Roma 1:16-17
Konteks1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 1 1:17 For the righteousness 2 of God is revealed in the gospel 3 from faith to faith, 4 just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” 5
Roma 1:3
Konteks1:3 concerning his Son who was a descendant 6 of David with reference to the flesh, 7
Roma 1:1-32
Konteks1:1 From Paul, 8 a slave 9 of Christ Jesus, 10 called to be an apostle, 11 set apart for the gospel of God. 12 1:2 This gospel 13 he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 1:3 concerning his Son who was a descendant 14 of David with reference to the flesh, 15 1:4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power 16 according to the Holy Spirit 17 by the resurrection 18 from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1:5 Through him 19 we have received grace and our apostleship 20 to bring about the obedience 21 of faith 22 among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. 1:6 You also are among them, 23 called to belong to Jesus Christ. 24 1:7 To all those loved by God in Rome, 25 called to be saints: 26 Grace and peace to you 27 from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
1:8 First of all, 28 I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 1:9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel 29 of his Son, is my witness that 30 I continually remember you 1:10 and I always ask 31 in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God. 32 1:11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift 33 to strengthen you, 1:12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, 34 both yours and mine. 1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, 35 brothers and sisters, 36 that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 37 1:14 I am a debtor 38 both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:15 Thus I am eager 39 also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. 40
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 41 1:17 For the righteousness 42 of God is revealed in the gospel 43 from faith to faith, 44 just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” 45
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people 46 who suppress the truth by their 47 unrighteousness, 48 1:19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, 49 because God has made it plain to them. 1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people 50 are without excuse. 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts 51 were darkened. 1:22 Although they claimed 52 to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings 53 or birds or four-footed animals 54 or reptiles.
1:24 Therefore God gave them over 55 in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor 56 their bodies among themselves. 57 1:25 They 58 exchanged the truth of God for a lie 59 and worshiped and served the creation 60 rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
1:26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, 61 1:27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women 62 and were inflamed in their passions 63 for one another. Men 64 committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, 65 God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. 66 1:29 They are filled 67 with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with 68 envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 1:31 senseless, covenant-breakers, 69 heartless, ruthless. 1:32 Although they fully know 70 God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, 71 they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. 72
Roma 1:1--5:1
Konteks1:1 From Paul, 73 a slave 74 of Christ Jesus, 75 called to be an apostle, 76 set apart for the gospel of God. 77 1:2 This gospel 78 he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 1:3 concerning his Son who was a descendant 79 of David with reference to the flesh, 80 1:4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power 81 according to the Holy Spirit 82 by the resurrection 83 from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1:5 Through him 84 we have received grace and our apostleship 85 to bring about the obedience 86 of faith 87 among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. 1:6 You also are among them, 88 called to belong to Jesus Christ. 89 1:7 To all those loved by God in Rome, 90 called to be saints: 91 Grace and peace to you 92 from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
1:8 First of all, 93 I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 1:9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel 94 of his Son, is my witness that 95 I continually remember you 1:10 and I always ask 96 in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God. 97 1:11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift 98 to strengthen you, 1:12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, 99 both yours and mine. 1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, 100 brothers and sisters, 101 that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 102 1:14 I am a debtor 103 both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:15 Thus I am eager 104 also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. 105
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 106 1:17 For the righteousness 107 of God is revealed in the gospel 108 from faith to faith, 109 just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” 110
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people 111 who suppress the truth by their 112 unrighteousness, 113 1:19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, 114 because God has made it plain to them. 1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people 115 are without excuse. 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts 116 were darkened. 1:22 Although they claimed 117 to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings 118 or birds or four-footed animals 119 or reptiles.
1:24 Therefore God gave them over 120 in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor 121 their bodies among themselves. 122 1:25 They 123 exchanged the truth of God for a lie 124 and worshiped and served the creation 125 rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
1:26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, 126 1:27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women 127 and were inflamed in their passions 128 for one another. Men 129 committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, 130 God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. 131 1:29 They are filled 132 with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with 133 envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 1:31 senseless, covenant-breakers, 134 heartless, ruthless. 1:32 Although they fully know 135 God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, 136 they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. 137
2:1 138 Therefore 139 you are without excuse, 140 whoever you are, 141 when you judge someone else. 142 For on whatever grounds 143 you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. 2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth 144 against those who practice such things. 2:3 And do you think, 145 whoever you are, when you judge 146 those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, 147 that you will escape God’s judgment? 2:4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know 148 that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 2:5 But because of your stubbornness 149 and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! 150 2:6 He 151 will reward 152 each one according to his works: 153 2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 2:8 but 154 wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition 155 and do not obey the truth but follow 156 unrighteousness. 2:9 There will be 157 affliction and distress on everyone 158 who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, 159 2:10 but 160 glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. 2:11 For there is no partiality with God. 2:12 For all who have sinned apart from the law 161 will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. 162 2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, 163 who do not have the law, do by nature 164 the things required by the law, 165 these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. 2:15 They 166 show that the work of the law is written 167 in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend 168 them, 169 2:16 on the day when God will judge 170 the secrets of human hearts, 171 according to my gospel 172 through Christ Jesus.
2:17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law 173 and boast of your relationship to God 174 2:18 and know his will 175 and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law, 176 2:19 and if you are convinced 177 that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 2:20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth – 2:21 therefore 178 you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 2:22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor 179 idols, do you rob temples? 2:23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law! 2:24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” 180
2:25 For circumcision 181 has its value if you practice the law, but 182 if you break the law, 183 your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys 184 the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 2:27 And will not the physically uncircumcised man 185 who keeps the law judge you who, despite 186 the written code 187 and circumcision, transgress the law? 2:28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, 2:29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart 188 by the Spirit 189 and not by the written code. 190 This person’s 191 praise is not from people but from God.
3:1 Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? 3:2 Actually, there are many advantages. 192 First of all, 193 the Jews 194 were entrusted with the oracles of God. 195 3:3 What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? 3:4 Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being 196 shown up as a liar, 197 just as it is written: “so that you will be justified 198 in your words and will prevail when you are judged.” 199
3:5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates 200 the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he? 201 (I am speaking in human terms.) 202 3:6 Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world? 3:7 For if by my lie the truth of God enhances 203 his glory, why am I still actually being judged as a sinner? 3:8 And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say. 204 (Their 205 condemnation is deserved!)
3:9 What then? Are we better off? Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin, 3:10 just as it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one,
3:11 there is no one who understands,
there is no one who seeks God.
3:12 All have turned away,
together they have become worthless;
there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.” 206
3:13 “Their throats are open graves, 207
they deceive with their tongues,
the poison of asps is under their lips.” 208
3:14 “Their mouths are 209 full of cursing and bitterness.” 210
3:15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
3:16 ruin and misery are in their paths,
3:17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 211
3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 212
3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under 213 the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 3:20 For no one is declared righteous before him 214 by the works of the law, 215 for through the law comes 216 the knowledge of sin. 3:21 But now 217 apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) 218 has been disclosed – 3:22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ 219 for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 3:24 But they are justified 220 freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 3:25 God publicly displayed 221 him 222 at his death 223 as the mercy seat 224 accessible through faith. 225 This was to demonstrate 226 his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. 227 3:26 This was 228 also to demonstrate 229 his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just 230 and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness. 231
3:27 Where, then, is boasting? 232 It is excluded! By what principle? 233 Of works? No, but by the principle of faith! 3:28 For we consider that a person 234 is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law. 235 3:29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles too? Yes, of the Gentiles too! 3:30 Since God is one, 236 he will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 3:31 Do we then nullify 237 the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead 238 we uphold the law.
4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, 239 has discovered regarding this matter? 240 4:2 For if Abraham was declared righteous 241 by the works of the law, he has something to boast about – but not before God. 4:3 For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited 242 to him as righteousness.” 243 4:4 Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited due to grace but due to obligation. 244 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous, 245 his faith is credited as righteousness.
4:6 So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
4:7 “Blessed 246 are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
4:8 blessed is the one 247 against whom the Lord will never count 248 sin.” 249
4:9 Is this blessedness 250 then for 251 the circumcision 252 or also for 253 the uncircumcision? For we say, “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness.” 254 4:10 How then was it credited to him? Was he circumcised at the time, or not? No, he was not circumcised but uncircumcised! 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, 255 so that he would become 256 the father of all those who believe but have never been circumcised, 257 that they too could have righteousness credited to them. 4:12 And he is also the father of the circumcised, 258 who are not only circumcised, but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham possessed when he was still uncircumcised. 259
4:13 For the promise 260 to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not fulfilled through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 4:14 For if they become heirs by the law, faith is empty and the promise is nullified. 261 4:15 For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression 262 either. 4:16 For this reason it is by faith so that it may be by grace, 263 with the result that the promise may be certain to all the descendants – not only to those who are under the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham, 264 who is the father of us all 4:17 (as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”). 265 He is our father 266 in the presence of God whom he believed – the God who 267 makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do. 268 4:18 Against hope Abraham 269 believed 270 in hope with the result that he became the father of many nations 271 according to the pronouncement, 272 “so will your descendants be.” 273 4:19 Without being weak in faith, he considered 274 his own body as dead 275 (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 4:20 He 276 did not waver in unbelief about the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. 4:21 He was 277 fully convinced that what God 278 promised he was also able to do. 4:22 So indeed it was credited to Abraham 279 as righteousness.
4:23 But the statement it was credited to him 280 was not written only for Abraham’s 281 sake, 4:24 but also for our sake, to whom it will be credited, those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 4:25 He 282 was given over 283 because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of 284 our justification. 285
5:1 286 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have 287 peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Roma 5:10
Konteks5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, since we have been reconciled, will we be saved by his life?
Roma 8:1--11:36
Konteks8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 288 8:2 For the law of the life-giving Spirit 289 in Christ Jesus has set you 290 free from the law of sin and death. 8:3 For God achieved what the law could not do because 291 it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 8:4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
8:5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by 292 the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. 8:6 For the outlook 293 of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, 8:7 because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 8:9 You, however, are not in 294 the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but 295 the Spirit is your life 296 because of righteousness. 8:11 Moreover if the Spirit of the one 297 who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ 298 from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you. 299
8:12 So then, 300 brothers and sisters, 301 we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh 8:13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you will 302 die), 303 but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are 304 the sons of God. 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, 305 but you received the Spirit of adoption, 306 by whom 307 we cry, “Abba, Father.” 8:16 The Spirit himself bears witness to 308 our spirit that we are God’s children. 8:17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) 309 – if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.
8:18 For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared 310 to the glory that will be revealed to us. 8:19 For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of God 311 who subjected it – in hope 8:21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. 8:23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, 312 groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, 313 the redemption of our bodies. 314 8:24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance. 315
8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, 316 but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 8:27 And he 317 who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit 318 intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will. 8:28 And we know that all things work together 319 for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, 8:29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son 320 would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 321 8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
8:31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 8:32 Indeed, he who 322 did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? 8:33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? 323 It is God who justifies. 8:34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christ 324 is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. 8:35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 325 8:36 As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 326 8:37 No, in all these things we have complete victory 327 through him 328 who loved us! 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, 329 nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
9:1 330 I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me 331 in the Holy Spirit – 9:2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 332 9:3 For I could wish 333 that I myself were accursed – cut off from Christ – for the sake of my people, 334 my fellow countrymen, 335 9:4 who are Israelites. To them belong 336 the adoption as sons, 337 the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, 338 and the promises. 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs, 339 and from them, 340 by human descent, 341 came the Christ, 342 who is God over all, blessed forever! 343 Amen.
9:6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 344 9:7 nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.” 345 9:8 This means 346 it is not the children of the flesh 347 who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants. 9:9 For this is what the promise declared: 348 “About a year from now 349 I will return and Sarah will have a son.” 350 9:10 Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, 351 our ancestor Isaac – 9:11 even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election 352 would stand, not by works but by 353 his calling) 354 – 9:12 355 it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger,” 356 9:13 just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 357
9:14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 9:15 For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 358 9:16 So then, 359 it does not depend on human desire or exertion, 360 but on God who shows mercy. 9:17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh: 361 “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” 362 9:18 So then, 363 God 364 has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden. 365
9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?” 9:20 But who indeed are you – a mere human being 366 – to talk back to God? 367 Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 368 9:21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay 369 one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? 370 9:22 But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects 371 of wrath 372 prepared for destruction? 373 9:23 And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects 374 of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory – 9:24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 9:25 As he also says in Hosea:
“I will call those who were not my people, ‘My people,’ and I will call her who was unloved, 375 ‘My beloved.’” 376
9:26 “And in the very place 377 where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” 378
9:27 And Isaiah cries out on behalf of Israel, “Though the number of the children 379 of Israel are as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved, 9:28 for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly.” 380 9:29 Just 381 as Isaiah predicted,
“If the Lord of armies 382 had not left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
and we would have resembled Gomorrah.” 383
9:30 What shall we say then? – that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, 9:31 but Israel even though pursuing 384 a law of righteousness 385 did not attain it. 386 9:32 Why not? Because they pursued 387 it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. 388 They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 389 9:33 just as it is written,
“Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble
and a rock that will make them fall, 390
yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 391
10:1 Brothers and sisters, 392 my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites 393 is for their salvation. 10:2 For I can testify that they are zealous for God, 394 but their zeal is not in line with the truth. 395 10:3 For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.
10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” 396 10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, 397 ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” 398 (that is, to bring Christ down) 10:7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?” 399 (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” 400 (that is, the word of faith that we preach), 10:9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord 401 and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness 402 and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. 403 10:11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 404 10:12 For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 405
10:14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them 406 ? 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely 407 is the arrival 408 of those who proclaim the good news.” 409 10:16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 410 10:17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word 411 of Christ. 412
10:18 But I ask, have they 413 not heard? 414 Yes, they have: 415 Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. 416 10:19 But again I ask, didn’t Israel understand? 417 First Moses says, “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.” 418 10:20 And Isaiah is even bold enough to say, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I became well known to those who did not ask for me.” 419 10:21 But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!” 420
11:1 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 11:2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 11:3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!” 421 11:4 But what was the divine response 422 to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand people 423 who have not bent the knee to Baal.” 424
11:5 So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 11:6 And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. 11:7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The 425 rest were hardened, 11:8 as it is written,
“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear,
to this very day.” 426
11:9 And David says,
“Let their table become a snare and trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
11:10 let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see,
and make their backs bend continually.” 427
11:11 I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, 428 did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel 429 jealous. 11:12 Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration 430 bring?
11:13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 11:14 if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. 11:15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 11:16 If the first portion 431 of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches. 432
11:17 Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in 433 the richness of the olive root, 11:18 do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 11:19 Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 11:20 Granted! 434 They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear! 11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. 11:22 Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God – harshness toward those who have fallen, but 435 God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; 436 otherwise you also will be cut off. 11:23 And even they – if they do not continue in their unbelief – will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 11:24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?
11:25 For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, 437 so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel 438 until the full number 439 of the Gentiles has come in. 11:26 And so 440 all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion;
he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.
11:27 And this is my covenant with them, 441
when I take away their sins.” 442
11:28 In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. 11:29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 11:30 Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, 11:31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now 443 receive mercy. 11:32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. 444
11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!
11:34 For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor? 445
11:35 Or who has first given to God, 446
that God 447 needs to repay him? 448
11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.
Roma 1:1-32
Konteks1:1 From Paul, 449 a slave 450 of Christ Jesus, 451 called to be an apostle, 452 set apart for the gospel of God. 453 1:2 This gospel 454 he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 1:3 concerning his Son who was a descendant 455 of David with reference to the flesh, 456 1:4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power 457 according to the Holy Spirit 458 by the resurrection 459 from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1:5 Through him 460 we have received grace and our apostleship 461 to bring about the obedience 462 of faith 463 among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. 1:6 You also are among them, 464 called to belong to Jesus Christ. 465 1:7 To all those loved by God in Rome, 466 called to be saints: 467 Grace and peace to you 468 from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
1:8 First of all, 469 I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 1:9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel 470 of his Son, is my witness that 471 I continually remember you 1:10 and I always ask 472 in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God. 473 1:11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift 474 to strengthen you, 1:12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith, 475 both yours and mine. 1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, 476 brothers and sisters, 477 that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 478 1:14 I am a debtor 479 both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:15 Thus I am eager 480 also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. 481
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 482 1:17 For the righteousness 483 of God is revealed in the gospel 484 from faith to faith, 485 just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” 486
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people 487 who suppress the truth by their 488 unrighteousness, 489 1:19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, 490 because God has made it plain to them. 1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people 491 are without excuse. 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts 492 were darkened. 1:22 Although they claimed 493 to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings 494 or birds or four-footed animals 495 or reptiles.
1:24 Therefore God gave them over 496 in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor 497 their bodies among themselves. 498 1:25 They 499 exchanged the truth of God for a lie 500 and worshiped and served the creation 501 rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
1:26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, 502 1:27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women 503 and were inflamed in their passions 504 for one another. Men 505 committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, 506 God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. 507 1:29 They are filled 508 with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with 509 envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 1:31 senseless, covenant-breakers, 510 heartless, ruthless. 1:32 Although they fully know 511 God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, 512 they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. 513
[1:16] 1 sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.
[1:17] 2 tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).
[1:17] 3 tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 4 tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pistew" ei" pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.
[1:17] 5 sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.
[1:3] 6 tn Grk “born of the seed” (an idiom).
[1:3] 7 tn Grk “according to the flesh,” indicating Jesus’ earthly life, a reference to its weakness. This phrase implies that Jesus was more than human; otherwise it would have been sufficient to say that he was a descendant of David, cf. L. Morris, Romans, 44.
[1:1] 8 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
[1:1] 9 tn Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
[1:1] sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s “slave” or “servant” is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For someone who was Jewish this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
[1:1] 10 tc Many important
[1:1] 11 tn Grk “a called apostle.”
[1:1] 12 tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.
[1:2] 13 tn Grk “the gospel of God, which he promised.” Because of the length and complexity of this sentence in Greek, it was divided into shorter English sentences in keeping with contemporary English style. To indicate the referent of the relative pronoun (“which”), the word “gospel” was repeated at the beginning of v. 2.
[1:3] 14 tn Grk “born of the seed” (an idiom).
[1:3] 15 tn Grk “according to the flesh,” indicating Jesus’ earthly life, a reference to its weakness. This phrase implies that Jesus was more than human; otherwise it would have been sufficient to say that he was a descendant of David, cf. L. Morris, Romans, 44.
[1:4] 16 sn Appointed the Son-of-God-in-power. Most translations render the Greek participle ὁρισθέντος (Jorisqentos, from ὁρίζω, Jorizw) “declared” or “designated” in order to avoid the possible interpretation that Jesus was appointed the Son of God by the resurrection. However, the Greek term ὁρίζω is used eight times in the NT, and it always has the meaning “to determine, appoint.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh (with respect to the flesh, v. 3) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
[1:4] 17 tn Grk “spirit of holiness.” Some interpreters take the phrase to refer to Christ’s own inner spirit, which was characterized by holiness.
[1:4] 18 tn Or “by his resurrection.” Most interpreters see this as a reference to Jesus’ own resurrection, although some take it to refer to the general resurrection at the end of the age, of which Jesus’ resurrection is the first installment (cf. 1 Cor 15:23).
[1:5] 19 tn Grk “through whom.”
[1:5] 20 tn Some interpreters understand the phrase “grace and apostleship” as a hendiadys, translating “grace [i.e., gift] of apostleship.” The pronoun “our” is supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of the statement.
[1:5] 21 tn Grk “and apostleship for obedience.”
[1:5] 22 tn The phrase ὑπακοὴν πίστεως has been variously understood as (1) an objective genitive (a reference to the Christian faith, “obedience to [the] faith”); (2) a subjective genitive (“the obedience faith produces [or requires]”); (3) an attributive genitive (“believing obedience”); or (4) as a genitive of apposition (“obedience, [namely] faith”) in which “faith” further defines “obedience.” These options are discussed by C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 1:66. Others take the phrase as deliberately ambiguous; see D. B. Garlington, “The Obedience of Faith in the Letter to the Romans: Part I: The Meaning of ὑπακοὴ πίστεως (Rom 1:5; 16:26),” WTJ 52 (1990): 201-24.
[1:6] 23 tn Grk “among whom you also are called.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. The NIV, with its translation “And you also are among those who are called,” takes the phrase ἐν οἳς ἐστε to refer to the following clause rather than the preceding, so that the addressees of the letter (“you also”) are not connected with “all the Gentiles” mentioned at the end of v. 5. It is more likely, however, that the relative pronoun οἳς has τοῖς ἔθνεσιν as its antecedent, which would indicate that the church at Rome was predominantly Gentile.
[1:6] 24 tn Grk “called of Jesus Christ.”
[1:7] 25 map For location see JP4 A1.
[1:7] 26 tn Although the first part of v. 7 is not a complete English sentence, it maintains the “From…to” pattern used in all the Pauline letters to indicate the sender and the recipients. Here, however, there are several intervening verses (vv. 2-6), which makes the first half of v. 7 appear as an isolated sentence fragment.
[1:7] 27 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
[1:8] 28 tn Grk “First.” Paul never mentions a second point, so J. B. Phillips translated “I must begin by telling you….”
[1:9] 29 tn Grk “whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel.”
[1:10] 31 tn Grk “remember you, always asking.”
[1:10] 32 tn Grk “succeed in coming to you in the will of God.”
[1:11] 33 sn Paul does not mean here that he is going to bestow upon the Roman believers what is commonly known as a “spiritual gift,” that is, a special enabling for service given to believers by the Holy Spirit. Instead, this is either a metonymy of cause for effect (Paul will use his own spiritual gifts to edify the Romans), or it simply means something akin to a blessing or benefit in the spiritual realm. It is possible that Paul uses this phrase to connote specifically the broader purpose of his letter, which is for the Romans to understand his gospel, but this seems less likely.
[1:12] 34 tn Grk “that is, to be comforted together with you through the faith in one another.”
[1:13] 35 sn The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thess 4:13. Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.
[1:13] 36 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
[1:13] 37 tn Grk “in order that I might have some fruit also among you just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.”
[1:15] 39 tn Or “willing, ready”; Grk “so my eagerness [is] to preach…” The word πρόθυμος (proqumo", “eager, willing”) is used only elsewhere in the NT in Matt 26:41 = Mark 14:38: “the spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak.”
[1:15] 40 map For location see JP4 A1.
[1:16] 41 sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.
[1:17] 42 tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).
[1:17] 43 tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 44 tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pistew" ei" pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.
[1:17] 45 sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.
[1:18] 46 tn The genitive ἀνθρώπων could be taken as an attributed genitive, in which case the phase should be translated “against all ungodly and unrighteous people” (cf. “the truth of God” in v. 25 which is also probably an attributed genitive). C. E. B. Cranfield takes the section 1:18-32 to refer to all people (not just Gentiles), while 2:1-3:20 points out that the Jew is no exception (Romans [ICC], 1:104-6; 1:137-38).
[1:18] 47 tn “Their” is implied in the Greek, but is supplied because of English style.
[1:18] 48 tn Or “by means of unrighteousness.” Grk “in (by) unrighteousness.”
[1:19] 49 tn Grk “is manifest to/in them.”
[1:20] 50 tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:22] 52 tn The participle φάσκοντες (faskonte") is used concessively here.
[1:23] 53 tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (afqarto", “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (fqarto", “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).
[1:23] 54 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.
[1:24] 55 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 81:12.
[1:24] 56 tn The genitive articular infinitive τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι (tou atimazesqai, “to dishonor”) has been taken as (1) an infinitive of purpose; (2) an infinitive of result; or (3) an epexegetical (i.e., explanatory) infinitive, expanding the previous clause.
[1:24] 57 tn Grk “among them.”
[1:25] 58 tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:25] 60 tn Or “creature, created things.”
[1:26] 61 tn Grk “for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is contrary to nature.” The term χρῆσις (crhsi") has the force of “sexual relations” here (L&N 23.65).
[1:27] 62 tn Grk “likewise so also the males abandoning the natural function of the female.”
[1:27] 63 tn Grk “burned with intense desire” (L&N 25.16).
[1:27] 64 tn Grk “another, men committing…and receiving,” continuing the description of their deeds. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:28] 65 tn Grk “and just as they did not approve to have God in knowledge.”
[1:28] 66 tn Grk “the things that are improper.”
[1:29] 67 tn Grk “being filled” or “having been filled,” referring to those described in v. 28. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:29] 68 tn Grk “malice, full of,” continuing the description. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:31] 69 tn Or “promise-breakers.”
[1:32] 70 tn Grk “who, knowing…, not only do them but also approve…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:32] 71 tn Grk “are worthy of death.”
[1:32] 72 sn “Vice lists” like vv. 28-32 can be found elsewhere in the NT in Matt 15:19; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Tim 1:9-10; and 1 Pet 4:3. An example from the intertestamental period can be found in Wis 14:25-26.
[1:1] 73 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
[1:1] 74 tn Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
[1:1] sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s “slave” or “servant” is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For someone who was Jewish this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
[1:1] 75 tc Many important
[1:1] 76 tn Grk “a called apostle.”
[1:1] 77 tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.
[1:2] 78 tn Grk “the gospel of God, which he promised.” Because of the length and complexity of this sentence in Greek, it was divided into shorter English sentences in keeping with contemporary English style. To indicate the referent of the relative pronoun (“which”), the word “gospel” was repeated at the beginning of v. 2.
[1:3] 79 tn Grk “born of the seed” (an idiom).
[1:3] 80 tn Grk “according to the flesh,” indicating Jesus’ earthly life, a reference to its weakness. This phrase implies that Jesus was more than human; otherwise it would have been sufficient to say that he was a descendant of David, cf. L. Morris, Romans, 44.
[1:4] 81 sn Appointed the Son-of-God-in-power. Most translations render the Greek participle ὁρισθέντος (Jorisqentos, from ὁρίζω, Jorizw) “declared” or “designated” in order to avoid the possible interpretation that Jesus was appointed the Son of God by the resurrection. However, the Greek term ὁρίζω is used eight times in the NT, and it always has the meaning “to determine, appoint.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh (with respect to the flesh, v. 3) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
[1:4] 82 tn Grk “spirit of holiness.” Some interpreters take the phrase to refer to Christ’s own inner spirit, which was characterized by holiness.
[1:4] 83 tn Or “by his resurrection.” Most interpreters see this as a reference to Jesus’ own resurrection, although some take it to refer to the general resurrection at the end of the age, of which Jesus’ resurrection is the first installment (cf. 1 Cor 15:23).
[1:5] 84 tn Grk “through whom.”
[1:5] 85 tn Some interpreters understand the phrase “grace and apostleship” as a hendiadys, translating “grace [i.e., gift] of apostleship.” The pronoun “our” is supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of the statement.
[1:5] 86 tn Grk “and apostleship for obedience.”
[1:5] 87 tn The phrase ὑπακοὴν πίστεως has been variously understood as (1) an objective genitive (a reference to the Christian faith, “obedience to [the] faith”); (2) a subjective genitive (“the obedience faith produces [or requires]”); (3) an attributive genitive (“believing obedience”); or (4) as a genitive of apposition (“obedience, [namely] faith”) in which “faith” further defines “obedience.” These options are discussed by C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 1:66. Others take the phrase as deliberately ambiguous; see D. B. Garlington, “The Obedience of Faith in the Letter to the Romans: Part I: The Meaning of ὑπακοὴ πίστεως (Rom 1:5; 16:26),” WTJ 52 (1990): 201-24.
[1:6] 88 tn Grk “among whom you also are called.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. The NIV, with its translation “And you also are among those who are called,” takes the phrase ἐν οἳς ἐστε to refer to the following clause rather than the preceding, so that the addressees of the letter (“you also”) are not connected with “all the Gentiles” mentioned at the end of v. 5. It is more likely, however, that the relative pronoun οἳς has τοῖς ἔθνεσιν as its antecedent, which would indicate that the church at Rome was predominantly Gentile.
[1:6] 89 tn Grk “called of Jesus Christ.”
[1:7] 90 map For location see JP4 A1.
[1:7] 91 tn Although the first part of v. 7 is not a complete English sentence, it maintains the “From…to” pattern used in all the Pauline letters to indicate the sender and the recipients. Here, however, there are several intervening verses (vv. 2-6), which makes the first half of v. 7 appear as an isolated sentence fragment.
[1:7] 92 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
[1:8] 93 tn Grk “First.” Paul never mentions a second point, so J. B. Phillips translated “I must begin by telling you….”
[1:9] 94 tn Grk “whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel.”
[1:10] 96 tn Grk “remember you, always asking.”
[1:10] 97 tn Grk “succeed in coming to you in the will of God.”
[1:11] 98 sn Paul does not mean here that he is going to bestow upon the Roman believers what is commonly known as a “spiritual gift,” that is, a special enabling for service given to believers by the Holy Spirit. Instead, this is either a metonymy of cause for effect (Paul will use his own spiritual gifts to edify the Romans), or it simply means something akin to a blessing or benefit in the spiritual realm. It is possible that Paul uses this phrase to connote specifically the broader purpose of his letter, which is for the Romans to understand his gospel, but this seems less likely.
[1:12] 99 tn Grk “that is, to be comforted together with you through the faith in one another.”
[1:13] 100 sn The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thess 4:13. Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.
[1:13] 101 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
[1:13] 102 tn Grk “in order that I might have some fruit also among you just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.”
[1:15] 104 tn Or “willing, ready”; Grk “so my eagerness [is] to preach…” The word πρόθυμος (proqumo", “eager, willing”) is used only elsewhere in the NT in Matt 26:41 = Mark 14:38: “the spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak.”
[1:15] 105 map For location see JP4 A1.
[1:16] 106 sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.
[1:17] 107 tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).
[1:17] 108 tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 109 tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pistew" ei" pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.
[1:17] 110 sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.
[1:18] 111 tn The genitive ἀνθρώπων could be taken as an attributed genitive, in which case the phase should be translated “against all ungodly and unrighteous people” (cf. “the truth of God” in v. 25 which is also probably an attributed genitive). C. E. B. Cranfield takes the section 1:18-32 to refer to all people (not just Gentiles), while 2:1-3:20 points out that the Jew is no exception (Romans [ICC], 1:104-6; 1:137-38).
[1:18] 112 tn “Their” is implied in the Greek, but is supplied because of English style.
[1:18] 113 tn Or “by means of unrighteousness.” Grk “in (by) unrighteousness.”
[1:19] 114 tn Grk “is manifest to/in them.”
[1:20] 115 tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:22] 117 tn The participle φάσκοντες (faskonte") is used concessively here.
[1:23] 118 tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (afqarto", “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (fqarto", “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).
[1:23] 119 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.
[1:24] 120 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 81:12.
[1:24] 121 tn The genitive articular infinitive τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι (tou atimazesqai, “to dishonor”) has been taken as (1) an infinitive of purpose; (2) an infinitive of result; or (3) an epexegetical (i.e., explanatory) infinitive, expanding the previous clause.
[1:24] 122 tn Grk “among them.”
[1:25] 123 tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:25] 125 tn Or “creature, created things.”
[1:26] 126 tn Grk “for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is contrary to nature.” The term χρῆσις (crhsi") has the force of “sexual relations” here (L&N 23.65).
[1:27] 127 tn Grk “likewise so also the males abandoning the natural function of the female.”
[1:27] 128 tn Grk “burned with intense desire” (L&N 25.16).
[1:27] 129 tn Grk “another, men committing…and receiving,” continuing the description of their deeds. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:28] 130 tn Grk “and just as they did not approve to have God in knowledge.”
[1:28] 131 tn Grk “the things that are improper.”
[1:29] 132 tn Grk “being filled” or “having been filled,” referring to those described in v. 28. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:29] 133 tn Grk “malice, full of,” continuing the description. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:31] 134 tn Or “promise-breakers.”
[1:32] 135 tn Grk “who, knowing…, not only do them but also approve…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:32] 136 tn Grk “are worthy of death.”
[1:32] 137 sn “Vice lists” like vv. 28-32 can be found elsewhere in the NT in Matt 15:19; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Tim 1:9-10; and 1 Pet 4:3. An example from the intertestamental period can be found in Wis 14:25-26.
[2:1] 138 sn Rom 2:1-29 presents unusual difficulties for the interpreter. There have been several major approaches to the chapter and the group(s) it refers to: (1) Rom 2:14 refers to Gentile Christians, not Gentiles who obey the Jewish law. (2) Paul in Rom 2 is presenting a hypothetical viewpoint: If anyone could obey the law, that person would be justified, but no one can. (3) The reference to “the ones who do the law” in 2:13 are those who “do” the law in the right way, on the basis of faith, not according to Jewish legalism. (4) Rom 2:13 only speaks about Christians being judged in the future, along with such texts as Rom 14:10 and 2 Cor 5:10. (5) Paul’s material in Rom 2 is drawn heavily from Diaspora Judaism, so that the treatment of the law presented here cannot be harmonized with other things Paul says about the law elsewhere (E. P. Sanders, Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People, 123); another who sees Rom 2 as an example of Paul’s inconsistency in his treatment of the law is H. Räisänen, Paul and the Law [WUNT], 101-9. (6) The list of blessings and curses in Deut 27–30 provide the background for Rom 2; the Gentiles of 2:14 are Gentile Christians, but the condemnation of Jews in 2:17-24 addresses the failure of Jews as a nation to keep the law as a whole (A. Ito, “Romans 2: A Deuteronomistic Reading,” JSNT 59 [1995]: 21-37).
[2:1] 139 tn Some interpreters (e.g., C. K. Barrett, Romans [HNTC], 43) connect the inferential Διό (dio, “therefore”) with 1:32a, treating 1:32b as a parenthetical comment by Paul.
[2:1] 140 tn That is, “you have nothing to say in your own defense” (so translated by TCNT).
[2:1] 142 tn Grk “Therefore, you are without excuse, O man, everyone [of you] who judges.”
[2:1] 143 tn Grk “in/by (that) which.”
[2:2] 144 tn Or “based on truth.”
[2:3] 145 tn Grk “do you think this,” referring to the clause in v. 3b.
[2:3] 146 tn Grk “O man, the one who judges.”
[2:3] 147 tn Grk “and do them.” The other words are supplied to bring out the contrast implied in this clause.
[2:4] 148 tn Grk “being unaware.”
[2:5] 149 tn Grk “hardness.” Concerning this imagery, see Jer 4:4; Ezek 3:7; 1 En. 16:3.
[2:5] 150 tn Grk “in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
[2:6] 151 tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[2:6] 152 tn Or “will render,” “will recompense.” In this context Paul is setting up a hypothetical situation, not stating that salvation is by works.
[2:6] 153 sn A quotation from Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; a close approximation to Matt 16:27.
[2:8] 154 tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.
[2:8] 155 tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”
[2:8] 156 tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”
[2:9] 157 tn No verb is expressed in this verse, but the verb “to be” is implied by the Greek construction. Literally “suffering and distress on everyone…”
[2:9] 158 tn Grk “every soul of man.”
[2:9] 159 sn Paul uses the term Greek here and in v. 10 to refer to non-Jews, i.e., Gentiles.
[2:10] 160 tn Grk “but even,” to emphasize the contrast. The second word has been omitted since it is somewhat redundant in English idiom.
[2:12] 161 sn This is the first occurrence of law (nomos) in Romans. Exactly what Paul means by the term has been the subject of much scholarly debate. According to J. A. Fitzmyer (Romans [AB], 131-35; 305-6) there are at least four different senses: (1) figurative, as a “principle”; (2) generic, meaning “a law”; (3) as a reference to the OT or some part of the OT; and (4) as a reference to the Mosaic law. This last usage constitutes the majority of Paul’s references to “law” in Romans.
[2:13] 162 tn The Greek sentence expresses this contrast more succinctly than is possible in English. Grk “For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.”
[2:14] 163 sn Gentile is a NT term for a non-Jew.
[2:14] 164 tn Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:135-37) take the phrase φύσει (fusei, “by nature”) to go with the preceding “do not have the law,” thus: “the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature,” that is, by virtue of not being born Jewish.
[2:14] 165 tn Grk “do by nature the things of the law.”
[2:15] 166 tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[2:15] 167 tn Grk “show the work of the law [to be] written,” with the words in brackets implied by the Greek construction.
[2:15] 169 tn Grk “their conscience bearing witness and between the thoughts accusing or also defending one another.”
[2:16] 170 tn The form of the Greek word is either present or future, but it is best to translate in future because of the context of future judgment.
[2:16] 171 tn Grk “of people.”
[2:16] 172 sn On my gospel cf. Rom 16:25; 2 Tim 2:8.
[2:17] 173 sn The law refers to the Mosaic law, described mainly in the OT books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
[2:17] 174 tn Grk “boast in God.” This may be an allusion to Jer 9:24.
[2:18] 176 tn Grk “because of being instructed out of the law.”
[2:19] 177 tn This verb is parallel to the verbs in vv. 17-18a, so it shares the conditional meaning even though the word “if” is not repeated.
[2:21] 178 tn The structure of vv. 21-24 is difficult. Some take these verses as the apodosis of the conditional clauses (protases) in vv. 17-20; others see vv. 17-20 as an instance of anacoluthon (a broken off or incomplete construction).
[2:24] 180 sn A quotation from Isa 52:5.
[2:25] 181 sn Circumcision refers to male circumcision as prescribed in the OT, which was given as a covenant to Abraham in Gen 17:10-14. Its importance for Judaism can hardly be overstated: According to J. D. G. Dunn (Romans [WBC], 1:120) it was the “single clearest distinguishing feature of the covenant people.” J. Marcus has suggested that the terms used for circumcision (περιτομή, peritomh) and uncircumcision (ἀκροβυστία, akrobustia) were probably derogatory slogans used by Jews and Gentiles to describe their opponents (“The Circumcision and the Uncircumcision in Rome,” NTS 35 [1989]: 77-80).
[2:25] 182 tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.
[2:25] 183 tn Grk “if you should be a transgressor of the law.”
[2:26] 184 tn The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassw, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.
[2:27] 185 tn Grk “the uncircumcision by nature.” The word “man” is supplied here to make clear that male circumcision (or uncircumcision) is in view.
[2:27] 186 tn Grk “through,” but here the preposition seems to mean “(along) with,” “though provided with,” as BDAG 224 s.v. διά A.3.c indicates.
[2:29] 188 sn On circumcision is of the heart see Lev 26:41; Deut 10:16; Jer 4:4; Ezek 44:9.
[2:29] 189 tn Some have taken the phrase ἐν πνεύματι (en pneumati, “by/in [the] S/spirit”) not as a reference to the Holy Spirit, but referring to circumcision as “spiritual and not literal” (RSV).
[2:29] 191 tn Grk “whose.” The relative pronoun has been replaced by the phrase “this person’s” and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation.
[3:2] 192 tn Grk “much in every way.”
[3:2] 193 tc ‡ Most witnesses (א A D2 33 Ï) have γάρ (gar) after μέν (men), though some significant Alexandrian and Western witnesses lack the conjunction (B D* G Ψ 81 365 1506 2464* pc latt). A few
[3:2] tn Grk “first indeed that.”
[3:2] 195 tn The referent of λόγια (logia, “oracles”) has been variously understood: (1) BDAG 598 s.v. λόγιον takes the term to refer here to “God’s promises to the Jews”; (2) some have taken this to refer more narrowly to the national promises of messianic salvation given to Israel (so S. L. Johnson, Jr., “Studies in Romans: Part VII: The Jews and the Oracles of God,” BSac 130 [1973]: 245); (3) perhaps the most widespread interpretation sees the term as referring to the entire OT generally.
[3:4] 196 tn Grk “every man”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to stress humanity rather than masculinity.
[3:4] 197 tn Grk “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” The words “proven” and “shown up” are supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning.
[3:4] 198 tn Grk “might be justified,” a subjunctive verb, but in this type of clause it carries the same sense as the future indicative verb in the latter part. “Will” is more idiomatic in contemporary English.
[3:4] 199 tn Or “prevail when you judge.” A quotation from Ps 51:4.
[3:5] 200 tn Or “shows clearly.”
[3:5] 201 tn Grk “That God is not unjust to inflict wrath, is he?”
[3:5] 202 sn The same expression occurs in Gal 3:15, and similar phrases in Rom 6:19 and 1 Cor 9:8.
[3:7] 203 tn Grk “abounded unto.”
[3:8] 204 tn Grk “(as we are slandered and some affirm that we say…).”
[3:8] 205 tn Grk “whose.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, this relative clause was rendered as a new sentence in the translation.
[3:12] 206 sn Verses 10-12 are a quotation from Ps 14:1-3.
[3:13] 207 tn Grk “their throat is an opened grave.”
[3:13] 208 sn A quotation from Pss 5:9; 140:3.
[3:14] 209 tn Grk “whose mouth is.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[3:14] 210 sn A quotation from Ps 10:7.
[3:17] 211 sn Rom 3:15-17 is a quotation from Isa 59:7-8.
[3:18] 212 sn A quotation from Ps 36:1.
[3:19] 213 tn Grk “in,” “in connection with.”
[3:20] 214 sn An allusion to Ps 143:2.
[3:20] 215 tn Grk “because by the works of the law no flesh is justified before him.” Some recent scholars have understood the phrase ἒργα νόμου (erga nomou, “works of the law”) to refer not to obedience to the Mosaic law generally, but specifically to portions of the law that pertain to things like circumcision and dietary laws which set the Jewish people apart from the other nations (e.g., J. D. G. Dunn, Romans [WBC], 1:155). Other interpreters, like C. E. B. Cranfield (“‘The Works of the Law’ in the Epistle to the Romans,” JSNT 43 [1991]: 89-101) reject this narrow interpretation for a number of reasons, among which the most important are: (1) The second half of v. 20, “for through the law comes the knowledge of sin,” is hard to explain if the phrase “works of the law” is understood in a restricted sense; (2) the plural phrase “works of the law” would have to be understood in a different sense from the singular phrase “the work of the law” in 2:15; (3) similar phrases involving the law in Romans (2:13, 14; 2:25, 26, 27; 7:25; 8:4; and 13:8) which are naturally related to the phrase “works of the law” cannot be taken to refer to circumcision (in fact, in 2:25 circumcision is explicitly contrasted with keeping the law). Those interpreters who reject the “narrow” interpretation of “works of the law” understand the phrase to refer to obedience to the Mosaic law in general.
[3:21] 217 tn Νυνὶ δέ (Nuni de, “But now”) could be understood as either (1) logical or (2) temporal in force, but most recent interpreters take it as temporal, referring to a new phase in salvation history.
[3:21] 218 tn Grk “being witnessed by the law and the prophets,” a remark which is virtually parenthetical to Paul’s argument.
[3:22] 219 tn Or “faith in Christ.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pisti" Cristou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in v. 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; Eph 3:12; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view.
[3:22] sn ExSyn 116, which notes that the grammar is not decisive, nevertheless suggests that “the faith/faithfulness of Christ is not a denial of faith in Christ as a Pauline concept (for the idea is expressed in many of the same contexts, only with the verb πιστεύω rather than the noun), but implies that the object of faith is a worthy object, for he himself is faithful.” Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.
[3:24] 220 tn Or “declared righteous.” Grk “being justified,” as a continuation of the preceding clause. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[3:25] 221 tn Or “purposed, intended.”
[3:25] 222 tn Grk “whom God publicly displayed.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[3:25] 223 tn Grk “in his blood.” The prepositional phrase ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι (ejn tw aujtou {aimati) is difficult to interpret. It is traditionally understood to refer to the atoning sacrifice Jesus made when he shed his blood on the cross, and as a modifier of ἱλαστήριον (Jilasthrion). This interpretation fits if ἱλαστήριον is taken to refer to a sacrifice. But if ἱλαστήριον is taken to refer to the place where atonement is made as this translation has done (see note on the phrase “mercy seat”), this interpretation of ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι creates a violent mixed metaphor. Within a few words Paul would switch from referring to Jesus as the place where atonement was made to referring to Jesus as the atoning sacrifice itself. A viable option which resolves this problem is to see ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι as modifying the verb προέθετο (proeqeto). If it modifies the verb, it would explain the time or place in which God publicly displayed Jesus as the mercy seat; the reference to blood would be a metaphorical way of speaking of Jesus’ death. This is supported by the placement of ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι in the Greek text (it follows the noun, separated from it by another prepositional phrase) and by stylistic parallels with Rom 1:4. This is the interpretation the translation has followed, although it is recognized that many interpreters favor different options and translations. The prepositional phrase has been moved forward in the sentence to emphasize its connection with the verb, and the referent of the metaphorical language has been specified in the translation. For a detailed discussion of this interpretation, see D. P. Bailey, “Jesus As the Mercy Seat: The Semantics and Theology of Paul’s Use of Hilasterion in Romans 3:25” (Ph.D. diss., University of Cambridge, 1999).
[3:25] 224 tn The word ἱλαστήριον (Jilasthrion) may carry the general sense “place of satisfaction,” referring to the place where God’s wrath toward sin is satisfied. More likely, though, it refers specifically to the “mercy seat,” i.e., the covering of the ark where the blood was sprinkled in the OT ritual on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This term is used only one other time in the NT: Heb 9:5, where it is rendered “mercy seat.” There it describes the altar in the most holy place (holy of holies). Thus Paul is saying that God displayed Jesus as the “mercy seat,” the place where propitiation was accomplished. See N. S. L. Fryer, “The Meaning and Translation of Hilasterion in Romans 3:25,” EvQ 59 (1987): 99-116, who concludes the term is a neuter accusative substantive best translated “mercy seat” or “propitiatory covering,” and D. P. Bailey, “Jesus As the Mercy Seat: The Semantics and Theology of Paul’s Use of Hilasterion in Romans 3:25” (Ph.D. diss., University of Cambridge, 1999), who argues that this is a direct reference to the mercy seat which covered the ark of the covenant.
[3:25] 225 tn The prepositional phrase διὰ πίστεως (dia pistew") here modifies the noun ἱλαστήριον (Jilasthrion). As such it forms a complete noun phrase and could be written as “mercy-seat-accessible-through-faith” to emphasize the singular idea. See Rom 1:4 for a similar construction. The word “accessible” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied to clarify the idea expressed by the prepositional phrase (cf. NRSV: “effective through faith”).
[3:25] 226 tn Grk “for a demonstration,” giving the purpose of God’s action in v. 25a. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[3:25] 227 tn Grk “because of the passing over of sins previously committed in the forbearance of God.”
[3:26] 228 tn The words “This was” have been repeated from the previous verse to clarify that this is a continuation of that thought. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[3:26] 229 tn Grk “toward a demonstration,” repeating and expanding the purpose of God’s action in v. 25a.
[3:26] 231 tn Or “of the one who has faith in Jesus.” See note on “faithfulness of Jesus Christ” in v. 22 for the rationale behind the translation “Jesus’ faithfulness.”
[3:27] 232 tn Although a number of interpreters understand the “boasting” here to refer to Jewish boasting, others (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, “‘The Works of the Law’ in the Epistle to the Romans,” JSNT 43 [1991]: 96) take the phrase to refer to all human boasting before God.
[3:27] 233 tn Grk “By what sort of law?”
[3:28] 234 tn Here ἄνθρωπον (anqrwpon) is used in an indefinite and general sense (BDAG 81 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 4.a.γ).
[3:28] 235 tn See the note on the phrase “works of the law” in Rom 3:20.
[3:30] 236 tn Grk “but if indeed God is one.”
[3:31] 237 tn Grk “render inoperative.”
[3:31] 238 tn Grk “but” (Greek ἀλλά, alla).
[4:1] 239 tn Or “according to natural descent” (BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4).
[4:2] 241 tn Or “was justified.”
[4:3] 242 tn The term λογίζομαι (logizomai) occurs 11 times in this chapter (vv. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24). In secular usage it could (a) refer to deliberations of some sort, or (b) in commercial dealings (as virtually a technical term) to “reckoning” or “charging up a debt.” See H. W. Heidland, TDNT 4:284, 290-92.
[4:3] 243 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
[4:4] 244 tn Grk “not according to grace but according to obligation.”
[4:5] 245 tn Or “who justifies the ungodly.”
[4:8] 247 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
[4:8] 248 tn The verb translated “count” here is λογίζομαι (logizomai). It occurs eight times in Rom 4:1-12, including here, each time with the sense of “place on someone’s account.” By itself the word is neutral, but in particular contexts it can take on a positive or negative connotation. The other occurrences of the verb have been translated using a form of the English verb “credit” because they refer to a positive event: the application of righteousness to the individual believer. The use here in v. 8 is negative: the application of sin. A form of the verb “credit” was not used here because of the positive connotations associated with that English word, but it is important to recognize that the same concept is used here as in the other occurrences.
[4:8] 249 sn A quotation from Ps 32:1-2.
[4:9] 252 sn See the note on “circumcision” in 2:25.
[4:9] 254 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
[4:11] 255 tn Grk “of the faith, the one [existing] in uncircumcision.”
[4:11] 256 tn Grk “that he might be,” giving the purpose of v. 11a.
[4:11] 257 tn Grk “through uncircumcision.”
[4:12] 258 tn Grk “the father of circumcision.”
[4:12] 259 tn Grk “the ‘in-uncircumcision faith’ of our father Abraham.”
[4:13] 260 sn Although a singular noun, the promise is collective and does not refer only to Gen 12:7, but as D. Moo (Romans 1-8 [WEC], 279) points out, refers to multiple aspects of the promise to Abraham: multiplied descendants (Gen 12:2), possession of the land (Gen 13:15-17), and his becoming the vehicle of blessing to all people (Gen 12:13).
[4:14] 261 tn Grk “rendered inoperative.”
[4:16] 263 tn Grk “that it might be according to grace.”
[4:16] 264 tn Grk “those who are of the faith of Abraham.”
[4:17] 265 tn Verses 16-17 comprise one sentence in Greek, but this has been divided into two sentences due to English requirements.
[4:17] sn A quotation from Gen 17:5. The quotation forms a parenthesis in Paul’s argument.
[4:17] 266 tn The words “He is our father” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to show that they resume Paul’s argument from 16b. (It is also possible to supply “Abraham had faith” here [so REB], taking the relative clause [“who is the father of us all”] as part of the parenthesis, and making the connection back to “the faith of Abraham,” but such an option is not as likely [C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:243].)
[4:17] 267 tn “The God” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
[4:17] 268 tn Or “calls into existence the things that do not exist.” The translation of ὡς ὄντα (Jw" onta) allows for two different interpretations. If it has the force of result, then creatio ex nihilo is in view and the variant rendering is to be accepted (so C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:244). A problem with this view is the scarcity of ὡς plus participle to indicate result (though for the telic idea with ὡς plus participle, cf. Rom 15:15; 1 Thess 2:4). If it has a comparative force, then the translation given in the text is to be accepted: “this interpretation fits the immediate context better than a reference to God’s creative power, for it explains the assurance with which God can speak of the ‘many nations’ that will be descended from Abraham” (D. Moo, Romans [NICNT], 282; so also W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans [ICC], 113). Further, this view is in line with a Pauline idiom, viz., verb followed by ὡς plus participle (of the same verb or, in certain contexts, its antonym) to compare present reality with what is not a present reality (cf. 1 Cor 4:7; 5:3; 7:29, 30 (three times), 31; Col 2:20 [similarly, 2 Cor 6:9, 10]).
[4:18] 269 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:18] 270 tn Grk “who against hope believed,” referring to Abraham. The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[4:18] 271 sn A quotation from Gen 17:5.
[4:18] 272 tn Grk “according to that which had been spoken.”
[4:18] 273 sn A quotation from Gen 15:5.
[4:19] 274 tc Most
[4:19] 275 tc ‡ Most witnesses (א A C D Ψ 33 Ï bo) have ἤδη (hdh, “already”) at this point in v. 19. But B F G 630 1739 1881 pc lat sa lack it. Since it appears to heighten the style of the narrative and since there is no easy accounting for an accidental omission, it is best to regard the shorter text as original. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
[4:20] 276 tn Grk “And he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, δέ (de) has not been translated here.
[4:21] 277 tn Grk “and being.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[4:21] 278 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:22] 279 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:23] 280 tn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
[4:23] 281 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:25] 282 tn Grk “who,” referring to Jesus. The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[4:25] 283 tn Or “handed over.”
[4:25] sn The verb translated given over (παραδίδωμι, paradidwmi) is also used in Rom 1:24, 26, 28 to describe God giving people over to sin. But it is also used frequently in the gospels to describe Jesus being handed over (or delivered up, betrayed) by sinful men for crucifixion (cf., e.g., Matt 26:21; 27:4; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33; 15:15; Luke 20:20; 22:24; 24:7). It is probable that Paul has both ideas in mind: Jesus was handed over by sinners, but even this betrayal was directed by the Father for our sake (because of our transgressions).
[4:25] 284 tn Grk “because of.” However, in light of the unsatisfactory sense that a causal nuance would here suggest, it has been argued that the second διά (dia) is prospective rather than retrospective (D. Moo, Romans [NICNT], 288-89). The difficulty of this interpretation is the structural balance that both διά phrases provide (“given over because of our transgressions…raised because of our justification”). However the poetic structure of this verse strengthens the likelihood that the clauses each have a different force.
[4:25] 285 sn Many scholars regard Rom 4:25 to be poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage.
[5:1] 286 sn Many interpreters see Rom 5:1 as beginning the second major division of the letter.
[5:1] 287 tc A number of important witnesses have the subjunctive ἔχωμεν (ecwmen, “let us have”) instead of ἔχομεν (ecomen, “we have”) in v. 1. Included in the subjunctive’s support are א* A B* C D K L 33 81 630 1175 1739* pm lat bo. But the indicative is not without its supporters: א1 B2 F G P Ψ 0220vid 104 365 1241 1505 1506 1739c 1881 2464 pm. If the problem were to be solved on an external basis only, the subjunctive would be preferred. Because of this, the “A” rating on behalf of the indicative in the UBS4 appears overly confident. Nevertheless, the indicative is probably correct. First, the earliest witness to Rom 5:1 has the indicative (0220vid, third century). Second, the first set of correctors is sometimes, if not often, of equal importance with the original hand. Hence, א1 might be given equal value with א*. Third, there is a good cross-section of witnesses for the indicative: Alexandrian (in 0220vid, probably א1 1241 1506 1881 al), Western (in F G), and Byzantine (noted in NA27 as pm). Thus, although the external evidence is strongly in favor of the subjunctive, the indicative is represented well enough that its ancestry could easily go back to the original. Turning to the internal evidence, the indicative gains much ground. (1) The variant may have been produced via an error of hearing (since omicron and omega were pronounced alike in ancient Greek). This, of course, does not indicate which reading was original – just that an error of hearing may have produced one of them. In light of the indecisiveness of the transcriptional evidence, intrinsic evidence could play a much larger role. This is indeed the case here. (2) The indicative fits well with the overall argument of the book to this point. Up until now, Paul has been establishing the “indicatives of the faith.” There is only one imperative (used rhetorically) and only one hortatory subjunctive (and this in a quotation within a diatribe) up till this point, while from ch. 6 on there are sixty-one imperatives and seven hortatory subjunctives. Clearly, an exhortation would be out of place in ch. 5. (3) Paul presupposes that the audience has peace with God (via reconciliation) in 5:10. This seems to assume the indicative in v. 1. (4) As C. E. B. Cranfield notes, “it would surely be strange for Paul, in such a carefully argued writing as this, to exhort his readers to enjoy or to guard a peace which he has not yet explicitly shown to be possessed by them” (Romans [ICC], 1:257). (5) The notion that εἰρήνην ἔχωμεν (eirhnhn ecwmen) can even naturally mean “enjoy peace” is problematic (ExSyn 464), yet those who embrace the subjunctive have to give the verb some such force. Thus, although the external evidence is stronger in support of the subjunctive, the internal evidence points to the indicative. Although a decision is difficult, ἔχομεν appears to be the authentic reading.
[8:1] 288 tc The earliest and best witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western texts, as well as a few others (א* B D* F G 6 1506 1739 1881 pc co), have no additional words for v. 1. Later scribes (A D1 Ψ 81 365 629 pc vg) added the words μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν (mh kata sarka peripatousin, “who do not walk according to the flesh”), while even later ones (א2 D2 33vid Ï) added ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα (alla kata pneuma, “but [who do walk] according to the Spirit”). Both the external evidence and the internal evidence are compelling for the shortest reading. The scribes were evidently motivated to add such qualifications (interpolated from v. 4) to insulate Paul’s gospel from charges that it was characterized too much by grace. The KJV follows the longest reading found in Ï.
[8:2] 289 tn Grk “for the law of the Spirit of life.”
[8:2] 290 tc Most
[8:5] 292 tn Grk “think on” or “are intent on” (twice in this verse). What is in view here is not primarily preoccupation, however, but worldview. Translations like “set their mind on” could be misunderstood by the typical English reader to refer exclusively to preoccupation.
[8:6] 293 tn Or “mindset,” “way of thinking” (twice in this verse and once in v. 7). The Greek term φρόνημα does not refer to one’s mind, but to one’s outlook or mindset.
[8:9] 294 tn Or “are not controlled by the flesh but by the Spirit.”
[8:10] 295 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.
[8:10] 296 tn Or “life-giving.” Grk “the Spirit is life.”
[8:11] 297 sn The one who raised Jesus from the dead refers to God (also in the following clause).
[8:11] 298 tc Several
[8:11] 299 tc Most
[8:12] 300 tn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.
[8:12] 301 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
[8:13] 302 tn Grk “are about to, are certainly going to.”
[8:13] 303 sn This remark is parenthetical to Paul’s argument.
[8:14] 304 tn Grk “For as many as are being led by the Spirit of God, these are.”
[8:15] 305 tn Grk “slavery again to fear.”
[8:15] 306 tn The Greek term υἱοθεσία (Juioqesia) was originally a legal technical term for adoption as a son with full rights of inheritance. BDAG 1024 s.v. notes, “a legal t.t. of ‘adoption’ of children, in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense of a transcendent filial relationship between God and humans (with the legal aspect, not gender specificity, as major semantic component).”
[8:16] 308 tn Or possibly “with.” ExSyn 160-61, however, notes the following: “At issue, grammatically, is whether the Spirit testifies alongside of our spirit (dat. of association), or whether he testifies to our spirit (indirect object) that we are God’s children. If the former, the one receiving this testimony is unstated (is it God? or believers?). If the latter, the believer receives the testimony and hence is assured of salvation via the inner witness of the Spirit. The first view has the advantage of a σύν- (sun-) prefixed verb, which might be expected to take an accompanying dat. of association (and is supported by NEB, JB, etc.). But there are three reasons why πνεύματι (pneumati) should not be taken as association: (1) Grammatically, a dat. with a σύν- prefixed verb does not necessarily indicate association. This, of course, does not preclude such here, but this fact at least opens up the alternatives in this text. (2) Lexically, though συμμαρτυρέω (summarturew) originally bore an associative idea, it developed in the direction of merely intensifying μαρτυρέω (marturew). This is surely the case in the only other NT text with a dat. (Rom 9:1). (3) Contextually, a dat. of association does not seem to support Paul’s argument: ‘What standing has our spirit in this matter? Of itself it surely has no right at all to testify to our being sons of God’ [C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:403]. In sum, Rom 8:16 seems to be secure as a text in which the believer’s assurance of salvation is based on the inner witness of the Spirit. The implications of this for one’s soteriology are profound: The objective data, as helpful as they are, cannot by themselves provide assurance of salvation; the believer also needs (and receives) an existential, ongoing encounter with God’s Spirit in order to gain that familial comfort.”
[8:17] 309 tn Grk “on the one hand, heirs of God; on the other hand, fellow heirs with Christ.” Some prefer to render v. 17 as follows: “And if children, then heirs – that is, heirs of God. Also fellow heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.” Such a translation suggests two distinct inheritances, one coming to all of God’s children, the other coming only to those who suffer with Christ. The difficulty of this view, however, is that it ignores the correlative conjunctions μέν…δέ (men…de, “on the one hand…on the other hand”): The construction strongly suggests that the inheritances cannot be separated since both explain “then heirs.” For this reason, the preferred translation puts this explanation in parentheses.
[8:18] 310 tn Grk “are not worthy [to be compared].”
[8:20] 311 tn Grk “because of the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:23] 312 tn Or “who have the Spirit as firstfruits.” The genitive πνεύματος (pneumatos) can be understood here as possessive (“the firstfruits belonging to the Spirit”) although it is much more likely that this is a genitive of apposition (“the firstfruits, namely, the Spirit”); cf. TEV, NLT.
[8:23] 313 tn See the note on “adoption” in v. 15.
[8:25] 315 tn Or “perseverance.”
[8:26] 316 tn Or “for we do not know what we ought to pray for.”
[8:27] 317 sn He refers to God here; Paul has not specifically identified him for the sake of rhetorical power (for by leaving the subject slightly ambiguous, he draws his audience into seeing God’s hand in places where he is not explicitly mentioned).
[8:27] 318 tn Grk “he,” or “it”; the referent (the Spirit) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:28] 319 tc ὁ θεός (Jo qeos, “God”) is found after the verb συνεργεῖ (sunergei, “work”) in v. 28 by Ì46 A B 81 sa; the shorter reading is found in א C D F G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï latt sy bo. Although the inclusion is supported by a significant early papyrus, the alliance of significant Alexandrian and Western witnesses favors the shorter reading. As well, the longer reading is evidently motivated by a need for clarification. Since ὁ θεός is textually suspect, it is better to read the text without it. This leaves two good translational options: either “he works all things together for good” or “all things work together for good.” In the first instance the subject is embedded in the verb and “God” is clearly implied (as in v. 29). In the second instance, πάντα (panta) becomes the subject of an intransitive verb. In either case, “What is expressed is a truly biblical confidence in the sovereignty of God” (C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:427).
[8:29] 320 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God’s Son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:29] 321 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
[8:32] 322 tn Grk “[he] who.” The relative clause continues the question of v. 31 in a way that is awkward in English. The force of v. 32 is thus: “who indeed did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – How will he not also with him give us all things?”
[8:33] 323 sn An allusion to Isa 50:8 where the reference is singular; Paul applies this to all believers (“God’s elect” is plural here).
[8:34] 324 tc ‡ A number of significant and early witnesses, along with several others (Ì46vid א A C F G L Ψ 6 33 81 104 365 1505 al lat bo), read ᾿Ιησοῦς (Ihsous, “Jesus”) after Χριστός (Cristos, “Christ”) in v. 34. But the shorter reading is not unrepresented (B D 0289 1739 1881 Ï sa). Once ᾿Ιησοῦς got into the text, what scribe would omit it? Although the external evidence is on the side of the longer reading, internally such an expansion seems suspect. The shorter reading is thus preferred. NA27 has the word in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
[8:34] tn Grk “who also.”
[8:35] 325 tn Here “sword” is a metonymy that includes both threats of violence and acts of violence, even including death (although death is not necessarily the only thing in view here).
[8:36] 326 sn A quotation from Ps 44:22.
[8:37] 327 tn BDAG 1034 s.v. ὑπερνικάω states, “as a heightened form of νικᾶν prevail completely ὑπερνικῶμεν we are winning a most glorious victory Ro 8:37.”
[8:37] 328 tn Here the referent could be either God or Christ, but in v. 39 it is God’s love that is mentioned.
[8:38] 329 tn BDAG 138 s.v. ἀρχή 6 takes this term as a reference to angelic or transcendent powers (as opposed to merely human rulers). To clarify this, the adjective “heavenly” has been supplied in the translation. Some interpreters see this as a reference to fallen angels or demonic powers, and this view is reflected in some recent translations (NIV, NLT).
[9:1] 330 sn Rom 9:1–11:36. These three chapters are among the most difficult and disputed in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. One area of difficulty is the relationship between Israel and the church, especially concerning the nature and extent of Israel’s election. Many different models have been constructed to express this relationship. For a representative survey, see M. Barth, The People of God (JSNTSup), 22-27. The literary genre of these three chapters has been frequently identified as a diatribe, a philosophical discussion or conversation evolved by the Cynic and Stoic schools of philosophy as a means of popularizing their ideas (E. Käsemann, Romans, 261 and 267). But other recent scholars have challenged the idea that Rom 9–11 is characterized by diatribe. Scholars like R. Scroggs and E. E. Ellis have instead identified the material in question as midrash. For a summary and discussion of the rabbinic connections, see W. R. Stegner, “Romans 9.6-29 – A Midrash,” JSNT 22 (1984): 37-52.
[9:1] 331 tn Or “my conscience bears witness to me.”
[9:2] 332 tn Grk “my sorrow is great and the anguish in my heart is unceasing.”
[9:3] 333 tn Or “For I would pray.” The implied condition is “if this could save my fellow Jews.”
[9:3] 334 tn Grk “brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.
[9:3] 335 tn Grk “my kinsmen according to the flesh.”
[9:4] 336 tn Grk “of whom.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[9:4] 337 tn The Greek term υἱοθεσία (Juioqesia) was originally a legal technical term for adoption as a son with full rights of inheritance. BDAG 1024 s.v. notes, “a legal t.t. of ‘adoption’ of children, in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense of a transcendent filial relationship between God and humans (with the legal aspect, not gender specificity, as major semantic component).” Although some modern translations remove the filial sense completely and render the term merely “adoption” (cf. NAB, ESV), the retention of this component of meaning was accomplished in the present translation by the phrase “as sons.”
[9:4] 338 tn Or “cultic service.”
[9:5] 339 tn Grk “of whom are the fathers.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[9:5] 340 tn Grk “from whom.” Here the relative pronoun has been replaced by a personal pronoun.
[9:5] 341 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
[9:5] 342 tn Or “Messiah.” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed.”)
[9:5] 343 tn Or “the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever,” or “the Messiah. God who is over all be blessed forever!” or “the Messiah who is over all. God be blessed forever!” The translational difficulty here is not text-critical in nature, but is a problem of punctuation. Since the genre of these opening verses of Romans 9 is a lament, it is probably best to take this as an affirmation of Christ’s deity (as the text renders it). Although the other renderings are possible, to see a note of praise to God at the end of this section seems strangely out of place. But for Paul to bring his lament to a crescendo (that is to say, his kinsmen had rejected God come in the flesh), thereby deepening his anguish, is wholly appropriate. This is also supported grammatically and stylistically: The phrase ὁ ὢν (Jo wn, “the one who is”) is most naturally taken as a phrase which modifies something in the preceding context, and Paul’s doxologies are always closely tied to the preceding context. For a detailed examination of this verse, see B. M. Metzger, “The Punctuation of Rom. 9:5,” Christ and the Spirit in the New Testament, 95-112; and M. J. Harris, Jesus as God, 144-72.
[9:6] 344 tn Grk “For not all those who are from Israel are Israel.”
[9:7] 345 tn Grk “be called.” The emphasis here is upon God’s divine sovereignty in choosing Isaac as the child through whom Abraham’s lineage would be counted as opposed to Ishmael.
[9:7] sn A quotation from Gen 21:12.
[9:8] 346 tn Grk “That is,” or “That is to say.”
[9:8] 347 tn Because it forms the counterpoint to “the children of promise” the expression “children of the flesh” has been retained in the translation.
[9:8] sn The expression the children of the flesh refers to the natural offspring.
[9:9] 348 tn Grk “For this is the word of promise.”
[9:9] 349 tn Grk “About this time I will return.” Since this refers to the time when the promised child would be born, it would be approximately a year later.
[9:9] 350 sn A quotation from Gen 18:10, 14.
[9:10] 351 tn Or possibly “by one act of sexual intercourse.” See D. Moo, Romans (NICNT), 579.
[9:11] 352 tn Grk “God’s purpose according to election.”
[9:11] 353 tn Or “not based on works but based on…”
[9:11] 354 tn Grk “by the one who calls.”
[9:11] sn The entire clause is something of a parenthetical remark.
[9:12] 355 sn Many translations place this verse division before the phrase “not by works but by his calling” (NA27/UBS4, NIV, NRSV, NLT, NAB). Other translations place this verse division in the same place that the translation above does (NASB, KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV). The translation has followed the latter to avoid breaking the parenthetical statement.
[9:12] 356 sn A quotation from Gen 25:23.
[9:13] 357 sn A quotation from Mal 1:2-3.
[9:15] 358 sn A quotation from Exod 33:19.
[9:16] 359 sn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.
[9:16] 360 tn Grk “So then, [it does] not [depend] on the one who desires nor on the one who runs.”
[9:17] 361 sn Paul uses a typical rabbinic formula here in which the OT scriptures are figuratively portrayed as speaking to Pharaoh. What he means is that the scripture he cites refers (or can be applied) to Pharaoh.
[9:17] 362 sn A quotation from Exod 9:16.
[9:18] 363 sn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what he has been arguing.
[9:18] 364 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:18] 365 tn Grk “So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.”
[9:20] 367 tn Grk “On the contrary, O man, who are you to talk back to God?”
[9:20] 368 sn A quotation from Isa 29:16; 45:9.
[9:21] 369 tn Grk “Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make from the same lump.”
[9:21] 370 tn Grk “one vessel for honor and another for dishonor.”
[9:22] 371 tn Grk “vessels.” This is the same Greek word used in v. 21.
[9:22] 372 tn Or “vessels destined for wrath.” The genitive ὀργῆς (orghs) could be taken as a genitive of destination.
[9:22] 373 tn Or possibly “objects of wrath that have fit themselves for destruction.” The form of the participle could be taken either as a passive or middle (reflexive). ExSyn 417-18 argues strongly for the passive sense (which is followed in the translation), stating that “the middle view has little to commend it.” First, καταρτίζω (katartizw) is nowhere else used in the NT as a direct or reflexive middle (a usage which, in any event, is quite rare in the NT). Second, the lexical force of this verb, coupled with the perfect tense, suggests something of a “done deal” (against some commentaries that see these vessels as ready for destruction yet still able to avert disaster). Third, the potter-clay motif seems to have one point: The potter prepares the clay.
[9:23] 374 tn Grk “vessels.” This is the same Greek word used in v. 21.
[9:25] 375 tn Grk “and her who was not beloved, ‘Beloved.’”
[9:25] 376 sn A quotation from Hos 2:23.
[9:26] 377 tn Grk “And it will be in the very place.”
[9:26] 378 sn A quotation from Hos 1:10.
[9:28] 380 tc In light of the interpretive difficulty of this verse, a longer reading seems to have been added to clarify the meaning. The addition, in the middle of the sentence, makes the whole verse read as follows: “For he will execute his sentence completely and quickly in righteousness, because the Lord will do it quickly on the earth.” The shorter reading is found largely in Alexandrian
[9:28] tn There is a wordplay in Greek (in both the LXX and here) on the phrase translated “completely and quickly” (συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων, suntelwn kai suntemnwn). These participles are translated as adverbs for smoothness; a more literal (and more cumbersome) rendering would be: “The Lord will act by closing the account [or completing the sentence], and by cutting short the time.” The interpretation of this text is notoriously difficult. Cf. BDAG 975 s.v. συντέμνω.
[9:28] sn A modified quotation from Isa 10:22-23. Since it is not exact, it has been printed as italics only.
[9:29] 381 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[9:29] 382 tn Traditionally, “Lord of hosts”; Grk “Lord Sabaoth,” which means “Lord of the [heavenly] armies,” sometimes translated more generally as “Lord Almighty.”
[9:29] 383 sn A quotation from Isa 1:9.
[9:31] 384 tn Or “who pursued.” The participle could be taken adverbially or adjectivally.
[9:31] 385 tn Or “a legal righteousness,” that is, a righteousness based on law. This translation would treat the genitive δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosunh") as an attributed genitive (see ExSyn 89-91).
[9:31] 386 tn Grk “has not attained unto the law.”
[9:32] 387 tn Grk “Why? Because not by faith but as though by works.” The verb (“they pursued [it]”) is to be supplied from the preceding verse for the sake of English style; yet a certain literary power is seen in Paul’s laconic style.
[9:32] 388 tc Most
[9:32] tn Grk “but as by works.”
[9:32] 389 tn Grk “the stone of stumbling.”
[9:33] 390 tn Grk “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”
[9:33] 391 sn A quotation from Isa 28:16; 8:14.
[10:1] 392 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
[10:1] 393 tn Grk “on behalf of them”; the referent (Paul’s fellow Israelites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[10:2] 394 tn Grk “they have a zeal for God.”
[10:2] 395 tn Grk “in accord with knowledge.”
[10:2] sn Their zeal is not in line with the truth means that the Jews’ passion for God was strong, but it ignored the true righteousness of God (v. 3; cf. also 3:21).
[10:5] 396 sn A quotation from Lev 18:5.
[10:6] 397 sn A quotation from Deut 9:4.
[10:6] 398 sn A quotation from Deut 30:12.
[10:7] 399 sn A quotation from Deut 30:13.
[10:8] 400 sn A quotation from Deut 30:14.
[10:9] 401 tn Or “the Lord.” The Greek construction, along with the quotation from Joel 2:32 in v. 13 (in which the same “Lord” seems to be in view) suggests that κύριον (kurion) is to be taken as “the Lord,” that is, Yahweh. Cf. D. B. Wallace, “The Semantics and Exegetical Significance of the Object-Complement Construction in the New Testament,” GTJ 6 (1985): 91-112.
[10:10] 402 tn Grk “believes to righteousness.”
[10:10] 403 tn Grk “confesses to salvation.”
[10:11] 404 sn A quotation from Isa 28:16.
[10:13] 405 sn A quotation from Joel 2:32.
[10:14] 406 tn Grk “preaching”; the words “to them” are supplied for clarification.
[10:15] 407 tn The word in this context seems to mean “coming at the right or opportune time” (see BDAG 1103 s.v. ὡραῖος 1); it may also mean “beautiful, attractive, welcome.”
[10:15] 408 tn Grk “the feet.” The metaphorical nuance of “beautiful feet” is that such represent timely news.
[10:15] 409 sn A quotation from Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15.
[10:16] 410 sn A quotation from Isa 53:1.
[10:17] 411 tn The Greek term here is ῥῆμα (rJhma), which often (but not exclusively) focuses on the spoken word.
[10:17] 412 tc Most
[10:17] tn The genitive could be understood as either subjective (“Christ does the speaking”) or objective (“Christ is spoken about”), but the latter is more likely here.
[10:18] 413 tn That is, Israel (see the following verse).
[10:18] 414 tn Grk “they have not ‘not heard,’ have they?” This question is difficult to render in English. The basic question is a negative sentence (“Have they not heard?”), but it is preceded by the particle μή (mh) which expects a negative response. The end result in English is a double negative (“They have not ‘not heard,’ have they?”). This has been changed to a positive question in the translation for clarity. See BDAG 646 s.v. μή 3.a.; D. Moo, Romans (NICNT), 666, fn. 32; and C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 537, for discussion.
[10:18] 415 tn Here the particle μενοῦνγε (menounge) is correcting the negative response expected by the particle μή (mh) in the preceding question. Since the question has been translated positively, the translation was changed here to reflect that rendering.
[10:18] 416 sn A quotation from Ps 19:4.
[10:19] 417 tn Grk “Israel did not ‘not know,’ did he?” The double negative in Greek has been translated as a positive affirmation for clarity (see v. 18 above for a similar situation).
[10:19] 418 sn A quotation from Deut 32:21.
[10:20] 419 sn A quotation from Isa 65:1.
[10:21] 420 sn A quotation from Isa 65:2.
[11:3] 421 sn A quotation from 1 Kgs 19:10, 14.
[11:4] 422 tn Grk “the revelation,” “the oracle.”
[11:4] 423 tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only exceptionally is used in a generic sense of both males and females. In this context, it appears to be a generic usage (“people”) since when Paul speaks of a remnant of faithful Israelites (“the elect,” v. 7), he is not referring to males only. It can also be argued, however, that it refers only to adult males here (“men”), perhaps as representative of all the faithful left in Israel.
[11:4] 424 sn A quotation from 1 Kgs 19:18.
[11:7] 425 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[11:8] 426 sn A quotation from Deut 29:4; Isa 29:10.
[11:10] 427 sn A quotation from Ps 69:22-23.
[11:11] 428 tn Grk “that they might fall.”
[11:11] 429 tn Grk “them”; the referent (Israel, cf. 11:7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:12] 430 tn Or “full inclusion”; Grk “their fullness.”
[11:16] 431 tn Grk “firstfruits,” a term for the first part of something that has been set aside and offered to God before the remainder can be used.
[11:16] 432 sn Most interpreters see Paul as making use of a long-standing metaphor of the olive tree (the root…the branches) as a symbol for Israel. See, in this regard, Jer 11:16, 19. A. T. Hanson, Studies in Paul’s Technique and Theology, 121-24, cites rabbinic use of the figure of the olive tree, and goes so far as to argue that Rom 11:17-24 is a midrash on Jer 11:16-19.
[11:17] 433 tn Grk “became a participant of.”
[11:20] 434 tn Grk “well!”, an adverb used to affirm a statement. It means “very well,” “you are correct.”
[11:22] 435 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.
[11:22] 436 tn Grk “if you continue in (the) kindness.”
[11:25] 437 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
[11:25] 438 tn Or “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”
[11:25] 439 tn Grk “fullness.”
[11:26] 440 tn It is not clear whether the phrase καὶ οὕτως (kai Joutws, “and so”) is to be understood in a modal sense (“and in this way”) or in a temporal sense (“and in the end”). Neither interpretation is conclusive from a grammatical standpoint, and in fact the two may not be mutually exclusive. Some, like H. Hübner, who argue strongly against the temporal reading, nevertheless continue to give the phrase a temporal significance, saying that God will save all Israel in the end (Gottes Ich und Israel [FRLANT], 118).
[11:27] 441 sn A quotation from Isa 59:20-21.
[11:27] 442 sn A quotation from Isa 27:9; Jer 31:33-34.
[11:31] 443 tc Some important Alexandrian and Western
[11:32] 444 tn Grk “to all”; “them” has been supplied for stylistic reasons.
[11:34] 445 sn A quotation from Isa 40:13.
[11:35] 446 tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:35] 447 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:35] 448 sn A quotation from Job 41:11.
[1:1] 449 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
[1:1] 450 tn Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
[1:1] sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s “slave” or “servant” is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For someone who was Jewish this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
[1:1] 451 tc Many important
[1:1] 452 tn Grk “a called apostle.”
[1:1] 453 tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.
[1:2] 454 tn Grk “the gospel of God, which he promised.” Because of the length and complexity of this sentence in Greek, it was divided into shorter English sentences in keeping with contemporary English style. To indicate the referent of the relative pronoun (“which”), the word “gospel” was repeated at the beginning of v. 2.
[1:3] 455 tn Grk “born of the seed” (an idiom).
[1:3] 456 tn Grk “according to the flesh,” indicating Jesus’ earthly life, a reference to its weakness. This phrase implies that Jesus was more than human; otherwise it would have been sufficient to say that he was a descendant of David, cf. L. Morris, Romans, 44.
[1:4] 457 sn Appointed the Son-of-God-in-power. Most translations render the Greek participle ὁρισθέντος (Jorisqentos, from ὁρίζω, Jorizw) “declared” or “designated” in order to avoid the possible interpretation that Jesus was appointed the Son of God by the resurrection. However, the Greek term ὁρίζω is used eight times in the NT, and it always has the meaning “to determine, appoint.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh (with respect to the flesh, v. 3) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
[1:4] 458 tn Grk “spirit of holiness.” Some interpreters take the phrase to refer to Christ’s own inner spirit, which was characterized by holiness.
[1:4] 459 tn Or “by his resurrection.” Most interpreters see this as a reference to Jesus’ own resurrection, although some take it to refer to the general resurrection at the end of the age, of which Jesus’ resurrection is the first installment (cf. 1 Cor 15:23).
[1:5] 460 tn Grk “through whom.”
[1:5] 461 tn Some interpreters understand the phrase “grace and apostleship” as a hendiadys, translating “grace [i.e., gift] of apostleship.” The pronoun “our” is supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of the statement.
[1:5] 462 tn Grk “and apostleship for obedience.”
[1:5] 463 tn The phrase ὑπακοὴν πίστεως has been variously understood as (1) an objective genitive (a reference to the Christian faith, “obedience to [the] faith”); (2) a subjective genitive (“the obedience faith produces [or requires]”); (3) an attributive genitive (“believing obedience”); or (4) as a genitive of apposition (“obedience, [namely] faith”) in which “faith” further defines “obedience.” These options are discussed by C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 1:66. Others take the phrase as deliberately ambiguous; see D. B. Garlington, “The Obedience of Faith in the Letter to the Romans: Part I: The Meaning of ὑπακοὴ πίστεως (Rom 1:5; 16:26),” WTJ 52 (1990): 201-24.
[1:6] 464 tn Grk “among whom you also are called.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. The NIV, with its translation “And you also are among those who are called,” takes the phrase ἐν οἳς ἐστε to refer to the following clause rather than the preceding, so that the addressees of the letter (“you also”) are not connected with “all the Gentiles” mentioned at the end of v. 5. It is more likely, however, that the relative pronoun οἳς has τοῖς ἔθνεσιν as its antecedent, which would indicate that the church at Rome was predominantly Gentile.
[1:6] 465 tn Grk “called of Jesus Christ.”
[1:7] 466 map For location see JP4 A1.
[1:7] 467 tn Although the first part of v. 7 is not a complete English sentence, it maintains the “From…to” pattern used in all the Pauline letters to indicate the sender and the recipients. Here, however, there are several intervening verses (vv. 2-6), which makes the first half of v. 7 appear as an isolated sentence fragment.
[1:7] 468 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
[1:8] 469 tn Grk “First.” Paul never mentions a second point, so J. B. Phillips translated “I must begin by telling you….”
[1:9] 470 tn Grk “whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel.”
[1:10] 472 tn Grk “remember you, always asking.”
[1:10] 473 tn Grk “succeed in coming to you in the will of God.”
[1:11] 474 sn Paul does not mean here that he is going to bestow upon the Roman believers what is commonly known as a “spiritual gift,” that is, a special enabling for service given to believers by the Holy Spirit. Instead, this is either a metonymy of cause for effect (Paul will use his own spiritual gifts to edify the Romans), or it simply means something akin to a blessing or benefit in the spiritual realm. It is possible that Paul uses this phrase to connote specifically the broader purpose of his letter, which is for the Romans to understand his gospel, but this seems less likely.
[1:12] 475 tn Grk “that is, to be comforted together with you through the faith in one another.”
[1:13] 476 sn The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thess 4:13. Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.
[1:13] 477 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
[1:13] 478 tn Grk “in order that I might have some fruit also among you just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.”
[1:15] 480 tn Or “willing, ready”; Grk “so my eagerness [is] to preach…” The word πρόθυμος (proqumo", “eager, willing”) is used only elsewhere in the NT in Matt 26:41 = Mark 14:38: “the spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak.”
[1:15] 481 map For location see JP4 A1.
[1:16] 482 sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.
[1:17] 483 tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).
[1:17] 484 tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 485 tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pistew" ei" pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.
[1:17] 486 sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.
[1:18] 487 tn The genitive ἀνθρώπων could be taken as an attributed genitive, in which case the phase should be translated “against all ungodly and unrighteous people” (cf. “the truth of God” in v. 25 which is also probably an attributed genitive). C. E. B. Cranfield takes the section 1:18-32 to refer to all people (not just Gentiles), while 2:1-3:20 points out that the Jew is no exception (Romans [ICC], 1:104-6; 1:137-38).
[1:18] 488 tn “Their” is implied in the Greek, but is supplied because of English style.
[1:18] 489 tn Or “by means of unrighteousness.” Grk “in (by) unrighteousness.”
[1:19] 490 tn Grk “is manifest to/in them.”
[1:20] 491 tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:22] 493 tn The participle φάσκοντες (faskonte") is used concessively here.
[1:23] 494 tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (afqarto", “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (fqarto", “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).
[1:23] 495 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.
[1:24] 496 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 81:12.
[1:24] 497 tn The genitive articular infinitive τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι (tou atimazesqai, “to dishonor”) has been taken as (1) an infinitive of purpose; (2) an infinitive of result; or (3) an epexegetical (i.e., explanatory) infinitive, expanding the previous clause.
[1:24] 498 tn Grk “among them.”
[1:25] 499 tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:25] 501 tn Or “creature, created things.”
[1:26] 502 tn Grk “for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is contrary to nature.” The term χρῆσις (crhsi") has the force of “sexual relations” here (L&N 23.65).
[1:27] 503 tn Grk “likewise so also the males abandoning the natural function of the female.”
[1:27] 504 tn Grk “burned with intense desire” (L&N 25.16).
[1:27] 505 tn Grk “another, men committing…and receiving,” continuing the description of their deeds. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:28] 506 tn Grk “and just as they did not approve to have God in knowledge.”
[1:28] 507 tn Grk “the things that are improper.”
[1:29] 508 tn Grk “being filled” or “having been filled,” referring to those described in v. 28. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:29] 509 tn Grk “malice, full of,” continuing the description. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:31] 510 tn Or “promise-breakers.”
[1:32] 511 tn Grk “who, knowing…, not only do them but also approve…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[1:32] 512 tn Grk “are worthy of death.”
[1:32] 513 sn “Vice lists” like vv. 28-32 can be found elsewhere in the NT in Matt 15:19; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Tim 1:9-10; and 1 Pet 4:3. An example from the intertestamental period can be found in Wis 14:25-26.
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