ROM 10:2 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) I keep telling them that they’re very zealous for God, yet they lack know-how.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For I testify about them that they have a zeal of God, but not according to full knowledge.

UST This is because I personally confirm that they are zealous about God. However, they are not zealous based on fully knowing God.

BLB For I bear witness about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

AICNT For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

OEB I can testify that they are zealous for the honour of God; but they are not guided by true insight,

WEBBE For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth.

LSV for I bear them testimony that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge,

FBV I can testify to their passionate dedication to God, but it's not based on knowing him as he truly is.

TCNT I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

T4T I declare truthfully about them that although they ◄zealously seek/very much want to know► God, they do not understand how to seek/know him correctly.

LEB For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

BBE For I give witness of them that they have a strong desire for God, but not with knowledge.

Moff I can vouch for their zeal for God; only, it is not zeal with knowledge.

Wymth For I bear witness that they possess an enthusiasm for God, but it is an unenlightened enthusiasm.

ASV For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

DRA For I bear them witness, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

YLT for I bear them testimony that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge,

Drby For I bear them witness that they have zeal for [fn]God, but not according to knowledge.

10.2 Elohim

RV For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

SLT For I testify for them that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Wbstr For I bear them testimony that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

KJB-1769 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

KJB-1611 For I beare them record, that they haue a zeale of God, but not according to knowledge.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps For I beare them recorde, that they haue a zeale of God: but not accordyng to knowledge.
(For I bear them recorde, that they have a zeal of God: but not according to knowledge.)

Gnva For I beare them record, that they haue the zeale of God, but not according to knowledge.
(For I bear them record, that they have the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. )

Cvdl For I beare them recorde, that they are zelous for Gods cause, but not wt vnderstondinge.
(For I bear them recorde, that they are zealous for Gods cause, but not with understanding.)

TNT For I beare them recorde that they have a fervet mynde to God warde but not accordinge to knowledge.
(For I bear them record that they have a fervet mind to God ward but not according to knowledge. )

Wycl But Y bere witnessyng to hem, that thei han loue of God, but not aftir kunnyng.
(But I bear witnessing to hem, that they have love of God, but not after cunning.)

Luth Denn ich gebe ihnen das Zeugnis, daß sie eifern um GOtt, aber mit Unverstand.
(Because I give to_them the transcript, that they/she/them strive around/by/for God, but with Unverstand.)

ClVg Testimonium enim perhibeo illis quod æmulationem Dei habent, sed non secundum scientiam.[fn]
(Testimony because perhibeo to_them that competition/rivalrynem of_God they_have, but not/no after/second knowledge. )

10.2 Testimonium enim perhibeo illis quod. AMBR. De his dicit, qui non ex invidia, sed ex errore Christum non receperunt, quibus Petrus: Scio quod per ignorantiam hoc egistis Act. 3.. Non secundum scientiam. Stultum enim est legem venerari, et Deum legis persequi.

10.2 Testimony because perhibeo to_them that. AMBR. From/About his he_says, who/which not/no from envy, but from by_mistake Christ/Messiah not/no they_received, to_whom Peter: Scio that through ignorance this egistis Act. 3.. Not/No after/second knowledge. Stultum because it_is the_law venerari, and God law persequi.

UGNT μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς, ὅτι ζῆλον Θεοῦ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ’ οὐ κατ’ ἐπίγνωσιν.
(marturō gar autois, hoti zaʸlon Theou eⱪousin, all’ ou kat’ epignōsin.)

SBL-GNT μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον θεοῦ ἔχουσιν· ἀλλʼ οὐ κατʼ ἐπίγνωσιν,
(marturō gar autois hoti zaʸlon theou eⱪousin; allʼ ou katʼ epignōsin,)

RP-GNT Μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον θεοῦ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ' οὐ κατ' ἐπίγνωσιν.
(Marturō gar autois hoti zaʸlon theou eⱪousin, all' ou kat' epignōsin.)

TC-GNT Μαρτυρῶ γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον Θεοῦ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κατ᾽ ἐπίγνωσιν.
(Marturō gar autois hoti zaʸlon Theou eⱪousin, all ou kat epignōsin. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:30–10:4: Many Gentiles believe but many Jews do not

In this section Paul compared the Gentiles to the Jews. Some Gentiles believed in Jesus and God made them righteous, but the Jews tried to obey the law of Moses to become righteous. They stumbled over who Jesus was as the Messiah, because he did not fit their ideas of what the Messiah should be.

Paul explained that he wanted the Jews to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews were enthusiastic to follow God, but they did not understand the right way to become righteous.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

The Jews followed the wrong way to become righteous

The Jews followed the Laws of Moses but did not believe in Jesus as the Christ/Messiah

10:2a

For I testify about them

For I speak in truth about them
I myself know and say truthfully about them

For: Here this word introduces the reason Paul prayed for the Jews.Schreiner (page 542).

I testify about: This phrase means “report what one saw.” The phrase is often used where the person is expected to be truthful and accurate. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

I bear…witness (ESV)

I truthfully say about

See how you translated the phrase “attested” in 3:21.

them: Here the Greek grammar indicates that Paul spoke about them, rather than to them.Dunn (page 586). Some English translations can be taken either way, but the Greek only indicates the first meaning.

10:2b

that they are zealous for God,

that they have enthusiasm for God,
that they eagerly work/labor to make their relationship with God good.

they are zealous for God: The word zealous refers to an eagerness to do something. The Jews were eager to follow God according to the Laws of Moses, and eager to speak for God in an argument, and eager to fight against those who oppose God.See Morris (page 378), Dunn (586), and Jewett (page 616). Here are other ways to translate this clause:

what enthusiasm they have for God (NLT)

they really strive to follow/obey GodYakan Back Translation on TW.

10:2c

but not on the basis of knowledge.

but their enthusiasm does not conform to knowledge of him.
But what they do does not agree with what is known about him.

but not on the basis of knowledge: This indicates that the things that the Jews did in their zeal did not agree with what God said in the Old Testament. The Jews read and should have known what God wanted them to do. Instead they followed their own thinking.

Some languages must repeat all of part of the meaning of “they have zeal for God” for a natural translation. For example:

but their zeal is not according to knowledge

knowledge: This refers to things about God that people can know. In some languages a literal translation would refer to knowledge in general. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain in your translation. For example:

knowledge of him

religious knowledge

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: μαρτυρῶ Γάρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον Θεοῦ ἔχουσιν ἀλλʼ οὒ κατʼ ἐπίγνωσιν)

For indicates that what follows this word explains what came before it. Here, For indicates that what follows is the reason for what Paul said in the previous verse. Use a natural way in your language for indicating a reason. Alternate translation: [I feel this way because]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ζῆλον & ἔχουσιν & οὐ κατ’ ἐπίγνωσιν

zeal & ˱they˲_˓are˒_having & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: μαρτυρῶ Γάρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον Θεοῦ ἔχουσιν ἀλλʼ οὒ κατʼ ἐπίγνωσιν)

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of zeal and full knowledge, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [they are zealous … not by fully knowing]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ζῆλον Θεοῦ ἔχουσιν

zeal ˱for˲_God ˱they˲_˓are˒_having

Paul is using the possessive form to describe a zeal that is directed toward God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [they have a zeal for God]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐ κατ’ ἐπίγνωσιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: μαρτυρῶ Γάρ αὐτοῖς ὅτι ζῆλον Θεοῦ ἔχουσιν ἀλλʼ οὒ κατʼ ἐπίγνωσιν)

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 previous clause. Alternate translation: [they have zeal of God that is not according to full knowledge]

Parallel ROM 10:2

Section 9:30–10:4: Many Gentiles believe but many Jews do not

10:2a

10:2b

10:2c