OET interlinear ROM 4:18

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

ὃς & αὐτὸν & σου

who & him & ˱of˲_you

The pronouns who and he and your refer to Abraham, not God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ὃς παρ’ ἐλπίδα, ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν

who contrary_to hope in hope believed

Here, against hope is an idiom meaning “despite what seemed hopeless.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “although it seemed hopeless, he believed on the basis of hope”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ὃς παρ’ ἐλπίδα, ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν

who contrary_to hope in hope believed

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of hope, you could express the same idea with a different form. Alternate translation: “who hopefully believed although it seemed hopeless”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἐπίστευσεν

believed

Paul is leaving out some of the words that a clause 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: “believed in God” or “believed what God had promised”

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αὐτὸν

in_order that /to/_become him

Here, so that indicates that this is a purpose clause. Paul is stating the result of Abraham believing on the basis of hope. Use a natural way in your language for introducing a result clause. Alternate translation: “which resulted in him becoming”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν

/the/_father ˱of˲_many nations

See how you translated this phrase in 4:17.

Note 7 topic: writing-quotations

τὸ εἰρημένον

that the_‹word› /having_been/_spoken

Here Paul uses what was said to introduce a quotation from an Old Testament book (Genesis 15:5). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase that indicates that Paul is quoting from an important text. Alternate translation: “what was said in the Scriptures”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τὸ εἰρημένον

that the_‹word› /having_been/_spoken

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 spoken by God. Alternate translation: “what God said”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου

thus will_be the descendants ˱of˲_you

Paul assumes that his readers would know the rest of what God said in the verse he is quoting (Genesis 15:5). If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Look now at the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them. So will your seed be”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸ σπέρμα

that the_‹word› the descendants

See how you translated seed in 4:16.