Translation commentary on Romans 1:18

God’s wrath (2.5, 8; 3.5; 4.15; 5.9; 9.22; 12.19; 13.4, 5) does not refer simply to God’s feelings (as might be suggested by Moffatt, An American Translation*, Jerusalem Bible “God’s anger”), but to his action in judging and punishing men for their sins (see New English Bible “divine retribution”). The close connection between God’s activity of putting men right with himself and God’s wrath is expressed through Paul by the use of the same verb in describing both of them: is revealed.

It is not easy to find an appropriate term for God’s wrath. The literal translation of wrath may suggest far too much—“God’s rage” or “God’s anger.” There is certainly a semantic component of anger in the biblical expression of wrath, but it is important to try to find some term which will avoid wrong connotations and at the same time focus upon God’s act of judging. Some translations actually employ “God’s judgment because of his anger” in an effort to represent both semantic components of wrath. In many languages one cannot speak of “wrath … coming down” since neither an emotion nor an event of judging can come down from heaven upon all the sin and evil of men. Hence a rather considerable restructuring of the semantic components of this first clause is usually necessary. An appropriate equivalent in some languages is “God has revealed how, in his anger, he will judge all the sin and evil of men.” On the other hand, in some languages one cannot speak of judging sin and evil, because one can only judge people who are sinful and evil. Therefore one must say: “God has revealed how he will judge men for all the sin and evil which they have done.”

Coming down from heaven (literally “from heaven”) means that God himself sends his wrath down as judgment upon men’s sins. Sin and evil, when taken together, are comprehensive terms. The first refers to wrong action against God, that is “impiety,” “irreverence,” or “godless action” (Romans 11.26; 2 Timothy 2.16; Titus 2.12; Jude 15, 18; see also the adjective in Romans 4.5; 5.6; 1 Timothy 1.9; 1 Peter 4.18; 2 Peter 2.5; 3.7; Jude 4, 15). The second describes wrong action against men, and so may be taken as “injustice,” “wrongdoing,” or “wickedness.” The New English Bible combines these terms, and so translates “godless wickedness.” When one can find in a receptor language terms which distinguish wrong in terms of actions toward God and those toward men, this is excellent. However, a far more general classification of evil is (1) the sin which is in men’s hearts and (2) the sin which expresses itself in overt deeds. Since this distinction is not far removed from the distinction between sin and evil of the Greek text, it may be possible to translate sin and evil as “all the sin in their hearts and all the evil they have done.”

Evil ways translates the same word rendered “evil” above. Truth refers to the truth about God, and the contrast is clear: God’s wrath is revealed on those who keep the truth about him from being revealed. In many languages one cannot speak of “evil ways” doing something. Moreover, the passive expression being known must often be rendered as active. Therefore, this final clause of verse 18 may be recast as “who by the evil which they do prevent people from knowing the truth about 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 .

Translation commentary on Romans 1:19

God punishes them is supplied from God’s wrath in verse 18, to make clear the action implied by because. Men are punished because they sin even while knowing the truth about God. Is plain to them translates an aorist tense in Greek; Paul probably has in mind God’s actions in creating the universe, which he looks upon as being one event. Is plain to them may be rendered as “can be clearly seen,” “can be fully understood,” or even “there is no uncertainty about what men can know about God.”

What men can know about God is literally “what can be known about God,” and the context of this knowledge is indicated in the following verse: his eternal power and his divine nature.

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 .

Translation commentary on Romans 1:20

Ever since God created the world translates the Greek noun phrase “from the creation of the world.” Paul qualifies what he means by the invisible qualities of God, that is his eternal power and his divine nature. Although these qualities are invisible, men can perceive them in the things that God has made. The noun rendered divine nature occurs only here in the New Testament; the corresponding adjective occurs in Acts 17.29; 2 Peter 1.3, 4. The verb rendered perceive implies knowledge, understanding, and mental awareness. Since the Gentiles can perceive what God is like through the world that he has made, they have no excuse at all; and the Jews, who pass judgment on others, are in the same condition (see 2.1).

It is not easy to combine such expressions as his invisible qualities and have been clearly seen. How can what is not visible be clearly seen? In some languages, therefore, it is necessary to speak of “can be clearly known” or “can be fully understood.” In a number of instances the specific qualities must actually precede the general statement about their being invisible. Hence the order of components in verse 20 may be changed as follows: “Ever since God created the world, people can clearly understand that his power never ceases and that he is truly God. These characteristics cannot be seen, but they can be known.” The second sentence of verse 20 may then be translated: “People can know this about God because of the things which God has made.” And the last sentence may be rendered: “As a result, they cannot have any excuse for what they have done” or “… there is no way in which they can defend what they have done.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Romans 1:21

Throughout the remainder of this chapter, most of the verbs are in the aorist tense, but the aorist does not necessarily indicate past time, and a past tense in English may imply that the action described has ceased. The force of the Greek aorist in this context is to indicate that these actions are typical of what men have done at all times throughout history; for the English reader the present tense is more natural in expressing such events. This is why throughout this passage the Good News Translation uses the present tense, rather than the past tense, as most translations do.

They know God in Greek is actually a participle indicating concession, that is, “even though they know God” (see Revised Standard Version). However, a number of translations do as the Good News Translation does, and renders this by a finite verb (see Jerusalem Bible “they knew God”). The knowledge referred to here is the recognition of God’s existence, not the knowledge of a personal relationship with God. It is important in the selection of a term for know to indicate that this is knowledge about and not intimate relationship with. In some instances, therefore, one must employ a translation such as “they know about God” or “they are acquainted with who God is.”

They do not give him the honor that belongs to him is rendered in the New English Bible by a more literal translation: “they have refused to honor him as God.” In order to express the meaning of this clause appropriately, it may be necessary to say: “they refused to honor God as the one whom they really know he is” or “they refused to honor God; they did not say to him, You truly are God.”

The clause nor do they thank him must be rendered in some languages as “and they do not say thank you to God” or “their hearts are not thankful for what God has done.”

The verb rendered become complete nonsense occurs only here in the New Testament; the corresponding adjective occurs in a similar passage in 1 Corinthians 3.20 (“the thoughts of the wise are worthless”) and elsewhere. Most translations render this phrase something like “they became futile in their thinking” (Revised Standard Version). In languages in which thoughts is much more normally expressed as a verb, it may be necessary to restructure this clause as “when they think, they think nothing,” “when they think, it has no value at all,” or “they think complete foolishness.”

Their empty minds is literally “their senseless heart.” In such a context in English it is much more natural to use a plural rather than a singular, and for this reason the Good News Translation uses the plural minds. Also, as is so often the case in the Bible, “heart” refers to the intellectual rather than the emotional capacity of the individual. The adjective rendered here empty means “stupid” or “without understanding” (see Matthew 15.16; Mark 7.18; Romans 1.31; 10.19). It is not easy to find an appropriate equivalent expression for this last clause of verse 21. In some languages the closest equivalent may be “their minds are empty, and their thoughts are dark,” “since their minds are empty, they think only dark thoughts”, or even “darkness covers (or fills) their empty minds.” The attributive “dark” as a qualifier of “thoughts” does not refer to ignorance but to failure to think right or correctly about moral issues. Therefore one can translate as “they do not think as they should,” “they do not think right,” or even “their thoughts are all wrong.” Terms such as “not right” or “wrong” should imply moral inadequacy, not simply technical incorrectness.

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 .

Translation commentary on Romans 1:22

This verse relates back to the discussion of God’s wrath; already God has caused men to begin to reap the result of their sins. In Greek they say they are wise is also a clause of concession, as is they know God in the preceding verse. Stylistically this may be handled in English by making the concession clause in Greek into the main clause in English, and by making the main Greek clause into an adversative clause in English. In Greek the words rendered wise and fools are at extreme opposite ends of the standards of measurement for people. Paul is saying that because the people have rejected God, they are exactly the opposite of what they think themselves to be.

Verse 22 may be rendered in some languages as “they pretended they had big minds, and they came down to no minds” or “they said their heads were wise, but their heads were only gourds.”

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 .

Translation commentary on Romans 1:23

Instead of worshiping the immortal God, they worship is literally “they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for.” This, of course, is idolatry. To “exchange God’s glory” for something else (see Psalm 106.20) is to give up acknowledging, praising, honoring, worshiping the true God, whose existence and being are revealed in his “glory,” and to substitute idols as the object of worship. In this verse Paul makes an obvious contrast between God who is immortal and man who is mortal. Instead of worshiping may be rendered in some languages as “they give up worshiping” or “they no longer worship.” Immortal is rendered in most languages as “who never dies” or “who always exists.”

Images (here equivalent to “idols”) actually translates a phrase in Greek (literally “in the likeness of an image”), which most translations render exactly as the Good News Translation does. Images may be rendered simply as “likenesses,” but in a number of languages one may use the equivalent of “fetish carvings” or “idols.” Made to look like may be rendered as “which men make in order that they will look like” or “which men make so that they will seem like.”

Not all languages distinguish neatly between birds, quadrupeds, and reptiles. In some languages the more usual expression is “animals that fly, those that walk, and those that crawl.” What is important here is not the precise designation but the all-inclusive nature of these distinctions.

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 .

Translation commentary on Romans 1:24

Beginning in this verse Paul describes the moral depravity which results from the rejection of God and the consequent worship of idols. Because men are such fools renders a strong transitional particle in Greek, which appears in the New English Bible as “for this reason” and in the Jerusalem Bible “that is why.” God has given them over is repeated in verses 26 and 28; it describes God’s judgment in abandoning men to their own sinful resources. The implication is that God has deserted them and let them go their own way. The filthy things their hearts desire is a reference to the moral and spiritual depravity of man. This depravity results in the misuse of their bodies: they do shameful things with each other (see also vv. 26-27).

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 .

Translation commentary on Romans 1:25

They exchange the truth about God for a lie may involve certain complications because of the semantic difficulty of “exchanging truth for a lie.” It may be necessary to recast this clause as “they refuse to believe the truth about God, and accordingly they believe a lie,” “they give up believing the truth about God, and they accept what is a lie,” or “… what is untrue.”

Worship and serve may be rendered as “worship and obey” or “worship and do reverence to.” Serve translates the most general Greek term for religious activity in honor of a deity.

The contrast between what God has created and the Creator himself may be made explicit in some languages as “they worship and serve what God has made; they do not worship and serve the very one who made everything.”

To be praised translates a Greek passive verbal adjective; it is used in the New Testament always of God, and describes the praise of worship that man should render to God. This may be looked upon as the conclusion of Paul’s argument; he has proved his point, and now he presents a series of illustrations, adding no new information until verse 32.

Who is to be praised forever must be made somewhat more explicit in some languages—for example, “whom people should praise forever” or “who deserves that people should praise him forever.”

In a high percentage of languages the terminal particle amen has been borrowed and therefore can be introduced in this type of expression. However, it is liable to be almost meaningless, since it will probably have been borrowed merely as a traditional device for indicating the end of prayers. A more appropriate equivalent in some languages may have a meaning such as “this is surely so” or “indeed this is true.”

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 .