ROM 3:6 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Μή
2. mē
3. Never
4. -
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. never
8. never
9. S
10. Y60
11. 106249
1. γένοιτο
2. ginomai
3. it might become
4. -
5. 10960
6. VOAM3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓might˒ become
8. ˱it˲ ˓might˒ become
9. -
10. Y60; R106238
11. 106250
1. Ἐπεί
2. epei
3. Otherwise
4. -
5. 18930
6. C·······
7. otherwise
8. otherwise
9. S
10. Y60
11. 106251
1. πῶς
2. pōs
3. how
4. -
5. 44590
6. D·······
7. how
8. how
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106252
1. κρινεῖ
2. krinō
3. will be judging
4. -
5. 29190
6. VIFA3··S
7. ˓will_be˒ judging
8. ˓will_be˒ judging
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106253
1. κρίνει
2. krinō
3. -
4. -
5. 29190
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ judging
8. ˓is˒ judging
9. -
10. -
11. 106254
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106255
1. Θεός
2. theos
3. god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····NMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y60; Person=God
11. 106256
1. τόν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106257
1. κόσμον
2. kosmos
3. world
4. world
5. 28890
6. N····AMS
7. world
8. world
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106258

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–8: God is faithful and righteous

In chapter two, Paul spoke about some wrong ideas that the Jews had. In this section, Paul spoke to someone, probably a Jew, who might think that Paul implied that God was unfaithful to his covenant with the Jews. Paul showed that regardless of how God’s people had behaved, God was always faithful to what he said.

Keep in mind that Paul himself was a Jew. He knew how Jews thought, and he knew how to answer their objections.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

God is faithful to his covenant even if his people are not

God keeps his word and does what is right

3:6a

Certainly not!

Certainly not!
No indeed, we should not think that!

Certainly not!: These are the same Greek phrase as in 3:4a. Translate it as you did there.

But this phrase answers the question in 3:5c. It does not connect to 3:5d. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate Paul disagreed with what he said in 3:5d. If that is true in your language, you may want to repeat some of 3:5c here. For example:

By no means should we say that God is unrighteous!

3:6b

In that case, how could God judge the world?

Otherwise, how will God judge all the people of the world?
If God were not righteous/just, then he would not judge people properly!

In that case: The Greek word that the BSB translates as In that case introduces a different conclusion than what was said before. The meaning of 3:6a is “By no means should we say that God is unrighteous,” and now the meaning of 3:6b is “for, if God was unrighteous, how could he judge the world justly?” Translate this conjunction with that meaning. Here are other ways to translate this word:

Otherwise, (NASB)

If that were so, (NIV)

If God is not just, (GNT)

how could God judge the world?: This is a rhetorical question. It expects the answer “if God was not righteous, he could not judge people justly.” Translate this clause with that meaning. Here are some ways to do that:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
how can he judge the world? (GNT)
how will God judge the world? (NASB)
how would he be qualified to judge the world? (NLT)
As a statement. For example:
It would mean that God could not be the judge of the world. (NJB)

how could God judge: Many scholars say that this question is about how, not ability.For example, Morris (page 159) says, “Some understand the question as ‘If God is not just, how can he judge the world?’ (GNT), but this does not seem to be what the Greek means and it is not convincing. There is no theoretical reason why an unjust deity should not preside in an unjust judgment. Paul’s point is rather that, assuming as all do that God will judge the world, some must be punished. Unless this happens, what occurs will not be judgment. It is the exercise of wrath, not the character of God, that is the point of it all.” It asks, “If God is not righteous, by what standard would he use to judge?” For example:

how will God judge (NASB)

The English words “can” or could have a similar meaning here.

the world: Here this phrase refers to all people whoever lived. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to the earth. If that is true in your language, translate this as:

all people

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

μὴ γένοιτο

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή γένοιτο Ἐπεί πῶς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός τόν κόσμον)

See how you translated this in [3:4](../03/04.md).

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ἐπεὶ πῶς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή γένοιτο Ἐπεί πῶς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός τόν κόσμον)

Here Paul is giving the reason why God is “not unrighteous for imposing his wrath,” as stated in the previous verse. Use a natural way in your language for indicating a reason. Alternate translation: [Because if God were unrighteous, how would he judge the world]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

πῶς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον

how ˓will_be˒_judging ¬the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή γένοιτο Ἐπεί πῶς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός τόν κόσμον)

In this clause Paul is not asking for information, but is using his question to emphasize that God could not judge the world if he were unrighteous. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [God certainly could not judge the world!]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὸν κόσμον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή γένοιτο Ἐπεί πῶς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός τόν κόσμον)

Here Paul uses world to refer to the people who live in the world. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the people in the world]

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.

OET interlinear ROM 3:6

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 3:1–8: God is faithful and righteous

3:6a

3:6b

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