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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Rom C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16
Rom 1 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32
OET (OET-LV) For/Because the invisible things of_him from the_creation of_the_world, by_the workmanship being_understood, is_being_clearly_seen, the both eternal of_him power and divinity, in_order that to_be them inexcusable.
OET (OET-RV) Ever since the creation of the world, the invisible attributes of God have been clearly seen through his workmanship—both his eternal power and his divinity—so people have no excuse.
In this section, Paul said that it is clear that God is angry about the bad things that people do. God has shown all people who he is, but they have rejected him. So they became fools and worshiped things instead of God. And so God put them under the control of sinful desires even more.
Here are other possible headings for this section:
The reason why God is angry with people
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness (ESV)
People do what is not right in God’s sight and so God is angry
For since the creation of the world
For from the creation of the world until now/today,
For, from the beginning when God first made all things,
For: This word introduces an explanation of the idea that what can be known about God is plain to people (1:19a).
since the creation of the world: This phrase indicates that all people who have lived on this earth, from creation until now, perceive who God is. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
ever since the creation of the world (ESV)
from the creation of the world until now/today
the creation of the world: This phrase refers to God creating the world and all of the other things that people can see, the sun, moon, stars, and such things.BDAG, kosmos, sense 3 (page 561). Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
when God created/made the world/universe
when God made all that people/they can see
God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen,
they see and understand the things about him that people are not able to see, his everlasting power and his divinity/god-ness,
they all see and understand things that people cannot see, his/God’s eternal power and the kind of being/god he is,
being understood from His workmanship,
by the things that he has made.
from looking at those things.
God’s invisible qualities: The Greek is literally “the invisible (things) of God.” Here it refers to the kind of person God is. These are not things that someone can see directly. Immediately after this phrase Paul explained it as “his eternal power and divine nature.” Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
his invisible attributes (ESV)
There are things about him that people cannot see (NCV)
His eternal power and divine nature: The Greek grammar indicates that the words His eternal power and divine nature describe what Paul meant with the words “the invisible (things) of God.” Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
that is to say his everlasting power and deity (REB)
God’s invisible qualities: his eternal power and divine nature,
In some languages it is not natural to speak generally of something then specifically of the same thing. If that is true in your language, omit the word “qualities” (as the BSB translates). For example:
God’s eternal power and his divine nature, which people cannot see,
His eternal power: God’s power will never end. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
his everlasting power (REB)
his strength that will not endYongkom Back Translation, by this author, unpublished manuscript.
God has power that doesn’t leaveYakan Back Translation on TW.
divine nature: The Greek word that the BSB translates as divine nature refers to the characteristics of God. Here are other ways to translate this Greek word:
deity (REB)
divinity (JBP)
his godhoodKankanaey Back Translation on TW.
what God is likeUma Back Translation on TW.
have been clearly seen, being understood: The Greek is literally “being understood are clearly seen.” This phrase indicates that people look at the world and understand that God is powerful and that he is God.
This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:
people see and understand his invisible qualities, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
they all clearly perceive his invisible qualities, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
from His workmanship: The word from here indicates that when people look at the things that God has made, they will realize that he has great power and that he is God. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
from what has been made (NIV)
through what has been made (NASB)
so that men are without excuse.
So they have no good reason for their bad behavior.
That is why people cannot say that God has no reason/basis to blame them for their sins.
so that: This phrase introduces the result of God’s “invisible qualities” being clearly seen (1:20b).
men are without excuse: The word excuse refers to an explanation of behavior when asked about that behavior. In this case, people knew about God but still were ungodly and unrighteous (1:18). They have no good reason for that bad behavior. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
they have no defense
they have no answer for their sins
they have nothing with-which-to-answer GodKankanaey Back Translation on TW, based on Romans 2:1.
No one is able to say to God, “I never knew about you, so why do you blame/accuse me of wrongdoing?”
men: The word men refers here generally to people. Specifically, it refers to the people Paul was talking about in 1:18–19.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
τὰ & ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ & καθορᾶται; ἥ τε ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θειότης
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπό κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθορᾶται ἡ τέ ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καί θειότης εἰς τό εἶναι αὐτούς ἀναπολογήτους)
If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of qualities, power, and nature, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [what people cannot see about God, both how eternally powerful he is and who he is are clearly seen]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
καθορᾶται
˓is_being˒_clearly_seen
Paul uses seen to refer to perceiving something. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [are clearly perceived]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
καθορᾶται
˓is_being˒_clearly_seen
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: [people can clearly see]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche
κόσμου
˱of˲_˓the˒_world
Paul uses the world figuratively to refer to the whole universe. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [of all that God made]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα
˱by˲_the workmanship ˓being˒_understood
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: [which the things God has made understand]
Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀναπολογήτους
in_order (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τά Γάρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπό κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθορᾶται ἡ τέ ἀΐδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καί θειότης εἰς τό εἶναι αὐτούς ἀναπολογήτους)
So indicates that this is a result clause. Use the natural way in your language to introduce a result clause. Alternate translation: [As a result, they are without excuse] or [This is why they are without excuse]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because the invisible things of_him from the_creation of_the_world, by_the workmanship being_understood, is_being_clearly_seen, the both eternal of_him power and divinity, in_order that to_be them inexcusable.
OET (OET-RV) Ever since the creation of the world, the invisible attributes of God have been clearly seen through his workmanship—both his eternal power and his divinity—so people have no excuse.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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