body of death

The Greek in Romans 7:24 that is translated in English as “body of death” is translated in Chichewa as khalidwe langa lino londidzetsera imfa or “this nature of mine that brings death upon me” (interconfessional translation, publ. 1999). (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 91)

Wretched man that I am!

The Greek that is translated as “Wretched man that I am!” or similar in English is translated in Chitonga as Maawe! Nde mucaangu! or “Mercy me, I am my own younger brother [i.e., I have no one to look to for help in this situation].” (Source: Wendland 1987, p. 153)

complete verse (Romans 7:24)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 7:24:

  • Uma: “I here am indeed a person [in] disaster! Who will please free me from this body that brings death?” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I am really troubled in my thinking/mind! Who will be the one to help me so that I no longer happen-to-follow/obey my inborn sinning/old nature. If there is no one helping me I will eventually die and I will go to hell.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “How difficult is this which happens to me; who can redeem me from this slavery of my sinful body that is sentenced to death?” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Oh what-a-pitiful -wretch-I-am! Who perhaps will save me from this body of mine which is condemned to die?” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “But pity the person who is like this. Who can save him so that he won’t go to the punishment that he must go to?” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 7:24

The exclamation what an unhappy man I am! may be rendered as “I am exceedingly unhappy,” “I am not at all happy,” or “I am indeed miserable.”

Here Paul uses a phrase which is ambiguous (literally “this body of death”), which the Good News Translation takes to mean this body that is taking me to death. The New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible translate this phrase as “this body doomed to death” (see An American Translation* “this doomed body”), and the New English Bible gives an alternative rendering, “the body doomed to this death.” This body that is taking me to death may be translated as “this body which is causing me to die” or “this body which will result in my dying.” In some languages the expression “body of death” is rendered as “this old heart which is killing me.”

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 .