ROM 3:9 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. τί
2. tis
3. what
4. -
5. 51010
6. R····ANS
7. what
8. what
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106306
1. Οὖν
2. oun
3. Therefore
4. -
5. 37670
6. C·······
7. therefore
8. therefore
9. PS
10. Y60
11. 106307
1. Προεχόμεθα
2. proeχō
3. We are having advantage
4. advantage
5. 42840
6. VIPM1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓are˒ having_advantage
8. ˱we˲ ˓are˒ having_advantage
9. S
10. Y60
11. 106308
1. προεχώμεθα
2. proeχō
3. -
4. -
5. 42840
6. VSPM1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓may_be˒ having_advantage
8. ˱we˲ ˓may_be˒ having_advantage
9. -
10. -
11. 106309
1. Οὒ
2. ou
3. Not
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. S
10. Y60
11. 106310
1. πάντως
2. pantōs
3. certainly
4. -
5. 38430
6. D·······
7. certainly
8. certainly
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106311
1. προῃτιασάμεθα
2. proaitiaomai
3. we previously charged
4. we
5. 42560
6. VIAM1··P
7. ˱we˲ previously_charged
8. ˱we˲ previously_charged
9. -
10. Y60; R105120; Person=Paul; R106164; R105362
11. 106312
1. γάρ
2. gar
3. because/for
4. because
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106313
1. Ἰουδαίους
2. ioudaios
3. Youdaiōns
4. -
5. 24530
6. S····AMP
7. Youdaiōns
8. Jews
9. U
10. Y60
11. 106314
1. τέ
2. te
3. both
4. -
5. 50370
6. C·······
7. both
8. both
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106315
1. πρῶτον
2. prōton
3. -
4. -
5. 44120
6. D·······
7. first
8. first
9. -
10. -
11. 106316
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106317
1. Ἕλληνας
2. Hellēn
3. Hellaʸns
4. -
5. 16720
6. N····AMP
7. Hellaʸns
8. Greeks
9. U
10. Y60
11. 106318
1. πάντας
2. pas
3. all
4. -
5. 39560
6. E····AMP
7. all
8. all
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106319
1. ὑφʼ
2. hupo
3. under
4. under
5. 52590
6. P·······
7. under
8. under
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106320
1. ἁμαρτίαν
2. hamartia
3. sin
4. -
5. 2660
6. N····AFS
7. sin
8. sin
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106321
1. εἶναι
2. eimi
3. to be
4. -
5. 15100
6. VNPA····
7. to_be
8. to_be
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106322

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:9–20: The Jews also are sinners

In this section, Paul used quotations from the Old Testament to show that the Jews sin against God. They are not better than the Gentiles. God will hold them responsible for their sins. Paul also said that when someone follows the law of Moses, that does not make God say he is righteous.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Both Jews and Gentiles sin

No One is Righteous (NIV)

Everyone has sinned

3:9a–b

Are we any better? Not at all: This is a rhetorical question and its answer. The rhetorical question causes the reader to think of what might be the answer. Paul then told what the answer was. Here are some ways to translate this:

As a rhetorical question and its answer. For example:
Do we have any advantage? Not at all! (NIV11)
are we Jews better than others? No! (NCV)
Is the status of the Jews in God’s estimation better than that of the Gentiles? NoKankanaey Back Translation on TW.
As a statement. For example:
We Jews are not better off, no, not at all.
We Jews have no advantage over the Gentiles. No none at all.
The status of the Jews in God’s estimation is no better than that of the Gentiles. No.

Many Jews thought that they were better than the Gentiles/Greeks because they had God’s word and God chose them to be his people. Paul asked this question and answered “no” to show that Jews also were sinners.

3:9a

What then? Are we any better?

¶ So then, what does this mean? Are we^(excl) Jews better/superior than others?
¶ So what shall we say? We Jews have no advantage over non-Jews.

What then?: This is a rhetorical question. It causes the reader to think about what the answer might be. Paul used it to introduce the next question. Here are other ways to translate this question:

What does all this mean? (CEV)

What shall we conclude then? (NIV)

What then will we say?Kankanaey Back Translation on TW.

we: Some English versions add the word “Jews” here. In 3:9c, Paul spoke of Jews and Greeks, so he would include himself with the Jews in this case.

any better: Here this phrase means “to have an advantage.” It compares one group with another and indicates that one is better than the other. See the examples above.

3:9b

Not at all.

Absolutely/Certainly not!
No!

Not at all: The Greek words are more literally “not certainly” or “not entirely.” But many English versions and scholars translate the Greek as Not at all (BSB) or “Certainly not” (NET). Some English versions add the word “No,” perhaps for a more natural English expression. Here are other ways to translate these words:

By no means!

Certainly not! (NET)

3:9c

For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.

For/Because we/I have already accused all people, both Jews and Gentiles, of being sinners,
I have already said that all of us, whether we are Jews or non-Jews, are to blame for sinning.

For: This conjunction introduces an explanation of “Are we any better? Not at all!” in 3:9a–b. In some languages it is more natural to omit this conjunction and allow the context to imply that connection. For example:

we have already… (NJB)

we: This pronoun refers to Paul as the writer of this letter (1:1). The style of using we when only one person is speaking or writing occurs in Greek literature and in the Bible.

It does not refer to the same people as “we” in 3:9a. You may want to use “I” to indicate that Paul was not including Jews here. For example:

I (GNT)

have already made the charge: This phrase means “accused beforehand.” Paul said earlier in this letter that Jews and non-Jews are sinners. Now he reminded his readers that he said that. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

have already accused (GW)

said before that they were to blame

already said that…are all guilty (NCV)

already said that…all have sinOtomi Back Translation on TW.

Greeks: The basic meaning of this word is “people who are from Greece.” But in the New Testament the word usually refers to anyone who is not a Jew. So it includes Romans and other non-Jewish peoples. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to people from Greece. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Use a more general word. For example:
Gentiles (CEV)
Translate the literal meaning and explain it in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
This word in the New Testament usually refers to anyone who is not a Jew.

under sin: There are two ways to interpret the Greek phrase that the BSB translates as under sin:

It means that all people are sinners. For example:
guilty of sin (NCV) (NCV)
It means that all people are under the power of sin. For example:
under the dominion of sin (NJB) (RSV, NIV11, GNT, NJB, NABRE, NLT, GW, CEV, REB)

The BSB, NIV84, ESV, NASB, KJV, and NET translate literally, but the phrase under sin is not clear as to its exact meaning in English. It could mean interpretation (1) or (2). If a literal translation in your language allows for interpretation (1), you may want to translate that way.

But if a literal translation in your language will only follow interpretation (2), it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the examples of under sin in 3:10–18 clearly refer to people responsible for their sin and not to sin controlling them.Longenecker, Lenski, and Alford support interpretation (1). Some scholars refer to 7:14 to support “under the power of sin” here, but this author feels the context is too different to be a good parallel. Also, interpretation (1) fits better with the Greek word that the BSB translates as “we have already made the charge,” as those responsible rather than being victims.

Here are other ways to translate this phrase according to interpretation (1):

are sinnersUma Back Translation on TW.

sin habituallyYakan Back Translation on TW.

sin: This word refers to doing something that God said is wrong to do, or not doing something that God said they should do.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

τί οὖν? προεχόμεθα?

what (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν Προεχόμεθα Οὒ πάντως προῃτιασάμεθα γάρ Ἰουδαίους τέ καί Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφʼ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι)

Here Paul concludes his series of rhetorical questions by using the same phrase What then he used to begin this discussion. See how you translated this phrase in [3:1](../03/01.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

προεχόμεθα?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν Προεχόμεθα Οὒ πάντως προῃτιασάμεθα γάρ Ἰουδαίους τέ καί Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφʼ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι)

Paul is using the question form to express an objection that a Jew might have to what Paul has said previously. 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: [Surely we are not better off!]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

προεχόμεθα

Here, we is used exclusively to speak of Paul and his fellow Jews. Your language may require you to mark these forms. Alternate translation: [Are we Jews better off]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

οὐ πάντως

Not at all is an exclamation that communicates a strong negative response to the previous statement. Use an exclamation that is natural in your language for communicating this idea. Alternate translation: [Absolutely not!] or [In no way!]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐ πάντως

Paul is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [We are not better off at all]

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ

˱we˲_previously_charged (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τί Οὖν Προεχόμεθα Οὒ πάντως προῃτιασάμεθα γάρ Ἰουδαίους τέ καί Ἕλληνας πάντας ὑφʼ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι)

For here indicates that what follows is the reason why the previous statement is true. Use a natural way in your language for indicating a reason. Alternate translation: [We are not better off because we have already accused]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

προῃτιασάμεθα

˱we˲_previously_charged

Here, we could mean: (1) Paul is speaking only of himself in a formal manner. Alternate translation: [I have already accused] (2) Paul is speaking of himself and other Christians. Alternate translation: [we Christians have already accused] See how you translated we in the previous verse.

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

Ἕλληνας

Greeks

Here, Greeks refers to non-Jewish people in general. It does not refer only to people from the country of Greece. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [non-Jewish people]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ὑφ’ ἁμαρτίαν

under sin

The phrase under sin is an idiom that means “under the power of sin” or “controlled by one’s desire to sin.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [controlled by sin] or [unable to stop sinning]

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.