ROM 1:3 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:1–7: Introduction

In this first section, Paul introduced himself and the gospel about Jesus. He also greeted the people to whom he was writing.

Before you begin to translate this section, consider what is the natural way to begin a letter in your language. Consider also how closely to follow that way in your translation.

Consider whether or not you want a section heading here. The GNT, for example, does not have one here. It is good to read or translate this section before you decide on a heading for it. Here are other possible headings for this section:

Paul introduced himself and the gospel about Jesus and greeted the Roman believers

Paul and His Message of Good News (CEV)

Paul began his letter to the Christians in Rome

1:3a–4c

In these two verses, Paul told what the gospel from God is about. The gospel is about Jesus. Here are four things Paul said about the gospel in 1:3–4.

God’s Son became a human being.
His Son was a descendant of King David.
After God’s Son died, God made him alive again and appointed him to be in a position of power as the Son of God.
The name of God’s Son is Jesus. He is the Christ, and he is our Lord.

1:3a

regarding His Son,

regarding his Son. (NIV)
It is about his Son. (GNT)
This/That good news is about his eternal/divine Son.

regarding His Son: This phrase connects to the word gospel in 1:1c, which the BSB repeats in 1:2a. Here this phrase does not connect to “the holy Scriptures” in 1:2b. In some languages the connection back to 1:1c will need to be made explicit. For example:

the gospel concerning his Son

In the Greek, the sentence continues from 1:2b. In some languages it would be more natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

The/That gospel concerns his Son

regarding: This word indicates that this gospel is about God’s Son, Jesus. Here are other ways to translate this word:

concerning (ESV)

about (NLT)

His Son: The phrase His Son refers to Jesus. He is God’s Son. It indicates that the relationship between God and Jesus is similar to the relationship of human fathers and their sons. They have a Father-Son kind of relationship. They love each other, and sons obey their fathers. This term also implies that Jesus has the same nature as God.

God does not have a physical body, and he did not cause Jesus to exist the way a human father causes a son to exist. Jesus existed eternally as the Son with his Father.

In some languages a literal translation gives the wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Translate literally and explain its correct meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
This title refers to Jesus. It indicates the relationship between God and Jesus is similar to the relationship of human fathers and sons. It also implies that Jesus and God are the same kind of being. Jesus has been God’s Son for all eternity.
Explain its meaning of an eternal relationship of a son to a father. For example:
his divine/heavenly Son
the eternal Most Beloved of God as a Son

In some languages there is no single word for Son. If that is true in your language, use a more general word, such as “child.” For example:

his Child

the Child of God

Other verses will usually make clear that Jesus was a male child. If you use a descriptive phrase such as “male child of God,” be sure that this phrase does not imply that God had another child who was female.

General Comment on 1:2a–3a

1:2a–b is extra information about the gospel. In 1:3a he resumed his discussion about the gospel from 1:1c. In some languages the extra information must be in a separate sentence. Consider how to indicate that in your translation. For example:

^1csent out to preach his Good News. ^2aGod promised this Good News long ago ^2bthrough his prophets in the holy Scriptures. ^3aThe Good News is about his Son. (NLT)

1:3b

who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,

As to his humanity, the great ruler David was his ancestor.
As a human, he was a descendant of Israel’s King David of long ago.
He came as a man, born in King David’s royal family line.

who was a descendant of David: Here the Greek clause is literally “the one having come from the seed/semen of David.” For example:

the one born from the seed of David

the one descended from David

This clause further describes God’s Son. It does not separate this Son from other Sons. For the correct meaning in some languages, translators must avoid the word who. For example:

He was a descendant of David.

He was born of David’s line.

He descended from David.

was a descendant of David: Jesus was born in the family line of David many generations later (Matthew 1:2–16, Luke 3:23–31). Some languages have a term to refer to ancestors from the distant past.

David: The Greek spelling of this name is Dauid. David was a great king. He ruled over Israel about one thousand years before Jesus was born. Here are other ways to translate David:

King David of old

King Da’udYakan Back Translation on TW.

the great ruler David long ago

according to: Here, this phrase means “with regard to.” When considering Jesus’ human ancestors, he was of the line of King David. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

as to (GNT)

with reference to (NET)

in terms of (NJB)

the flesh: Here the word that the BSB translates as the flesh refers to the physical part of the life of people. Here it refers to the human origin of Jesus.Edwards (page 29) says, “The Greek word for ‘flesh’ (NIV, human nature) is often in Paul used pejoratively to imply human weakness, fallibility, and sin. But there are instances where Paul uses the term to mean ‘human existence’ without any negative reference, and this appears to be one of them.” Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

a man (NCV)

his humanity (GNT)

a human (CEV)

And as for this Jesus, he became a humanWestern Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation on TW.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish

περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: περί τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυίδ κατά σάρκα)

This phrase gives us further information about “the gospel of God.” Paul means that the message of God’s promised good news is about God’s Son, “Christ Jesus”, as mentioned in [1:1](../01/01.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the relationship between these phrases clearer. Alternate translation: [that is, the gospel about his Son]

Note 2 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples

τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ

the Son ˱of˲_him

Son is an important title that describes the relationship between God and Jesus.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυεὶδ

the ¬which ˓having˒_become of seed (Some words not found in SR-GNT: περί τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυίδ κατά σάρκα)

Here, from a seed of David is an idiom that refers to a descendant of David. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent idiom or use plain language. Alternate translation: [who was born a descendant of David]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

κατὰ σάρκα

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: περί τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυίδ κατά σάρκα)

Here, according to the flesh is an idiom meaning “with reference to physical descent.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent idiom or use plain language. Alternate translation: [according to natural descent]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

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.