqu’il s’agit d’un double but, le pluriel s’imposerait, ainsi « pour ces deux raisons » ou « pour les raisons suivantes ».

pour que mon nom soit proclamé par toute la terre : Dieu veut que sa renommée soit répandue partout dans le monde. Le nom représente la personne. Dans certaines langues on pourra dire « pour que ma renommée se répande sur toute la terre » (Bible en français courant), « pour faire que tous les gens dans le monde connaissent qui je suis », etc. Mais dans beaucoup de langues, la notion de nom est bien connue, et on dira « pour que mon nom soit grand dans le monde entier » ou que « les gens partout connaissent mon nom ».

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