ROM 9:7 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. οὔτʼ
2. oute
3. -
4. -
5. 37770
6. C·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. -
10. -
11. 109224
1. Οὐδʼ
2. oude
3. Nor
4. -
5. 37610
6. C·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. S
10. Y60
11. 109225
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. because
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. because
8. because
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109226
1. εἰσίν
2. eimi
3. they are
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··P
7. ˱they˲ are
8. ˱they˲ are
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109227
1. σπέρμα
2. sperma
3. seed
4. -
5. 46900
6. N····NNS
7. seed
8. seed
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109228
1. Ἀβραάμ
2. abraam
3. of Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām)
4. -
5. 110
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām)
8. ˱of˲ Abraham
9. U
10. Person=Abraham; Y60
11. 109229
1. πάντες
2. pas
3. all
4. -
5. 39560
6. S····NMP
7. all
8. all
9. -
10. Y60; R109219
11. 109230
1. τέκνα
2. teknon
3. children
4. children
5. 50430
6. N····NNP
7. children
8. children
9. -
10. Y60; F109289; F109291
11. 109231
1. ἀλλʼ
2. alla
3. but
4. but
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109232
1. Ἐν
2. en
3. In
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. B
10. Y60
11. 109233
1. Ἰσαάκ
2. isaak
3. Isaʼak/(Yiʦḩāq)
4. -
5. 24640
6. N····DMS
7. Isaʼak/(Yiʦḩāq)
8. Isaac
9. U
10. Person=Isaac; Y60
11. 109234
1. κληθήσεται
2. kaleō
3. will be being named
4. -
5. 25640
6. VIFP3··S
7. ˓will_be_being˒ named
8. ˓will_be_being˒ named
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109235
1. σοί
2. su
3. to you
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2D·S
7. ˱to˲ you
8. ˱to˲ you
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109236
1. σπέρμα
2. sperma
3. descendants
4. -
5. 46900
6. N····NNS
7. descendants
8. descendants
9. -
10. Y60
11. 109237

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

9:7a

Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children.

For not all of Abraham’s children are considered his seed/descendants,
For only some of Abraham’s children are his descendants in faith.

(NET:) nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants: The Greek is literally “neither that (they) are seed of Abraham all children.” There are two issues of interpretation.

Issue 1: Interpretation of the Greek word hoti

There are several ways to interpret the Greek word that is often translated as “that.” Here are the main ones:

The Greek word introduces an explanation. But 9:6b is already an explanation, so some versions translate this connection with “and.” For example:
and not all the descendants of Abraham count as his children (NJB) (NJB, GNT, NLT, GW, NET, NCV)
The Greek word means “because” and connects “seed” to children, rather than back to 9:6b. For example:
Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children (NIV) (BSB, RSV, NIV, NASB, KJV, ESV, NABRE)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1),Moo (page 574) says that 9:7–13 explain the basis for what Paul said in 9:6b. He translates the first two Greek words as “Neither is it the case that.” Jewett (page 575) says that 9:7a is “substantiating the claim in v. 6b.” He translates the first two Greek words as “nor [is it] that.” because the Greek word probably has the same meaning as in 9:6 (where the BSB leaves it implicit).

Issue 2: Interpretation of what the subject of the Greek verb translated are is

The Greek verb has the ending that indicates third person plural (“they” or a group mentioned in the clause). It is not clear whether to take “they” as referring to “seed” or children. (In Greek, the singular “seed” can refer to either a singular seed or plural seeds, so it is grammatical for “seed” here to take the plural verb ending.) There are a number of interpretations. Here are the three main ones:

The subject is children. For example:
nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants (NRSV) (NRSV, NET)
The subject is seed/descendants. For example:
and not all the descendants of Abraham count as his children (NJB) (GNT, NIV, NJB, KJV, NASB, NLT, REB, NABRE)
The subject is all. For example:
and not all are children of Abraham because they are his descendants (RSV) (BSB, RSV, ESV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it fits better with 9:7b and 9:8. But you may want to follow what the major language version does here.

9:7b

On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

but/for it is as God said, “Only Isaac’s descendants will be counted/considered as your descendants.”
In the Holy Book God told him, “It is only Isaac’s descendants whom I will name as your descendants.”

On the contrary: This indicates contrast to “all of the descendants of Abraham,” only part of 9:7a. Some languages would not consider “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named” to contrast to “not all the descendants of Abraham count as his children” (9:7a). For example:

becauseKankanaey Back Translation on TW.

God told him

Just like what God said to AbrahamTagbanwa Back Translation on TW.

“Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned”: This quote is from Genesis 21:12. In some languages a quote from the Old Testament must be clearly introduced as such. For example:

but as the Scriptures say, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

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

Of Abraham’s children, God only chose Isaac to inherit the promises of God to Abraham. Isaac and then Jacob became the founders of the people of Israel, and God named them his people. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

It is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name (NABRE)

Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted (NLT)

It is only the descendants of Isaac who will be counted as your grandchildren/descendantsKankanaey Back Translation on TW.

This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

God said, “Through Isaac shall I reckon your offspring.”

The phrase Through Isaac is put in the front of the clause to emphasize it. In some languages, the phrase must be in its usual place. If possible emphasize it in another way. For example:

Of your (sg) children, only just the descendants of Isahak will I regard/consider your (sg) descendantsYakan Back Translation on TW.

The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac (NCV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐδ’ ὅτι εἰσὶν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐδʼ ὅτι εἰσίν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλʼ Ἐν Ἰσαάκ κληθήσεται σοί σπέρμα)

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 verse. Alternate translation: [Neither is it such a thing that all the children are seed of Abraham] or [Neither is it true that all the children are seed of Abraham]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πάντες τέκνα

all children

Here, children refers specifically to “the children of Israel,” which is a name for the Jewish people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [all the children of Israel]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πάντες τέκνα

all children

Here, children refers to someone’s descendants. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [all the descendants]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ & σοι σπέρμα

seed ˱of˲_Abraham & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐδʼ ὅτι εἰσίν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλʼ Ἐν Ἰσαάκ κληθήσεται σοί σπέρμα)

Here, seed refers to refers to physical descendants of Abraham who trust in Jesus, as did the second occurrence of “Israel” in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [true descendants of Abraham … your true seed]

Note 5 topic: writing-quotations

ἀλλ’

but

But ere indicates that what follows in some way contradicts what was said previously. Here, Paul is using a quotation from an Old Testament book ([Genesis 21:12](../gen/21/12.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: [But God says in the Scriptures,]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks

ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐδʼ ὅτι εἰσίν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλʼ Ἐν Ἰσαάκ κληθήσεται σοί σπέρμα)

This sentence is a quotation from [Genesis 21:12](../gen/21/12.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 7 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐδʼ ὅτι εἰσίν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλʼ Ἐν Ἰσαάκ κληθήσεται σοί σπέρμα)

Here, your refers to Abraham, and so, it is singular. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [Abraham, in Isaac your seed will be called]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν Ἰσαὰκ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐδʼ ὅτι εἰσίν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλʼ Ἐν Ἰσαάκ κληθήσεται σοί σπέρμα)

Here, in Isaac means “through the descendants of Isaac.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [through Isaac’s descendants]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Οὐδʼ ὅτι εἰσίν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλʼ Ἐν Ἰσαάκ κληθήσεται σοί σπέρμα)

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. The context indicates that God is the one who will do the action, and he is speaking in first person. Alternate translation: [I will call your seed]

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 9:7

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

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

9:7a

9:7b

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