OET interlinear ROM 1:23

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

καὶ

and

Here, and indicates that what follows describes what these ungodly and unrighteous people did after they “became foolish,” as stated in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. You may want to start a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “; then they” or “Then they”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

καὶ ἤλλαξαν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου Θεοῦ ἐν ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ πετεινῶν, καὶ τετραπόδων, καὶ ἑρπετῶν.

and ˱they˲_changed the glory ˱of˲_the indestructible God into /a/_likeness ˱of˲_/an/_image ˱of˲_/a/_mortal human and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles

Paul uses exchanged to describe the actions of these ungodly people as if they were exchanging goods or money. Paul means that they stopped worshiping God and started worshiping idols that resembled these creatures. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. You may want to start a new sentence here. Alternative translation, “; then they stopped glorifying the imperishable God in order to worship images things that God created: perishable humans, birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things” or “Then they stopped glorifying the imperishable God in order to worship images things that God created: perishable humans, birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου Θεοῦ ἐν ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου

the glory ˱of˲_the indestructible God into /a/_likeness ˱of˲_/an/_image ˱of˲_/a/_mortal human

The two phrases the glory of the imperishable God and a likeness of an image of perishable man mean the opposite thing. Paul says the opposite thing with similar phrases to emphasize the contrast between God and man. Use a natural way in your language to express a contrast that uses parallel ideas.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου Θεοῦ

the glory ˱of˲_the indestructible God

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of glory, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “what glorifies the imperishable God”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου Θεοῦ

the glory ˱of˲_the indestructible God

Paul is using the possessive form to describe the relationship between glory and the imperishable God. This phrase could refer to: (1) the glory that characterizes God. Alternate translation: “the glory that characterizes the imperishable God” (2) the glory that belongs to God. Alternate translation: “the glory that belongs only to the imperishable God”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ὁμοιώματι εἰκόνος

/a/_likeness ˱of˲_/an/_image

The words translated as likeness and image were used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to refer to the same thing (Genesis 1:26). Here Paul is using the possessive form to indicate that image is an explanation of likeness. Use a word or phrase that introduces a further explanation or elaboration in your language. Alternate translation: “a likeness, that is, an image”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

καὶ πετεινῶν, καὶ τετραπόδων, καὶ ἑρπετῶν

and and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles

Paul is leaving out some of the words that a phrase would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from earlier in the verse. Alternate translation: “and likenesses of birds, and likenesses of four-footed animals, and likenesses of creeping things”

τετραπόδων

quadrupeds

The phrase four-footed beasts refers to animals that walk on four feet. Use the most natural form to describe this kind of animal in your language. Alternate translation: “of quadrupeds” or “of four-legged beasts”