Mazmur 103:12

103:12 As far as the eastern horizon ¹  is from the west, ² 

so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions ³  from us.

Roma 5:16

5:16 And the gift is not like the one who sinned. ⁴  For judgment, resulting from the one transgression, ⁵  led to condemnation, but ⁶  the gracious gift from the many failures ⁷  led to justification.

Roma 5:2

5:2 through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice ⁸  in the hope of God’s glory.

Pengkhotbah 3:15

3:15 Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been;

for God will seek to do again ⁹  what has occurred ¹⁰  in the past. ¹¹ 

[103:12]  ¹ tn Heb “sunrise.”

[103:12]  ² tn Or “sunset.”

[103:12]  ³ tn The Hebrew term פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, rebellious act”) is here used metonymically for the guilt such actions produce.

[5:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “and not as through the one who sinned [is] the gift.”

[5:16]  ⁵ tn The word “transgression” is not in the Greek text at this point, but has been supplied for clarity.

[5:16]  ⁶ tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

[5:16]  ⁷ tn Or “falls, trespasses,” the same word used in vv. 15, 17, 18, 20.

[5:2]  ⁸ tn Or “exult, boast.”

[3:15]  ⁹ tn The phrase “to do again” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[3:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “God will seek that which is driven away.” The meaning of יְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־נִרְדָּף (yÿvaqqesh ’et-nirdaf) is difficult to determine: יְבַקֵּשׁ (yÿvaqqesh) is Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular from בָּקַשׁ (baqash, “to seek”) and נִרְדָּף (nirdaf) is a Niphal participle 3rd person masculine singular from רָדַף (radaf, “to drive away”). There are several options: (1) God watches over the persecuted: יְבַקֵּשׁ (“seeks”) functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to protect), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף (“what is driven away”) refers to “those who are persecuted.” But this does not fit the context. (2) God will call the past to account: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to hold accountable), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף is a metonymy of attribute (i.e., the past). This approach is adopted by several English translations: “God requires that which is past” (KJV), “God will call the past to account” (NIV) and “God summons each event back in its turn” (NEB). (3) God finds what has been lost: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of cause for effect (i.e., to find), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף refers to what has been lost: “God restores what would otherwise be displaced” (NAB). (4) God repeats what has already occurred: יְבַקֵּשׁ functions as a metonymy of effect (i.e., to repeat), and אֶת־נִרְדָּף is a metonymy (i.e., that which has occurred). This fits the context and provides a tight parallel with the preceding line: “That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been” (3:15a) parallels “God seeks [to repeat] that which has occurred [in the past].” This is the most popular approach among English versions: “God restores that which has past” (Douay), “God seeks again that which is passed away” (ASV), “God seeks what has passed by” (NASB), “God seeks what has been driven away” (RSV), “God seeks out what has passed by” (MLB), “God seeks out what has gone by” (NRSV), and “God is ever bringing back what disappears” (Moffatt).

[3:15]  ¹¹ tn The phrase “in the past” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.