The first part of this verse, Well then, are we Jews in any better condition than the Gentiles? Not at all!, presents several exegetical problems. (1) The Greek verb (one word in Greek, but ten words in Good News Translation: are we Jews in any better condition than the Gentiles?) may be understood in one of three ways. Most scholars interpret this verb in the same sense as the Good News Translation (see Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Moffatt, Phillips), but An American Translation* understands it in precisely the opposite sense (“are we Jews at a disadvantage?”; see also the alternative renderings in the Revised Standard Version and New English Bible). A third possibility of understanding this verb, though one not widely accepted, is represented in a footnote of the Jerusalem Bible (“what excuse then can we [Jews] offer?”). The problem with this third possibility is that the words rendered well then would have to be taken along with the main verb (with the meaning “what excuse then are we offering”), and the answer to this would have to be “none at all” (rather than not at all, as in the Greek). (2) The words rendered not at all may also mean “not altogether” (see New English Bible note “not in all respects”). The final decision as to exegesis should be made on the basis of what seems to fit the context best, and the exegesis represented by the Good News Translation, Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Moffatt, and Phillips seems to be most in keeping with the immediate as well as the overall context.

In verse 1 of this chapter Paul raised the question whether the Jews had any advantage over the Gentiles. His answer was Much, indeed, in every way! Paul now returns to that question and approaches it from a different point of view. He points out that even though God did trust his message to the Jews (v. 2), the Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. Viewed from this perspective, the Jews are not in any better condition that the Gentiles.

In addition to the complex exegetical difficulties involved in the first part of verse 9, there are a number of translational complications. In the first place, there is the transitional phrase well then, which is equivalent in some languages to “and now to return to the question,” “and what is the conclusion?” or “what can we really say?”

In the second place, we in the expression we Jews must be taken as exclusive in languages which make a distinction between inclusive and exclusive first person plural. Paul is obviously not including all of his audience in Rome, and though presumably he may be including part of his audience (since there are no doubt Jews among the believers in Rome), it is preferable in this type of context to use the exclusive first person plural.

In the third place, in any better condition may be rendered in some instances as “have a better place” or “are in a better position” (the reference here is clearly not to a condition of health). However, since the relation here is primarily one involving God, it may be necessary to specify this—for example, “better as far as God looks upon us” or “better in the eyes of God.”

In the fourth place, it may be necessary to change the question into a statement and incorporate the strong negative expression not at all as part of the initial statement—for example, “in summary then, we Jews are certainly not in any better condition than the Gentiles.”

I have already shown is in the Greek text a plural (“we”), but once again Paul uses the plural form as a reference to himself.

The final sentence of verse 9 may be treated as a reason for the first sentence and thus be introduced by a conjunction such as “for” or “because”—for example, “because I have already pointed out that Jews and Gentiles….”

The phrase under the power of sin is difficult to express in some languages, especially since power is highly abstract and sin refers primarily to events, not to some object. In some languages, however, one may use a phrase such as “all are controlled by sin” or “sin controls all people.” But in certain languages one cannot speak of sin controlling someone; it is only the desire to sin which can do this—for example, “all men are controlled by their desire to sin” or “men’s desire to sin commands them.”

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 .