The introductory question may be conveniently transformed into a statement—for example, “this is what we are saying,” “this is what we mean,” or “this is the significance of what we are saying.”

In Greek this verse reads, “What shall we say? That the nations who were not seeking righteousness attained righteousness, but the righteousness of faith.” Here again the Good News Translation changes the noun “righteousness” to a verb phrase meaning “to be put right with God.” And the phrase “the righteousness of faith” is translated as were put right with him through faith.

It is possible to understand the last part of this verse and all of verse 31 as a second question, that the Gentiles … did not find it?, but few modern translations accept this interpretation (see New American Bible). If this is taken as a question, it is obvious that the intended answer is “yes.”

Because of the necessity in some languages of changing passive to active expressions, one may restructure the clauses of verse 30 as “the Gentiles were not trying to put themselves right with God, but God put them right with himself because they trusted him” or “… by means of their trusting him.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .