Romans 9:30-33
New Living Translation
Israel’s Unbelief
30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. 31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. 32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law[a] instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. 33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,
“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem[b] that makes people stumble,
a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”[c]
Romans 9:30-33
New English Translation
Israel’s Rejection Culpable
30 What shall we say then?—that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, 31 but Israel even though pursuing[a] a law of righteousness[b] did not attain it.[c] 32 Why not? Because they pursued[d] it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works.[e] They stumbled over the stumbling stone,[f] 33 just as it is written,
“Look, I am laying in Zion a stone that will cause people to stumble
and a rock that will make them fall,[g]
yet the one who believes in him will not be put to shame.”[h]
Footnotes
- Romans 9:31 tn Or “who pursued.” The participle could be taken adverbially or adjectivally.
- Romans 9:31 tn Or “a legal righteousness,” that is, a righteousness based on law. This translation would treat the genitive δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosunēs) as an attributed genitive (see ExSyn 89-91).
- Romans 9:31 tn Grk “has not attained unto the law.”
- Romans 9:32 tn Grk “Why? Because not by faith but as though by works.” The verb (“they pursued [it]”) is to be supplied from the preceding verse for the sake of English style; yet a certain literary power is seen in Paul’s laconic style.
- Romans 9:32 tc Most mss, especially the later ones (א2 D Ψ 33 1175 1241 1505 2464 M sy), read νόμου (nomou, “of the law”) here, echoing Paul’s usage in Rom 3:20, 28 and elsewhere. The qualifying phrase is lacking in א* A B F G 6 629 630 1739 1881 lat co. The longer reading thus is weaker externally and internally, apparently being motivated by a need to clarify.tn Grk “but as by works.”
- Romans 9:32 tn Grk “the stone of stumbling.”
- Romans 9:33 tn Grk “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”
- Romans 9:33 sn A quotation from Isa 28:16; 8:14.
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