OET interlinear ROM 12:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ νίκα ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν

not /be_being/_overcome by ¬the evil but /be/_overcoming with ¬the good ¬the evil

Paul describes evil as if it were a person who could conquer someone or be conquered by someone. He is referring to someone doing evil in response to someone doing evil to that person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Do not let evil cause you to do evil, but use good to prevent evil from influencing you”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τοῦ κακοῦ & τῷ ἀγαθῷ & τὸ κακόν

¬the evil & ¬the good & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ ἀλλὰ νίκα ἐν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τὸ κακόν)

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of evil and good, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: “evil things … evil things … good things”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ

not /be_being/_overcome by ¬the evil

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “Do not let evil overcome you”