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OET (OET-LV) For/Because the powerless is of_the law, in that it_was_faltering through the flesh, the god the of_himself the_son having_sent, in the_likeness of_flesh sin, and concerning sin, condemned the sin in the flesh,
OET (OET-RV) The law was powerless in that it was faltering through our bodies. God sent his son in a body just like our sinful bodies, and concerning sin, he condemned sin itself in the flesh
In this section Paul reminded the believers in Rome that God does not condemn them, because the Holy Spirit has set them free from sin and death. Jesus became like an Old Testament sin offering to remove the consequences of our sin. The laws of Moses demanded a righteous life, and in the Holy Spirit we can live that way.
The people who live according to the sinful nature seek to do things that are in accord with that nature. Also, they cannot please God, cannot follow his laws, are hostile to him, and will be punished with death forever. The people who live according to the Holy Spirit seek to do things that are in accord with his desire.
Christians allow the Holy Spirit to work in them. When they do that, they are as if dead to sin and God will give them life. Those without the Holy Spirit do not belong to Jesus Christ.
We put to death the deeds of the sinful nature. We do that by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are God’s children and can do as he does (again, by the power of the Holy Spirit). If we suffer as Jesus suffered, God will give to us his promised inheritance in heaven.
Here are other possible headings for this section:
We must live according to the Holy Spirit, not according to sinfulness
Be Ruled by the Spirit (NCV)
Living by the Power of God’s Spirit (CEV)
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did
For the law of Moses was weak in people’s lives by the desires of the body, and did not have the power to free anyone from sin and death. Only God was able to do that.
For the laws of Moses cannot set anyone free like that, because it is weak in our bodies. But God
For: This word introduces the basis for God setting us free from sin and death (8:2).
what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did: Here the law refers to the laws that God gave to Moses. The law of Moses was not able to free people from sin (8:2). God did that. For example:
The Law of Moses cannot do this (CEV)
Paul spoke of the law as if it were a person. Some languages cannot speak of the law as doing things. If that is true in your language, translate the correct meaning. For example:
For no one, obeying the law of Moses can become free like that, because the law operates through our weak human nature. But God condemned sin in the flesh (interpretation 1)
For God condemned sin in the flesh. No one, obeying the laws of Moses, is able to do that, because people are weak regarding obeying them. (interpretation 2)
the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh: These words indicate that the law was unable to accomplish what God intended for it to do, because people are unable to obey it completely.
flesh: This word refers to people living according to their natural way of thinking, the human nature. Here are other ways to translate this word:
human nature (GNT)
our natural inclinations
our old nature
our own desires
See how you translated this word in 7:5 or 7:25.
by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man,
He/God sent his very own Son in a body and nature that was like the normal human body
sent his own Son, and he became like us(incl) sinful people,
by sending His own Son: The word by here indicates that God sending His own Son was how God condemned sin in the flesh. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
God sent his Son…. That way God condemned sin (GW)
He sent his Child…. And that’s how GodKankanaey Back Translation on TW.
His own Son: This phrase is a title for Jesus. This title indicates that Jesus has the same nature and character as God. It also indicates that the relationship between God the Father and Jesus, his Son, is similar in some way to the relationship of human fathers and sons. God the Father does not have a physical body. He did not have a sexual relationship that resulted in Mary becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus. See how you translated the phrase “His Son” at 1:3.
in the likeness of sinful man: The word likeness here probably indicates that Jesus became a human being yet still remained who he was before he did that,Cranfield (page 379). so he had all the characteristics of a human being except that he was sinless.Morris (on TW) and Kittel (686). But all the above information comes from many verses, not just this verse. Translate in a way that implies or allows the above meaning. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
in a body like the bodies we sinners have (NLT)
to be like us sinners (CEV)
he became as sinful peopleYongkom Back Translation, by this author, unpublished manuscript, Papua New Guinea.
In some languages it is helpful to explain in the translation how Jesus is the same and different from us. For example:
having a human body and his customs (were) like our (incl) customs but he was not influenced/carried to sinYakan Back Translation on TW.
he became a human being like us, but there was no sinfulness in him
sinful man: The word man refers to the physical body here but also includes the human nature as in 8:3a. When Jesus came to earth he took on a physical body as well as human nature. In our human nature while living in this physical body that we have, it is easy for us to sin. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
our sinful nature (REB)
with the same human life that others use for sin (NCV)
as an offering for sin.
and for the sake of sin,
and he sent him to do something about people’s sins.
as an offering for sin: There are several ways to interpret the Greek words that the BSB translates as as an offering for sin:
It means with regard to sin here. God also sent his Son to do something about sin. For example:
and concerning sin (NET) (RSV, GNT, KJV, ESV, NET, NABRE, REB, GW)
It means as a sin offering here. For example:
to be a sin offering (NIV) (BSB, NIV, NJB, NASB, CEV, NCV)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because this phrase is not in the context of the Old Testament system of animal sacrifice, as it is in Hebrews 13:11, where the same Greek phrase is correctly translated “sin offering.”
The words here refer to taking our sins upon himself, paying the penalty for sin by his death, and setting us free from sin.Lenski (pages 500–501) speaks of “atonement for sin and also our liberation from sin.” Fitzmyer (page 485–486) says it means “to deal with sin…or to conquer sin…or to take away…sin.” Here are other ways to translate the Greek words according to interpretation (1):
and for the sake of sin (NABRE)
and to deal with sin (REB)
He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
and so he/God broke/ended the power of sin in the human body,
He punished this thing called sinning by ending its power in our(incl) bodies.
He thus condemned sin in the flesh: In the death of Jesus on the cross, God broke the power of sin. People have the same body and human nature as Jesus. So God has broken the power of sin for all people. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
he condemned the power of sin in human nature
God removed the power of sin to rule us peopleKankanaey Back Translation on TW.
he really broke the control of sin over usTagbanwa Back Translation on TW.
condemned: Here this word refers to a judge saying someone is guilty and giving the punishment. Referring to condemning sin, some languages must use a different word here. See the above examples.
sin: Here sin is spoken of as if it were a person. Some languages must speak of sin in a different way. For example:
sinning
the power of sin
in the flesh: Here this phrase refers to the place where God condemned sin.
flesh: Here this word refers to the human body.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases
γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
For indicates that what follows this word explains what came before it. Here, it introduces what follows in this verse and the next verse as an explanation of what Paul said in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [In fact,]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure
τὸ & ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου, ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, ὁ Θεὸς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [God did what the law was unable to do, in that it was weak through the flesh]
Note 3 topic: grammar-collectivenouns
τοῦ νόμου
˱of˲_the law
Here, the law refers to the laws that God gave the Jews, which is usually what Paul means when he says the law. See how you translated this expression in [2:12](../02/12.md).
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τὸ & ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου & ὁ Θεὸς
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
Paul implies that what the law was unable to do was to make people righteous, which is the main theme of this book. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [the law was unable to make people righteous … but God did so]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / personification
τὸ & ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου, ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
Here Paul speaks of the law as if it were a person who was unable to do something and was weak. Paul means that the laws God gave the Jews could not make people righteous, because people are naturally sinful and unable to obey those laws. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the law could not stop people from sinning, because sinful human nature prevented people from obeying it]
Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει
in that ˱it˲_˓was˒_faltering
This phrase is the reason why the law was unable to do what it was supposed to do. Use a natural way in your language for introducing a reason. Alternate translation: [since it was weak]
Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
διὰ τῆς σαρκός
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
This phrase states the reason why the law was weak. Use a natural way in your language for introducing a reason. Alternate translation: [on account of the flesh]
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
διὰ τῆς σαρκός
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
Here Paul uses flesh figuratively to refer to sinful human nature. See how you translated the similar use of flesh in [7:18](../07/18.md).
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν πέμψας, ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
This clause indicates how God condemned sin. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly, as in the UST.
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis
τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱὸν πέμψας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
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: [having sent his own Son to the earth] or [having sent his own Son to mankind]
Note 11 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples
Υἱὸν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
Son is an important title for Jesus, the Son of God.
Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας
in in ˓the˒_likeness in (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
Paul is using the possessive form to describe the likeness that is characterized by sinful flesh. He means that Jesus had the same human flesh that sinful people have, although Jesus never sinned. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [in the same flesh as that of sinful human beings]
Note 13 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας
in in ˓the˒_likeness in (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of likeness, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [in flesh like sinful flesh]
Note 14 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche
σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας & τῇ σαρκί
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
Here Paul uses flesh figuratively to mean “the whole body,” which is made of flesh. See how you translated this use of flesh in [2:28](../02/28.md).
Note 15 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
περὶ ἁμαρτίας
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
This could mean: (1) Jesus was sent for the sake of doing away with sin. Alternate translation: [in order to do away with sin] (2) Jesus was an offering to pay for sin. Alternate translation: [as an offering for sin]
Note 16 topic: figures-of-speech / personification
κατέκρινε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τό Γάρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός ὁ Θεός τόν ἑαυτοῦ Υἱόν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας καί περί ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τήν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί)
Here Paul speaks of sin as if it were a guilty person whom a judge could condemn. Paul means that God removed the power that sin had to control people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [he canceled the power of sin] or [he destroyed how sin controls people]
Note 17 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἐν τῇ σαρκί
in in in the flesh
Here, the flesh refers specifically to Jesus’ body, which died on the cross. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [in his Son’s body on the cross]
OET (OET-LV) For/Because the powerless is of_the law, in that it_was_faltering through the flesh, the god the of_himself the_son having_sent, in the_likeness of_flesh sin, and concerning sin, condemned the sin in the flesh,
OET (OET-RV) The law was powerless in that it was faltering through our bodies. God sent his son in a body just like our sinful bodies, and concerning sin, he condemned sin itself in the flesh
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.