ROM 4:19 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. Καί
2. kai
3. And
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y60
11. 106965
1. μή
2. mē
3. not
4. didn't
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106966
1. ἀσθενήσας
2. astheneō
3. having faltered
4. falter
5. 7700
6. VPAA·NMS
7. ˓having˒ faltered
8. ˓having˒ faltered
9. -
10. Y60; R106914; Person=Abraham
11. 106967
1. τῇ
2. ho
3. in the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFS
7. ˱in˲ the
8. ˱in˲ the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106968
1. πίστει
2. pistis
3. faith
4. faith
5. 41020
6. N····DFS
7. faith
8. faith
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106969
1. οὒ
2. ou
3. -
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. -
11. 106970
1. κατενόησεν
2. katanoeō
3. he observed
4. -
5. 26570
6. VIAA3··S
7. ˱he˲ observed
8. ˱he˲ observed
9. -
10. Y60; R106914; Person=Abraham
11. 106971
1. τό
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····ANS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106972
1. ἑαυτοῦ
2. heautou
3. of himself
4. -
5. 14380
6. R···3GMS
7. ˱of˲ himself
8. ˱of˲ himself
9. -
10. Y60; R106914; Person=Abraham
11. 106973
1. σῶμα
2. sōma
3. body
4. body
5. 49830
6. N····ANS
7. body
8. body
9. -
10. Y60; F106976
11. 106974
1. ἤδη
2. ēdē
3. already
4. already
5. 22350
6. D·······
7. already
8. already
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106975
1. νενεκρωμένον
2. nekroō
3. having been made dead
4. -
5. 34990
6. VPEP·ANS
7. ˓having_been˒ made_dead
8. ˓having_been˒ made_dead
9. -
10. Y60; R106974
11. 106976
1. ἑκατονταετής
2. hekatontaetēs
3. +a hundred year old
4. hundred
5. 15410
6. S····NMS
7. ˓a˒ hundred_year ‹old›
8. ˓a˒ hundred_year ‹old›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106977
1. πού
2. pou
3. about
4. about
5. 42250
6. D·······
7. about
8. about
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106978
1. ὑπάρχων
2. huparχō
3. being
4. -
5. 52250
6. VPPA·NMS
7. being
8. being
9. -
10. Y60; R106914; Person=Abraham
11. 106979
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106980
1. τήν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106981
1. νέκρωσιν
2. nekrōsis
3. death
4. -
5. 35000
6. N····AFS
7. death
8. death
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106982
1. τῆς
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GFS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106983
1. μήτρας
2. mētra
3. womb
4. -
5. 33880
6. N····GFS
7. womb
8. womb
9. -
10. Y60
11. 106984
1. Σάρρας
2. sarra
3. of Sarra/(Sārāh)
4. Sarah
5. 45640
6. N····GFS
7. ˱of˲ Sarra/(Sārāh)
8. ˱of˲ Sarah
9. U
10. Person=Sarah; Y60
11. 106985

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:13–25: God considers/calls people righteous who believe in Jesus

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

4:19a

Without weakening in his faith,

His believing did not weaken/fall
He/Abraham stayed strong/well in his faith,

Without weakening in his faith: This clause indicates that Abraham continued believing in God well. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

his faith did not decreaseUma Back Translation on TW.

Abraham did not stop believingOtomi Back Translation on TW.

his faith was still strongWestern Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation on TW.

his believing in God did not fall/move

his: This word refers to Abraham here. In some languages 4:18d might imply that his here refers to God. If that is true in your language, use the name here. For example:

Abraham’s

4:19b

he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body

when he thought about his own body and knew it was like a dead body regarding fathering children
even though he knew that his body was too old for having children

In this verse part, Paul speaks of Abraham’s body as if it were dead. The BSB translates the meaning of this metaphor with the phrase “the decrepitness of his body.” In order to comment directly on the metaphor, the notes use the ESV in this verse part.

(ESV:) when he considered his own body: There is a textual issue in 4:19b: (1) Some Greek manuscripts have the word considered (BSB, RSV, NIV, GNT, NJB, NASB, NLT, GW, CEV, NET, NABRE, REB, ESV, NCV). (2) Some Greek manuscripts have the words considered not (KJV only). It is recommended that you follow option (1). The word considered means “thought about.” For example:

he contemplated his own body (NASB)

when he thought of his body (GNT)

(ESV:) which was as good as dead: There is a textual issue here:

The Greek is having been dead. For example:
as good as dead (NIV) (RSV, NIV, NJB, ESV, NABRE, NLT, CEV, NET, REB, NCV)
The Greek is already having been dead. For example:
which was already as good as dead (NRSV) (GNT, NRSV, NASB, GW, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), because it is harder to find a reason for a copyist to omit it if it was originally there than finding a reason for a copyist to add it.The UBS GNT includes it but indicates the Committee had difficulty deciding. Morris (on TW) says, “The committee was divided and in the end put the word in square brackets. Not much hangs on this question, but it does seem as though the word is not original, and it is not read in most modern translations.”

(ESV:) which: This word introduces how Paul described Abraham’s body. In some languages a different word or phrase must be used for the correct meaning. This also may require a new sentence. For example:

It was as good as dead

(ESV:) was as good as dead: The Greek is more literally “having been dead.” It is a figure of speech here. It indicates that Abraham was too old to produce child. Here are other ways to translate these words:

as dead (NET)

it was no longer possible for him to have any childrenWestern Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation on TW.

which was too old to father a child

much past the age for having children (NCV)

4:19c

(since he was about a hundred years old)

because he was about one hundred years old at that time,

(since he was about a hundred years old): This clause is background information: additional information that is not a main part of what Paul was talking about. So the BSB and some other English versions put this clause in parentheses to indicate that. It explains “good as dead” in 4:19b. Here are other ways to punctuate this clause:

—since he was about a hundred years old— (NIV)

because he was about a hundred years old, (RSV)

In some languages, it is more natural to begin a sentence with background information. See General Comment at 4:19d.

he was about a hundred years old: This phrase refers to how many years Abraham had lived about the time that Sarah became pregnant.Genesis 17:1–4, 16–19; 21:1–2. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

Abraham’s age was close to a hundred yearsUma Back Translation on TW.

his years were about 100Yongkom Back Translation (unpublished manuscript).

4:19d

and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

or when he thought about Sarah’s womb and knew it was also like/as dead regarding bearing children
He also knew that his wife Sarah had not been able to bear a child.

the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb: The Greek word which the BSB translates as lifelessness is literally “deadness.” Here it implies “unable to have children.” Paul used this word instead of the usual Greek word for lifelessness to connect it to “as good as dead” in 4:19b.

In some languages a literal translation would have the correct meaning. For example:

the deadness of Sarah’s womb (NASB)

that Sarah’s womb was dead (NJB)

his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb (NLT)

But in some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:

Sarah was unable to have children (GW)

Sara his wife was barrenKankanaey Back Translation on TW.

she could not give birthYakan Back Translation on TW.

Sarah’s womb: This phrase refers to the place where a baby lives and grows before the mother gives birth. Some languages have a polite way to refer to this place. For example:

Sarah’s tummy/stomach

Also see the examples above.

Sarah’s: Sarah was Abraham’s wife. In some languages people would not know that. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain that here. For example:

his wife Sarah’s

General Comment on 4:19a–d

4:19b–d is background information to 4:19a. In some languages it is more natural to have the background information first. For example:

^19bWhen he acknowledged his own body, which was as good as dead ^19c(since he was about a hundred years old), ^19dor when he acknowledged the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb, ^19ahe did not weaken in faith.

^19bHe acknowledged his own body as good as dead ^19cbecause he was about a hundred years old, ^19dand acknowledged Sarah’s womb also as good as dead, ^19abut he did not weaken in faith.

General Comment on 4:18a–19d

People of some language groups are not familiar with the story of Abraham, and so the purpose of 4:18 may not be clear until reading 4:19. If that is true of people in your language, you may want to have the words of 4:19 first. For example:

^19bWhen he acknowledged his own body, which was as good as dead ^19c(since he was about a hundred years old), ^19dor when he acknowledged the barrenness of Sarah’s womb, ^19ahe did not weaken in faith. ^18aIn hope he believed against hope, ^18bthat he should become the father of many nations, ^18cas he had been told, ^18d“So shall your offspring be.”

You will then need to mark these two verses as ^18–19.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

καὶ μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει, κατενόησεν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα ἤδη νενεκρωμένον, ἑκατονταετής που ὑπάρχων, καὶ τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί μή ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει κατενόησεν τό ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα ἤδη νενεκρωμένον ἑκατονταετής πού ὑπάρχων καί τήν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [He considered his own body as already having died (being about a hundred years old)—and the deadness of the womb of Sarah—but he was not weakening in the faith]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / litotes

καὶ μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει

Here Paul uses a figure of speech that expresses a strong positive meaning by using a negative word together with a word that is the opposite of the intended meaning. If it would be helpful in your language, you can express the meaning positively. Alternate translation: [And being strengthened in the faith] or [And being strong in the faith]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει

Paul speaks of Abraham’s faith as if it were something in which a person could be weakening. He means that Abraham kept trusting God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [not ceasing to trust]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῇ πίστει

˱in˲_the faith

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of faith, you could express the same idea with a verbal form. Alternate translation: [in how he trusted God]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἤδη νενεκρωμένον

already ˓having_been˒_made_dead

Paul speaks of Abraham as if he actually thought his body was dead. Paul means that Abraham knew he was too old to produce a child. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [unable to father a child] or [useless for procreating]

Note 6 topic: writing-background

ἑκατονταετής που ὑπάρχων

˓a˒_hundred_year_‹old› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί μή ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει κατενόησεν τό ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα ἤδη νενεκρωμένον ἑκατονταετής πού ὑπάρχων καί τήν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας)

Here Paul provides background information about Abraham’s age to help his readers understand why Abraham considered his own body as already being dead. Use the natural form in your language for expressing background information. Alternate translation: [since he was about 100 years old]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας

Here 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 previous clause. Alternate translation: [he also considered the deadness of the womb of Sarah]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of deadness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [that the womb of Sarah was dead]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας

Paul speaks of Sarah’s womb as if it were dead. He means that she was unable to conceive children. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [how Sarah was unable to conceive] or [that Sarah could not bear children]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας

Paul assumes that his readers would know that Sarah had been unable to become pregnant throughout her life, as described in the Old Testament book of Genesis. This fact makes Abraham’s faith even more amazing. If your readers would be unfamiliar with the story of Abraham and Sarah, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [the deadness of the womb of Sarah, since she could never become pregnant before] or [the deadness of the womb of Sarah, which had always been dead]

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 4:19

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

Section 4:13–25: God considers/calls people righteous who believe in Jesus

4:19a

4:19b

4:19c

4:19d

General Comment on 4:19a–d

General Comment on 4:18a–19d

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