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Rom C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16
Rom 4 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25
OET (OET-LV) as it_has_been_written, that A_father of_many nations I_have_appointed you, in_front_of whom he_believed, god the one giving_life to_the dead, and calling the things not being as being.
OET (OET-RV) as it’s been written, ‘I’ve appointed you as a father of many nations.’ He was appointed in front of the god he believed in—the god who brings the dead back to life and who creates by speaking things into being that didn’t previously exist.
In this section, Paul showed that God’s promise of blessing to Abraham and his descendants was made because Abraham believed God. God did not promise blessing because Abraham obeyed the law of Moses. Paul then described how Abraham believed and why God called him righteous. Paul then explained that God also calls the people who believe in God (and his Messiah, Jesus) righteous.
Here are other possible headings for this section:
God counts people as righteous through faith, not through the Law Of Moses
God also called us(incl) righteous because we believe
The lesson/model of God calling Abraham righteous applies to us/believers
As it is written:
as someone wrote in Scriptures when God said,
That is like what is written in God’s Word. Long ago God said to him/Abraham,
As it is written: This phrase introduces a quote from the Old Testament. Paul quoted what God said to Abraham (Genesis 17:5). You may want to include some or all of this implied information. For example:
As it is written in God’s Word
as Scripture says (GW)
It is like what the Scriptures say when God told him
See how you translated this phrase in 1:17 or 3:4.
“I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed: There are several ways to interpret the connection of in the presence of God, in whom he believed to the rest of the Greek text:
It connects to Abraham being the father of us all (4:16f). For example:
“I have made you the father of many nations”). He is our father in the presence of God whom he believed (NET) (BSB, NIV, NJB, NET, NASB, KJV, NABRE)
It connects to the faith of Abraham (4:16e). For example:
the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed (NRSV) (NRSV, REB, GW)
It connects to the promise to Abraham (4:16a). For example:
“I have made you father of many nations.” So the promise is good in the sight of God, in whom Abraham believed (GNT) (RSV, GNT, ESV)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that is the closest connection and seems the most natural.Moo, Longenecker, and Cranfield support interpretation (1).
I have made you a father of many nations: These words are a quote found in Genesis 17:5. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.
“I have made you a father of many nations.”
“I have made you(sing) a father of many people-groups”
“I have made you father of many culture/language groups.”
I have made you a father of many nations: This quote is from Genesis 17:5. In Abraham’s story in the book of Genesis, God caused Abraham to have many descendants. Many of them became the founders of new nations.
I have appointed you to be father of many nations (REB)
I will make you the ancestor of many kinds of peopleWestern Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation on TW.
You should translate this clause with its meaning in Genesis 17:5. You should not explicitly translate Paul’s figurative use of father (4:11–16) here.
a father: The Greek refers generally to being a father or ancestor. But it does not imply one of many “fathers.” Consider how to translate that meaning. For example:
the father (ESV)
father (GNT)
the ancestor (CEV)
nations: Here the word nations refers to people grouped by language and culture. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
people-groups
language-groups
He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed,
before him, in whom he/Abraham believed.
He is our father in the sight of God. Indeed, he believed in him.
in the presence of God: This phrase probably connects to “the father of many nations” (4:17b). It indicates that God considered Abraham to be the father of many nations. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
This is true before God (NCV)
in the sight/eyes of God
It is also possible that this phrase connects to “the father of us all” in 4:16f.Some commentators take the quote from Scripture in 4:17a–b as a separate comment on “the father of us all” in 4:16f. Therefore 4:17c further describes Abraham as “the father of us all.” For example:
He is our father in the sight of God (NIV)
Abraham is our father in the eyes of God (NJB)
in whom he believed: This clause tells the reader more about God. It does not separate God from other gods. For the correct meaning in some languages, translators must avoid the word whom. For example:
Abraham believed in him.
the God who gives life to the dead
He makes dead people live again
He causes dead people to live again
the God who gives life to the dead: This clause tells the reader more about God. It does not separate God from other gods. For the correct meaning in some languages, translators must avoid the word who. For example:
He gives life to the dead.
gives life to the dead: God has power to make people live again after they die. Here are other ways to translate these words:
raises the dead to life (CEV)
brings the dead back to life (NLT)
and calls into being what does not yet exist.
and commands things that do not yet exist so that they exist.
and speaks so that things that did not exist before now exist.
and calls: The word “who” is implied from 4:17d. God calls here.
calls into being what does not yet exist: The Greek is literally “calling the things not being as being.” There are two ways to interpret the Greek here:
It indicates that God speaks and things that did not exist now exist. For example:
who creates new things out of nothing (NLT) (BSB, RSV, NIV11, GNT, NJB, ESV, REB, GW, NASB, NLT, CEV, NCV)
It indicates that God refers to things as existing that do not yet exist. For example, when God promised Abraham in Genesis 17:5 that he would be the father of many nations, those nations did not yet exist. For example:
calls things that are not as though they were (NIV84) (NIV84, KJV)
It is recommended that you follow (1) because both Greek words “gives life” (4:17d) and calls probably refer generally to any time God chooses to do those things.Morris (on TW) says, “Calls is linked with gives life under the one article; God is the one who both gives life and calls. Both activities are characteristic of him.” Here the word calls does not refer only to calling Abraham the father of many nations.If it only referred to calling Abraham the father of many nations, Paul probably would have used the aorist tense rather than the (general/gnomic) present tense. Barrett (page 97) says, “he is the Creator, and faith means reliance upon his creative power.” Here are other ways to translate this according to interpretation (1):
calls into being things that were not (NIV11)
whose command brings into being what did not exist (GNT)
those things that do not exist that God wants to exist, he says “may they exist” and they exist
what does not yet exist: Here the word what refers to all that God created, including the nations. Consider how to translate with that meaning.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure
καθὼς γέγραπται, ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
Here Paul interrupts the sentence he began in the previous verse and inserts these two clauses in order to support his argument. If it would be helpful in your language, you could mark these clauses in a way that shows they are inserted into the middle of a sentence, as in the UST. You could also move these clauses to the end of the verse so that they do not divide the main sentence.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
καθὼς γέγραπται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
Here Paul uses a quotation from the Old Testament in order to support the statement in the previous verse that Abraham “is the father of us all.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the relationship between this verse and the previous verse clearer. Alternate translation: [The fact that Abraham is the father of us all is written in the Scriptures, which say]
Note 3 topic: writing-quotations
καθὼς γέγραπται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
See how you translated this phrase in [1:17](../01/17.md).
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
καθὼς γέγραπται
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
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. If you must state who did the action, the quotation was written by Moses. Alternate translation: [just as Moses wrote]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks
πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
In this clause Paul quotes [Genesis 17:5](../gen/17/05.md). It may be helpful to your readers to indicate this by setting off all of this material with quotation marks or with whatever punctuation or convention your language uses to indicate a quotation.
Note 6 topic: writing-pronouns
τέθεικά σε & ἐπίστευσεν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
The pronoun I refers to God, and you and he refer to Abraham. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [I, God, have appointed you, Abraham, as … Abraham trusted]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
Paul quotes God using father to refer to Abraham as if he were going to physically produce children who would comprise many nations. God means that Abraham would become the spiritual ancestor of a large number of people from many nations who trust in God as does Abraham. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the spiritual representative of numerous groups of people]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ,
in_front_of whom ˱he˲_believed God
Here Paul continues the sentence from the previous verse that he had interrupted with the first two clauses in this verse. This clause completes the previous statement from the previous verse, “who is the father of us all.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. You made need to start a new sentence, as in the UST. Alternate translation: [Abraham is the father of us all in the presence of God whom he trusted]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
κατέναντι & Θεοῦ
in_front_of & God
Paul uses in the presence of to refer to Abraham as if he were physically present with God. Paul means that God personally considers Abraham to represent the believers that come from many nations. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [according to what God thinks] or [in God’s view]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish
οὗ ἐπίστευσεν & τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς, καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα
whom ˱he˲_believed & the_‹one› giving_life (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
These clauses give further information about God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the relationship between these phrases clearer by making new sentences or by another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [This is the God whom he trusted. It is this God who makes the dead live and calls the things not existing as existing]
Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα
calling (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καθώς γέγραπται ὅτι Πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικα σέ κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τούς νεκρούς καί καλοῦντος τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα)
Paul speaks of the things not existing as if God were calling to them. Paul means that God creates things by commanding them to exist, as Moses describes in [Genesis 1:3–27](../gen/01/03.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [summons into being things that did not previously exist] or [by speaking, creates things that did not previously exist]
OET (OET-LV) as it_has_been_written, that A_father of_many nations I_have_appointed you, in_front_of whom he_believed, god the one giving_life to_the dead, and calling the things not being as being.
OET (OET-RV) as it’s been written, ‘I’ve appointed you as a father of many nations.’ He was appointed in front of the god he believed in—the god who brings the dead back to life and who creates by speaking things into being that didn’t previously exist.
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.