Deeply devoted to God appears in many translations as “a zeal for God.” This phrase is similar to the way in which Paul spoke of himself in Acts 22.3, dedicated to God. The clause they are deeply devoted to God may be rendered in some languages as “they want very much to serve God” or “they are very anxious to please God.” The manner in which one translates this expression will, of course, influence the manner in which one refers to it in rendering their devotion in the next sentence—for example, “but the way in which they seek to serve God is not based on true knowledge.”

In the phrase not based on true knowledge (King James Version “not according to knowledge”), the Greek “knowledge” is a strengthened form of the word, and so the Good News Translation renders it as true knowledge. In Colossians the Good News Bible translates the same word as knowledge (1.9, 10), true understanding (2.2), and full knowledge (3.10). Not based on true knowledge appears in other translations as “not enlightened” (Revised Standard Version), “not an intelligent” (An American Translation*), “misguided” (Jerusalem Bible), and “ill-informed” (New English Bible). In some languages not based on true knowledge is equivalent to “they do not understand correctly,” “their understanding of how to serve God is not right,” or “they have not judged as they should have just how they should serve God.”

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 .