罗马书 1
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
祝福
1 耶稣基督的仆人保罗，奉召为使徒，特派传神的福音。 2 这福音是神从前借众先知在圣经上所应许的， 3 论到他儿子我主耶稣基督。按肉体说，是从大卫后裔生的； 4 按圣善的灵说，因从死里复活，以大能显明是神的儿子。 5 我们从他受了恩惠并使徒的职分，在万国之中叫人为他的名信服真道， 6 其中也有你们这蒙召属耶稣基督的人。 7 我写信给你们在罗马、为神所爱、奉召做圣徒的众人。愿恩惠、平安从我们的父神并主耶稣基督归于你们！
述说自己的景况
8 第一，我靠着耶稣基督，为你们众人感谢我的神，因你们的信德传遍了天下。 9 我在他儿子福音上用心灵所侍奉的神，可以见证我怎样不住地提到你们， 10 在祷告之间常常恳求，或者照神的旨意，终能得平坦的道路往你们那里去。 11 因为我切切地想见你们，要把些属灵的恩赐分给你们，使你们可以坚固； 12 这样，我在你们中间，因你与我彼此的信心就可以同得安慰。
情愿尽力传福音
13 弟兄们，我不愿意你们不知道，我屡次定意往你们那里去，要在你们中间得些果子，如同在其余的外邦人中一样，只是到如今仍有阻隔。 14 无论是希腊人、化外人、聪明人、愚拙人，我都欠他们的债， 15 所以情愿尽我的力量，将福音也传给你们在罗马的人。
福音是神的大能
16 我不以福音为耻，这福音本是神的大能，要救一切相信的，先是犹太人，后是希腊人。 17 因为神的义正在这福音上显明出来，这义是本于信以至于信，如经上所记：“义人必因信得生。”
18 原来，神的愤怒从天上显明在一切不虔不义的人身上，就是那些行不义阻挡真理的人。 19 神的事情人所能知道的，原显明在人心里，因为神已经给他们显明。 20 自从造天地以来，神的永能和神性是明明可知的，虽是眼不能见，但借着所造之物就可以晓得，叫人无可推诿。 21 因为他们虽然知道神，却不当做神荣耀他，也不感谢他，他们的思念变为虚妄，无知的心就昏暗了。 22 自称为聪明，反成了愚拙， 23 将不能朽坏之神的荣耀变为偶像，仿佛必朽坏的人和飞禽、走兽、昆虫的样式。
24 所以，神任凭他们逞着心里的情欲行污秽的事，以致彼此玷辱自己的身体。 25 他们将神的真实变为虚谎，去敬拜侍奉受造之物，不敬奉那造物的主——主乃是可称颂的，直到永远！阿门。
外邦种种罪恶
26 因此，神任凭他们放纵可羞耻的情欲。他们的女人把顺性的用处变为逆性的用处。 27 男人也是如此，弃了女人顺性的用处，欲火攻心，彼此贪恋，男和男行可羞耻的事，就在自己身上受这妄为当得的报应。
28 他们既然故意不认识神，神就任凭他们存邪僻的心，行那些不合理的事： 29 装满了各样不义、邪恶、贪婪、恶毒[a]；满心是嫉妒、凶杀、争竞、诡诈、毒恨； 30 又是谗毁的、背后说人的、怨恨神的[b]、侮慢人的、狂傲的、自夸的、捏造恶事的、违背父母的、 31 无知的、背约的、无亲情的、不怜悯人的。 32 他们虽知道神判定行这样事的人是当死的，然而他们不但自己去行，还喜欢别人去行。
羅馬書 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
問候
1 我是基督耶穌的奴僕保羅，蒙召作使徒，奉命傳上帝的福音。 2 這福音是上帝從前藉著眾先知在聖經中應許的， 3 講的是上帝的兒子——我們的主耶穌基督的事。從肉身來說，祂是大衛的後裔； 4 從聖潔的靈來看，祂從死裡復活，用大能顯明自己是上帝的兒子。 5 我們從祂領受了恩典並成為使徒，要帶領萬民信從祂，使祂的名得榮耀。 6 你們也是其中蒙召信從耶穌基督的人。 7 我問候所有住在羅馬、上帝所愛、蒙召做聖徒的人。願我們的父上帝和主耶穌基督賜給你們恩典和平安！
保羅渴望去羅馬
8 首先，我藉著耶穌基督為各位感謝我的上帝，因為你們的信心正在傳遍天下。 9-10 我在祂兒子的福音事工上全心事奉的上帝可以為我做見證：我如何在禱告中常常想到你們，並求上帝讓我照祂的旨意最終能去你們那裡。 11 因為我實在想見你們，好將一些屬靈的恩賜分給你們，使你們堅固， 12 也可以說是藉著我們彼此的信心互相激勵。
13 弟兄姊妹，我希望你們知道，我曾多次計劃去你們那裡，要在你們中間收穫一些福音的果子，像在其他外族人中一樣，只是至今仍有攔阻。 14 不論是希臘人、非希臘人[a]、智者、愚人，我對他們都有義務。 15 所以，我也切望能將福音傳給你們在羅馬的人。
16 我不以福音為恥，因為這福音是上帝的大能，要拯救一切相信的人，先是猶太人，然後是希臘人。 17 這福音顯明了上帝的義，這義始於信，終於信，正如聖經上說：「義人必靠信心而活。」
人類的罪惡
18 上帝的烈怒從天上降下，要懲罰一切心中無神、行為不義、壓制真理的人。 19 有關上帝的事情，可以讓人類知道的都已經顯而易見，因為上帝已經向人類顯明了。 20 自從創造天地以來，上帝永恆的大能和神性是明明可知的，雖然肉眼看不見，但透過受造之物就可以領悟，因而人類毫無藉口推說不知。 21 他們雖然明知有上帝，卻不把祂當作上帝，既不將榮耀歸給祂，也不感謝祂。他們的思想因此變得荒謬無用，無知的心也變得昏暗不明。 22 他們自以為聰明，其實愚不可及， 23 以必朽的人、飛禽、走獸和爬蟲的形像來取代永恆上帝的榮耀。
24 因此，上帝任憑他們隨從內心的情慾行污穢的事，玷污彼此的身體。 25 他們把上帝的真理當作謊言，祭拜、供奉受造之物，卻不敬拜、事奉造物主。主是永遠值得稱頌的。阿們！
26 因此，上帝任憑他們放縱可恥的情慾。女人放棄正常的兩性關係，做出變態反常的事。 27 男人也背棄了和女人正常的兩性關係，慾火焚燒，同性之間彼此貪戀。男人和男人做出羞恥不堪的事，他們必在自己的身體上遭受應得的報應。
28 既然他們故意不認識上帝，上帝就任憑他們心思敗壞，做不當做的事。 29 他們心裡塞滿了各種不義、邪惡、貪婪、陰險、嫉妒、兇殺、紛爭、詭詐、惡毒；說長道短、 30 背後批評、怨恨上帝、欺侮別人、心驕氣傲、自高自大、自我吹捧、無惡不作、違背父母、 31 愚鈍無知、不守信用、無情無義、毫無憐憫。 32 他們明知，按上帝公義的法則，做這些事的人該死，不但執迷不悟，還喜歡別人跟他們同流合污。
Footnotes
- 1·14 「非希臘人」希臘文是「未開化的人」，指在希臘、羅馬文化影響之外的人。
罗马书 1
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
问安
1 基督耶稣的仆人保罗，蒙召作使徒，奉派传 神的福音。 2 这福音是 神借着众先知在圣经上预先所应许的， 3 就是论到他的儿子我们的主耶稣基督：按肉身说，他是从大卫的后裔生的； 4 按圣洁的灵说，因为从死人中复活，显明他是大有能力的、 神的儿子（“显明他是大有能力的、 神的儿子”或译：“以大能显明他是 神的儿子）。 5 我们从他领受了恩典和使徒的职分，在万族中使人因他的名相信而顺服， 6 其中也有你们这蒙耶稣基督所召的人。 7 我写信给各位住在罗马，为 神所爱，蒙召为圣徒的人。愿恩惠平安从我们的父 神和主耶稣基督临到你们。
保罗渴想到罗马去
8 首先，我靠着耶稣基督，为你们大家感谢我的 神，因为你们的信心传遍天下。 9 我在传扬他儿子福音的事上，用心灵事奉的 神，可以作证我是怎样不断地记念你们， 10 常常在祷告中恳切祈求，也许我可以照着他的旨意，终于能够顺利地到你们那里去。 11 因为我很想见你们，好把一些属灵的恩赐分给你们，使你们可以坚定； 12 也使我在你们中间，借着你我彼此的信心，大家一同得到安慰。 13 弟兄们，我不愿意你们不知道，我好几次预先定好了要到你们那里去，为了要在你们中间也得一些果子，像在其他的民族中间一样，可是直到现在还有阻碍。 14 无论是希腊人或是未开化的人，聪明的人或是愚笨的人，我都欠他们的债。 15 所以，对我来说，我随时都愿意把福音也传给你们在罗马的人。
福音是 神的大能
16 我不以福音为耻；这福音是 神的大能，要救所有相信的，先是犹太人，后是希腊人。 17 神的义就是借着这福音显明出来，本于信而归于信，正如经上所记：“义人必因信得生。”
人类不尊 神为 神
18 神的震怒，从天上向所有不虔不义的人显露出来，就是向那些以不义压制真理的人显露出来。 19 神的事情，人所能知道的，在他们里面原是明显的，因为 神已经向他们显明了。 20 其实自从创世以来， 神那看不见的事，就如他永恒的大能和神性，都是看得见的，就是从他所造的万物中可以领悟，叫人没有办法推诿。 21 因为他们虽然知道 神，却不尊他为 神，也不感谢他，反而心思变为虚妄，愚顽的心就迷糊了。 22 他们自以为是聪明的，却成了愚蠢的。 23 他们用必朽坏的人、飞禽、走兽和昆虫的形象，取代了永不朽坏的 神的荣耀。
人类种种的罪恶
24 因此， 神就任凭他们顺着心中的私欲去作污秽的事，以致羞辱自己的身体。 25 他们用虚谎取代了 神的真理，敬拜事奉受造之物，却不敬拜事奉造物的主。他是永远可称颂的，阿们。 26 因此， 神就任凭他们放纵可耻的情欲：他们的女人把原来的性的功能，变成违反自然的功能； 27 同样地，男人也舍弃了女人原来的性功能，彼此欲火攻心，男人与男人作出可耻的事。他们这样妄为，就在自己身上受到应该受的报应。 28 他们既然故意不认识 神， 神就任凭他们存着败坏的心，去作那些不正当的事。 29 这些人充满了各样的不义、邪恶、贪心、阴险；满怀嫉妒、凶杀、好斗、欺诈、幸灾乐祸；又是好说谗言的、 30 毁谤人的、憎恨 神的、凌辱人的、傲慢的、自夸的、制造恶事的、忤逆父母的、 31 冥顽不灵的、不守信用的、冷酷无情的、没有恻隐之心的。 32 他们虽然明明知道行这些事的人， 神判定他们是该死的，然而他们不单自己去行，也喜欢别人去行。
रोमियों 1
Hindi Bible: Easy-to-Read Version
1 पौलुस जो यीशु मसीह का दास है,
जिसे परमेश्वर ने प्रेरित होने के लिये बुलाया, जिसे परमेश्वर के उस सुसमाचार के प्रचार के लिए चुना गया 2 जिसकी पहले ही नबियों द्वारा पवित्र शास्त्रों में घोषणा कर दी गयी 3 जिसका सम्बन्ध पुत्र से है, जो शरीर से दाऊद का वंशज है 4 किन्तु पवित्र आत्मा के द्वारा मरे हुओं में से जिलाए जाने के कारण जिसे सामर्थ्य के साथ परमेश्वर का पुत्र दर्शाया गया है, यही यीशु मसीह हमारा प्रभु है।
5 इसी के द्वारा मुझे अनुग्रह और प्रेरिताई मिली, ताकि सभी ग़ैर यहूदियों में, उसके नाम में वह आस्था जो विश्वास से जन्म लेती है, पैदा की जा सके। 6 उनमें परमेश्वर के द्वारा यीशु मसीह का होने के लिये तुम लोग भी बुलाये गये हो।
7 वह मैं, तुम सब के लिए, जो रोम में हो और परमेश्वर के प्यारे हो, जो परमेश्वर के पवित्र जन होने के लिए बुलाये गये हो, यह पत्र लिख रहा हूँ।
हमारे परम पिता परमेश्वर और प्रभु यीशु मसीह की ओर से तुम्हें उसका अनुग्रह और शांति मिले।
धन्यवाद की प्रार्थना
8 सबसे पहले मैं यीशु मसीह के द्वारा तुम सब के लिये अपने परमेश्वर का धन्यवाद करना चाहता हूँ। क्योंकि तुम्हारे विश्वास की चर्चा संसार में सब कहीं हो रही है। 9 प्रभु जिसकी सेवा उसके पुत्र के सुसमाचार का उपदेश देते हुए मैं अपने हृदय से करता हूँ, प्रभु मेरा साक्षी है, कि मैं तुम्हें लगातार याद करता रहता हूँ। 10 अपनी प्रार्थनाओं में मैं सदा ही विनती करता रहता हूँ कि परमेश्वर की इच्छा से तुम्हारे पास आने की मेरी यात्रा किसी तरह पूरी हो। 11 मैं बहुत इच्छा रखता हूँ क्योंकि मैं तुमसे मिल कर कुछ आत्मिक उपहार देना चाहता हूँ, जिससे तुम शक्तिशाली बन सको। 12 या मुझे कहना चाहिये कि मैं जब तुम्हारे बीच होऊँ, तब एक दूसरे के विश्वास से हम परस्पर प्रोत्साहित हों।
13 भाईयों, मैं चाहता हूँ, कि तुम्हें पता हो कि मैंने तुम्हारे पास आना बार-बार चाहा है ताकि जैसा फल मैंने ग़ैर यहूदियों में पाया है, वैसा ही तुमसे भी पा सकूँ, किन्तु अब तक बाधा आती ही रही।
14 मुझ पर यूनानियों और ग़ैर यूनानियों, बुद्धिमानों और मूर्खो सभी का क़र्ज़ है। 15 इसीलिये मैं तुम रोमवासियों को भी सुसमाचार का उपदेश देने को तैयार हूँ।
16 मैं सुसमाचार के लिए शर्मिन्दा नहीं हूँ क्योंकि उसमें पहले यहूदी और फिर ग़ैर यहूदी जो भी उसमें विश्वास रखता है—उसके उद्धार के लिये परमेश्वर की सामर्थ्य है। 17 क्योंकि सुसमाचार में यह दर्शाया गया है, परमेश्वर मनुष्य को अपने प्रति सही कैसे बनाता है। यह आदि से अंत तक विश्वास पर टिका है जैसा कि शास्त्र में लिखा है, “धर्मी मनुष्य विश्वास से जीवित रहेगा।”
सबने पाप किया है
18 उन लोगों को जो सत्य की अधर्म से दबाते हैं, बुरे कर्मों और हर बुराई पर स्वर्ग से परमेश्वर का कोप प्रकट होगा। 19 और ऐसा हो रहा है क्योंकि परमेश्वर के बारे में वे पूरी तरह जानते है क्योंकि परमेश्वर ने इसे उन्हें बताया है।
20 जब से संसार की रचना हुई उसकी अदृश्य विशेषताएँ अनन्त शक्ति और परमेश्वरत्व साफ साफ दिखाई देते हैं क्योंकि उन वस्तुओं से वे पूरी तरह जानी जा सकती हैं, जो परमेश्वर ने रचीं। इसलिए लोगों के पास कोई बहाना नहीं।
21 यद्यपि वे परमेश्वर को जानते है किन्तु वे उसे परमेश्वर के रूप में सम्मान या धन्यवाद नहीं देते। बल्कि वे अपने विचारों में निरर्थक हो गये। और उनके जड़ मन अन्धेरे से भर गये। 22 वे बुद्धिमान होने का दावा करके मूर्ख ही रह गये। 23 और अविनाशी परमेश्वर की महिमा को नाशवान मनुष्यों, चिड़ियाओं, पशुओं और साँपों से मिलती जुलती मूर्तियों में उन्होंने ढाल दिया।
24 इसलिए परमेश्वर ने उन्हें मन की बुरी इच्छाओं के हाथों सौंप दिया। वे दुराचार में पड़ कर एक दूसरे के शरीरों का अनादर करने लगे। 25 उन्होंने झूठ के साथ परमेश्वर के सत्य का सौदा किया और वे सृष्टि के बनाने वाले को छोड़ कर उसकी बनायी सृष्टि की उपासना सेवा करने लगे। परमेश्वर धन्य है। आमीन।
26 इसलिए परमेश्वर ने उन्हें तुच्छ वासनाओं के हाथों सौंप दिया। उनकी स्त्रियाँ स्वाभाविक यौन सम्बन्धों की बजाय अस्वाभाविक यौन सम्बन्ध रखने लगी। 27 इसी तरह पुरुषों ने स्त्रियों के साथ स्वाभाविक संभोग छोड़ दिया और वे आपस में ही वासना में जलने लगे। और पुरुष परस्पर एक दूसरे के साथ बुरे कर्म करने लगे। उन्हें अपने भ्रष्टाचार का यथोचित फल भी मिलने लगा।
28 और क्योंकि उन्होंने परमेश्वर को पहचानने से मना कर दिया सो परमेश्वर ने उन्हें कुबुद्धि के हाथों सौंप दिया। और ये ऐसे अनुचित काम करने लगे जो नहीं करने चाहिये थे। 29 वे हर तरह के अधर्म, पाप, लालच और वैर से भर गये। वे डाह, हत्या, लड़ाई-झगड़े, छल-छद्म और दुर्भावना से भरे हैं। वे दूसरों का सदा अहित सोचते हैं। वे कहानियाँ घड़ते रहते हैं। 30 वे पर निन्दक हैं, और परमेश्वर से घृणा करते हैं। वे उद्दण्ड हैं, अहंकारी हैं, बड़बोला हैं, बुराई के जन्मदाता हैं, और माता-पिता की आज्ञा नहीं मानते। 31 वे मुढ़, वचन-भंग करने वाले, प्रेम-रहित और निर्दय हैं। 32 चाहे वे परमेश्वर की धर्मपूर्ण विधि को जानते हैं जो बताती है कि जो ऐसी बातें करते हैं, वे मौत के योग्य हैं, फिर भी वे न केवल उन कामों को करते है, बल्कि वैसा करनेवालों का समर्थन भी करते हैं।
Romans 1
New English Translation
Salutation
1 From Paul,[a] a slave[b] of Christ Jesus,[c] called to be an apostle,[d] set apart for the gospel of God.[e] 2 This gospel[f] he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 concerning his Son who was a descendant[g] of David with reference to the flesh,[h] 4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power[i] according to the Holy Spirit[j] by the resurrection[k] from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him[l] we have received grace and our apostleship[m] to bring about the obedience[n] of faith[o] among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. 6 You also are among them,[p] called to belong to Jesus Christ.[q] 7 To all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints:[r] Grace and peace to you[s] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Paul’s Desire to Visit Rome
8 First of all,[t] I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel[u] of his Son, is my witness that[v] I continually remember you 10 and I always ask[w] in my prayers, if perhaps now at last I may succeed in visiting you according to the will of God.[x] 11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift[y] to strengthen you, 12 that is, that we may be mutually comforted by one another’s faith,[z] both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware,[aa] brothers and sisters,[ab] that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles.[ac] 14 I am a debtor[ad] both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus I am eager[ae] also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome.
The Power of the Gospel
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.[af] 17 For the righteousness[ag] of God is revealed in the gospel[ah] from faith to faith,[ai] just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”[aj]
The Condemnation of the Unrighteous
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people[ak] who suppress the truth by their[al] unrighteousness,[am] 19 because what can be known about God is plain to them,[an] because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people[ao] are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts[ap] were darkened. 22 Although they claimed[aq] to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings[ar] or birds or four-footed animals[as] or reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over[at] in the desires of their hearts to impurity,[au] to dishonor[av] their bodies among themselves.[aw] 25 They[ax] exchanged the truth of God for a lie[ay] and worshiped and served the creation[az] rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones,[ba] 27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women[bb] and were inflamed in their passions[bc] for one another. Men[bd] committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God,[be] God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.[bf] 29 They are filled[bg] with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with[bh] envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 senseless, covenant-breakers,[bi] heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they fully know[bj] God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die,[bk] they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.[bl]
Footnotes
- Romans 1:1 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
- Romans 1:1 tn Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s “slave” or “servant” is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For someone who was Jewish this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
- Romans 1:1 tc Many significant mss, as well as several others (P26 א A G Ψ 33 1739 1881 M), have a reversed order of these words and read “Jesus Christ” rather than “Christ Jesus” (P10 B 81 pc). The meaning is not affected in either case, but the reading “Christ Jesus” is preferred as slightly more difficult and thus more likely autographic (a scribe who found it would be prone to change it to the more common expression). At the same time, Paul is fond of the order “Christ Jesus,” especially in certain letters such as Romans, Galatians, and Philippians. As well, the later Pauline letters almost uniformly use this order in the salutations. A decision is difficult, but “Christ Jesus” is slightly preferred.
- Romans 1:1 tn Grk “a called apostle.”
- Romans 1:1 tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion theou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.
- Romans 1:2 tn Grk “the gospel of God, which he promised.” Because of the length and complexity of this sentence in Greek, it was divided into shorter English sentences in keeping with contemporary English style. To indicate the referent of the relative pronoun (“which”), the word “gospel” was repeated at the beginning of v. 2.
- Romans 1:3 tn Grk “born of the seed” (an idiom).
- Romans 1:3 tn Grk “according to the flesh,” indicating Jesus’ earthly life, a reference to its weakness. This phrase implies that Jesus was more than human; otherwise it would have been sufficient to say that he was a descendant of David, cf. L. Morris, Romans, 44.
- Romans 1:4 sn Appointed the Son-of-God-in-power. Most translations render the Greek participle ὁρισθέντος (horisthentos, from ὁρίζω, horizō) “declared” or “designated” in order to avoid the possible interpretation that Jesus was appointed the Son of God by the resurrection. However, the Greek term ὁρίζω is used eight times in the NT, and it always has the meaning “to determine, appoint.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh (with respect to the flesh, v. 3) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
- Romans 1:4 tn Grk “spirit of holiness.” Some interpreters take the phrase to refer to Christ’s own inner spirit, which was characterized by holiness.
- Romans 1:4 tn Or “by his resurrection.” Most interpreters see this as a reference to Jesus’ own resurrection, although some take it to refer to the general resurrection at the end of the age, of which Jesus’ resurrection is the first installment (cf. 1 Cor 15:23).
- Romans 1:5 tn Grk “through whom.”
- Romans 1:5 tn Some interpreters understand the phrase “grace and apostleship” as a hendiadys, translating “grace [i.e., gift] of apostleship.” The pronoun “our” is supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of the statement.
- Romans 1:5 tn Grk “and apostleship for obedience.”
- Romans 1:5 tn The phrase ὑπακοὴν πίστεως has been variously understood as (1) an objective genitive (a reference to the Christian faith, “obedience to [the] faith”); (2) a subjective genitive (“the obedience faith produces [or requires]”); (3) an attributive genitive (“believing obedience”); or (4) as a genitive of apposition (“obedience, [namely] faith”) in which “faith” further defines “obedience.” These options are discussed by C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 1:66. Others take the phrase as deliberately ambiguous; see D. B. Garlington, “The Obedience of Faith in the Letter to the Romans: Part I: The Meaning of ὑπακοὴ πίστεως (Rom 1:5; 16:26),” WTJ 52 (1990): 201-24.
- Romans 1:6 tn Grk “among whom you also are called.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. The NIV, with its translation “And you also are among those who are called,” takes the phrase ἐν οἳς ἐστε to refer to the following clause rather than the preceding, so that the addressees of the letter (“you also”) are not connected with “all the Gentiles” mentioned at the end of v. 5. It is more likely, however, that the relative pronoun οἳς has τοῖς ἔθνεσιν as its antecedent, which would indicate that the church at Rome was predominantly Gentile.
- Romans 1:6 tn Grk “called of Jesus Christ.”
- Romans 1:7 tn Although the first part of v. 7 is not a complete English sentence, it maintains the “From…to” pattern used in all the Pauline letters to indicate the sender and the recipients. Here, however, there are several intervening verses (vv. 2-6), which makes the first half of v. 7 appear as an isolated sentence fragment.
- Romans 1:7 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
- Romans 1:8 tn Grk “First.” Paul never mentions a second point, so J. B. Phillips translated “I must begin by telling you….”
- Romans 1:9 tn Grk “whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel.”
- Romans 1:9 tn Grk “as.”
- Romans 1:10 tn Grk “remember you, always asking.”
- Romans 1:10 tn Grk “succeed in coming to you in the will of God.”
- Romans 1:11 sn Paul does not mean here that he is going to bestow upon the Roman believers what is commonly known as a “spiritual gift,” that is, a special enabling for service given to believers by the Holy Spirit. Instead, this is either a metonymy of cause for effect (Paul will use his own spiritual gifts to edify the Romans), or it simply means something akin to a blessing or benefit in the spiritual realm. It is possible that Paul uses this phrase to connote specifically the broader purpose of his letter, which is for the Romans to understand his gospel, but this seems less likely.
- Romans 1:12 tn Grk “that is, to be comforted together with you through the faith in one another.”
- Romans 1:13 sn The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thess 4:13. Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.
- Romans 1:13 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
- Romans 1:13 tn Grk “in order that I might have some fruit also among you just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.”
- Romans 1:14 tn Or “obligated.”
- Romans 1:15 tn Or “willing, ready”; Grk “so my eagerness [is] to preach…” The word πρόθυμος (prothumos, “eager, willing”) is used only elsewhere in the NT in Matt 26:41 = Mark 14:38: “the spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak.”
- Romans 1:16 sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.
- Romans 1:17 tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).
- Romans 1:17 tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Romans 1:17 tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pisteōs eis pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.
- Romans 1:17 sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.
- Romans 1:18 tn The genitive ἀνθρώπων could be taken as an attributed genitive, in which case the phrase should be translated “against all ungodly and unrighteous people” (cf. “the truth of God” in v. 25 which is also probably an attributed genitive). C. E. B. Cranfield takes the section 1:18-32 to refer to all people (not just Gentiles), while 2:1-3:20 points out that the Jew is no exception (Romans [ICC], 1:104-6; 1:137-38).
- Romans 1:18 tn “Their” is implied in the Greek, but is supplied because of English style.
- Romans 1:18 tn Or “by means of unrighteousness.” Grk “in (by) unrighteousness.”
- Romans 1:19 tn Grk “is manifest to/in them.”
- Romans 1:20 tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Romans 1:21 tn Grk “heart.”
- Romans 1:22 tn The participle φάσκοντες (phaskontes) is used concessively here.
- Romans 1:23 tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (aphthartos, “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (phthartos, “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).
- Romans 1:23 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.
- Romans 1:24 sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 81:12.
- Romans 1:24 tn Or “God delivered them up to the desires of their hearts for impurity.” It is possible that a technical, legal idiom is used here; if so, it would describe God delivering sinners up to a custodian for punishment (see R. Jewett, Romans [Hermeneia], 166-67). In this instance, then, sinners would be given over to their own desires for the express purpose of working more impurity.
- Romans 1:24 tn The genitive articular infinitive τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι (tou atimazesthai, “to dishonor”) has been taken as (1) an infinitive of purpose; (2) an infinitive of result; or (3) an epexegetical (i.e., explanatory) infinitive, expanding the previous clause.
- Romans 1:24 tn Grk “among them.”
- Romans 1:25 tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Romans 1:25 tn Grk “the lie.”
- Romans 1:25 tn Or “creature, created things.”
- Romans 1:26 tn Grk “for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is contrary to nature.” The term χρῆσις (chrēsis) has the force of “sexual relations” here (L&N 23.65).
- Romans 1:27 tn Grk “likewise so also the males abandoning the natural function of the female.”
- Romans 1:27 tn Grk “burned with intense desire” (L&N 25.16).
- Romans 1:27 tn Grk “another, men committing…and receiving,” continuing the description of their deeds. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Romans 1:28 tn Grk “and just as they did not approve to have God in knowledge.”
- Romans 1:28 tn Grk “the things that are improper.”
- Romans 1:29 tn Grk “being filled” or “having been filled,” referring to those described in v. 28. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Romans 1:29 tn Grk “malice, full of,” continuing the description. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Romans 1:31 tn Or “promise-breakers.”
- Romans 1:32 tn Grk “who, knowing…, not only do them but also approve…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Romans 1:32 tn Grk “are worthy of death.”
- Romans 1:32 sn “Vice lists” like vv. 28-32 can be found elsewhere in the NT in Matt 15:19; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Tim 1:9-10; and 1 Pet 4:3. An example from the intertestamental period can be found in Wis 14:25-26.
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