ROM 9:12 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. οὐκ
2. ou
3. not
4. -
5. 37560
6. C·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109309
1. ἐξ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109310
1. ἔργων
2. ergon
3. works
4. -
5. 20410
6. N····GNP
7. works
8. works
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109311
1. ἀλλʼ
2. alla
3. but
4. but
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109312
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109313
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. the one
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····GMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109314
1. καλοῦντος
2. kaleō
3. calling
4. announcement
5. 25640
6. VPPA·GMS
7. calling
8. calling
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109315
1. ἐρρέθη
2. legō
3. it was said
4. -
5. 30040
6. VIAP3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ said
8. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ said
9. -
10. Y60; R109322
11. 109316
1. αὐτῇ
2. autos
3. to her
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3DFS
7. ˱to˲ her
8. ˱to˲ her
9. -
10. Y60; R109278
11. 109317
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. that
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. ¬that
8. ¬that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109318
1. Ὁ
2. ho
3. The
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. B
10. Y60
11. 109319
1. μείζων
2. meizōn
3. greater
4. -
5. 31870
6. S····NMS
7. greater
8. greater
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109320
1. μεῖζον
2. meizōn
3. -
4. -
5. 31870
6. S····NNS
7. greater
8. greater
9. -
10. -
11. 109321
1. δουλεύσει
2. douleuō
3. will be serving
4. -
5. 13980
6. VIFA3··S
7. ˓will_be˒ serving
8. ˓will_be˒ serving
9. -
10. Y60; F109316
11. 109322
1. τῷ
2. ho
3. for the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DMS
7. ˱for˲ the
8. ˱for˲ the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109323
1. ἐλάσσονι
2. elassōn
3. lessor
4. -
5. 16400
6. S····DMS
7. lessor
8. lessor
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109324

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:6–13: The choices of God follow his purposes

In this section, Paul told the Romans that God’s word has not failed. In the history of the Jews God had chosen some of them and not others. Paul gave some examples of this.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

God’s promises do not fail

No one can change what God has chosen to do

9:12a

not by works but by Him who calls,

because of him who calls and not because of someone’s deeds,
His purpose was not based on a person’s deeds but on himself, the one who calls people to do his will.
What he chooses does not depend on the actions of anyone. Instead, it depends on the one who chooses, God himself.

Some English versions place the words of 9:12a at the end of 9:11c. However, the Greek NT 5 has the words of 9:12a at the beginning of 9:12. The BSB follows this guidance. If the major language translation has it there, you may want to put your translation of 9:12a there.

not by works but by Him who calls: In some languages it is more natural to have the by part of this phrase before the not by reason. And some languages will use “and” instead of but. For example:

by him who calls and not by works

works: Here this word refers to actions or deeds, not things produced by a job or paid work. Here it refers to the actions or deeds of people, not God’s.

calls: Here the word calls means “chooses to be given a special benefit or purpose.” God chose Jacob to begin the nation of Israel. See how you translated this word in 1:6 or 8:28.

9:11–12

(reordered) And although they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, she was told, “The older will serve the younger,” in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls.

(reordered) She was told, “The older will serve the younger,” though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad. God said that so that his purpose of election might continue, because of him who calls and not because of works.

9:12b

she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

as the Scripture says, she was told, “The older brother will be the servant of the younger brother.”
In the Holy Book God said to her: “The first child will work for the second child.”

she was told: This clause is passive. God spoke to her. Some languages must use an active clause here. For example:

God/he told her

This clause introduces a quote from Scripture. Some language translations always introduce quotes from Scripture in their translations. For example:

In the Holy Book, she was told

In Scripture, God/he told her

The older will serve the younger: This sentence is found in Genesis 25:23. In the Hebrew culture (and many other cultures) the older sibling ruled the younger siblings. But God, to show his choice, would have the older sibling, Esau, server the younger sibling, Jacob, instead.

If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.

serve: Here this word refers to doing the work of someone else because he or she was told to do it. Jacob’s descendants would make Esau’s descendants their servants.Morris (page 356). Here are other ways to translate this word:

be servant (REB)

the younger one would rule his brotherOtomi Back Translation on TW.

General Comment on 9:11a–12b

It may be clearer in some languages to have the choice (9:12b) before the circumstances (9:11a–b) and purpose of the timing (9:11c–12:a). For example:

^11–12she was told, “The older will serve the younger,” in order that God’s plan of election might stand, not by works but by him who calls, even though the twins were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad

^11–12she was told, “The older will serve the younger,” in order that God’s plan of election might stand. That choice was not made by works but by him who calls, even though the twins were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad.

Note that if you do this, you will need to combine the verse references into one reference.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων, ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος

not of works but of the_‹one› calling

Here Paul is referring to the election of one of Rebekah’s sons, Jacob, as stated in the next verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [God did not elect Jacob by works, but by the one who calls]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἔργων

works

Here, works refers to human actions in general. It does not refer to “the works of the law” because God had not yet given his law to Moses when Jacob and Esau lived. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [what people do]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τοῦ καλοῦντος

the_‹one› calling

Here, the one who calls refers to God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [God who calls]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

τοῦ καλοῦντος

the_‹one› calling

Paul is leaving out a word that a clause would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply the word from the context. Alternate translation: [the one who calls people]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ

˱it˲_˓was˒_said ˱to˲_her

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. Alternate translation: [God said to her]

Note 6 topic: writing-quotations

ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ

˱it˲_˓was˒_said ˱to˲_her

This phrase indicates that what follows is a quotation from an Old Testament book ([Genesis 25:23](../../gen/25/23.md)). 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: [it was said to her, as recorded in the Scriptures]

Note 7 topic: writing-pronouns

αὐτῇ

˱to˲_her

Here, the pronoun her refers to Rebekah. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly, as in the UST.

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks

ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι)

This sentence is a quotation from [Genesis 25:23](../../gen/25/23.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 9 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος ἐρρέθη αὐτῇ ὅτι Ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι)

The phrases the older and the younger refer to Rebekah’s older and younger twin sons. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly, as in the UST.

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

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. not
2. -
3. 37560
5. ou
6. C-·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109309
1. of
2. -
3. 15370
5. ek
6. P-·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109310
1. works
2. -
3. 20410
5. ergon
6. N-····GNP
7. works
8. works
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109311
1. but
2. but
3. 2350
5. alla
6. C-·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109312
1. of
2. -
3. 15370
5. ek
6. P-·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109313
1. the one
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. R-····GMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109314
1. calling
2. announcement
3. 25640
5. kaleō
6. V-PPA·GMS
7. calling
8. calling
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109315
1. it was said
2. -
3. 30040
5. legō
6. V-IAP3··S
7. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ said
8. ˱it˲ ˓was˒ said
9. -
10. Y60; R109322
11. 109316
1. to her
2. -
3. 8460
5. autos
6. R-···3DFS
7. ˱to˲ her
8. ˱to˲ her
9. -
10. Y60; R109278
11. 109317
1. that
2. -
3. 37540
5. hoti
6. C-·······
7. ¬that
8. ¬that
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109318
1. The
2. -
3. 35880
4. B
5. ho
6. E-····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. B
10. Y60
11. 109319
1. greater
2. -
3. 31870
5. meizōn
6. S-····NMS
7. greater
8. greater
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109320
1. will be serving
2. -
3. 13980
5. douleuō
6. V-IFA3··S
7. ˓will_be˒ serving
8. ˓will_be˒ serving
9. -
10. Y60; F109316
11. 109322
1. for the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DMS
7. ˱for˲ the
8. ˱for˲ the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109323
1. lessor
2. -
3. 16400
5. elassōn
6. S-····DMS
7. lessor
8. lessor
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109324

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.