1
Ὀφείλομεν δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ δυνατοὶ τὰ ἀσθενήματα τῶν ἀδυνάτων βαστάζειν, καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοῖς ἀρέσκειν.
We who are able ought to bear the weaknesses of those unable, and not to please ourselves.
Why this rendering
Rom.15.1 Observation
Syntactic observation
Ὀφείλομεν δὲ ἡμεῖς οἱ δυνατοὶ τὰ ἀσθενήματα τῶν ἀδυνάτων βαστάζειν, καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοῖς ἀρέσκειν — we who are able ought to bear the weaknesses of those unable, and not to please ourselves. δυνατοί / ἀδυνάτων are one root affirmed and negated — the δυνατός of 4:21 (‘able’) and the ἀδύνατος of Acts 14:8 (‘powerless’); able / unable keep the pair. ἀρέσκω (please; 8:8) comes three times in vv.1-3 — do not please yourselves, please the neighbour, Christ did not please himself. In the quotation of v.3 (Ps 69:9) ὀνειδισμοί / ὀνειδιζόντων put the noun and verb of Matt 5:11 ‘revile’ in one phrase — ‘the revilings of those reviling’. ἐπέπεσαν is the verb with which fear ‘fell upon’ Zechariah in Luke 1:12. ἀσθένημα occurs only here in the New Testament; its rendering ‘weakness’ coincides with ἀσθένεια (8:26).
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “the able / the unable” — the pair on one root
Basis Follows the root fixed in 4:21 (δυνατός) and Acts 14:8 (ἀδύνατος).
“the strong / the weak”
Basis The familiar phrase.
Rejected ‘Strong’ is ἰσχυρός’s word, and ‘weak’ is already taken by ἀσθένημα in the same verse; the text’s pair is ability, not strength.
Lost in translation
ἀσθένημα (only here) ↔ ἀσθένεια (8:26) — two nouns, one ‘weakness’.
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
2
ἕκαστος ἡμῶν τῷ πλησίον ἀρεσκέτω εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν πρὸς οἰκοδομήν·
Let each of us please the neighbour for the good, toward building up;
3
καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς οὐχ ἑαυτῷ ἤρεσεν· ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται· Οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσαν ἐπ’ ἐμέ.
for Christ also did not please himself; but as it is written: ‘The revilings of those reviling you fell upon me.’
first here Christ Χριστός Christos
4
ὅσα γὰρ προεγράφη, ⸀εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν ⸀ἐγράφη, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως τῶν γραφῶν τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν.
For whatever was written beforehand was written for our teaching, so that through endurance and through the consolation of the scriptures we might have the hope.
5
ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως δῴη ὑμῖν τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ἐν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ ⸂Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν⸃,
Now may the God of endurance and of consolation give you to think the same thing among one another according to Christ Jesus,
first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous
6
ἵνα ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐν ἑνὶ στόματι δοξάζητε τὸν θεὸν καὶ πατέρα τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
so that with one mind, with one mouth, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7
Διὸ προσλαμβάνεσθε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς προσελάβετο ⸀ὑμᾶς, εἰς δόξαν ⸀τοῦ θεοῦ.
Therefore take one another to yourselves, just as Christ also took you to himself, to the glory of God.
8
λέγω ⸀γὰρ ⸀Χριστὸν διάκονον ⸀γεγενῆσθαι περιτομῆς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ βεβαιῶσαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν πατέρων,
For I say that Christ has become a servant of circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises of the fathers,
Why this rendering
Rom.15.8 Observation
Syntactic observation
λέγω γὰρ Χριστὸν διάκονον γεγενῆσθαι περιτομῆς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας θεοῦ … τὰ δὲ ἔθνη ὑπὲρ ἐλέους δοξάσαι τὸν θεόν — Christ has become a servant of circumcision for the truth of God … that the nations might glorify God for mercy. διάκονον περιτομῆς is left as ‘servant of circumcision’ — the bare genitive keeps both ‘servant of the circumcised’ and ‘servant on behalf of circumcision’ open. Four quotations follow in vv.9-12 (Ps 18:49, Deut 32:43, Ps 117:1, Isa 11:10); ‘nations’ (ἔθνη) stands in all four, and the verbs of praise are three: ἐξομολογέω (confess; the verb of 14:11), ψάλλω (sing, to strings), αἰνέω (praise; Luke 2:13) with ἐπαινέω (αἰνέω with ἐπι-; the verb of Luke 16:8 ‘commend’). In v.11 αἰνέω and ἐπαινέω stand side by side — praise / extol; ‘commend’ (Luke 16:8, a master of his manager) would be the wrong register for God, so a site rule applies.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “servant of circumcision” — the genitive kept bare
Basis What the text leaves open stays open.
“servant to the circumcised”
Basis Reading περιτομή as the people circumcised.
Rejected No ‘people’ in the text; it closes one reading.
Lost in translation
v.11 αἰνέω ↔ ἐπαινέω — one root, one prefix; praise / extol do not show it.
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
9
τὰ δὲ ἔθνη ὑπὲρ ἐλέους δοξάσαι τὸν θεόν· καθὼς γέγραπται· Διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι ἐν ἔθνεσι, καὶ τῷ ὀνόματί σου ψαλῶ.
and that the nations might glorify God for mercy; as it is written: ‘For this reason I will confess you among the nations, and to your name I will sing.’
10
καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Εὐφράνθητε, ἔθνη, μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ.
And again it says: ‘Be merry, nations, with his people.’
11
καὶ πάλιν· Αἰνεῖτε, ⸂πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, τὸν κύριον⸃, καὶ ⸀ἐπαινεσάτωσαν αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ λαοί.
And again: ‘Praise the Lord, all you nations, and let all the peoples extol him.’
12
καὶ πάλιν Ἠσαΐας λέγει· Ἔσται ἡ ῥίζα τοῦ Ἰεσσαί, καὶ ὁ ἀνιστάμενος ἄρχειν ἐθνῶν· ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν.
And again Isaiah says: ‘There will be the root of Jesse, and the one rising to rule the nations; on him the nations will hope.’
first here Isaiah Ἠσαΐας Ēsaias
first here Jesse Ἰεσσαί Iessai
13
ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς ἐλπίδος πληρώσαι ὑμᾶς πάσης χαρᾶς καὶ εἰρήνης ἐν τῷ πιστεύειν, εἰς τὸ περισσεύειν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐλπίδι ἐν δυνάμει πνεύματος ἁγίου.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in the hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.
14
Πέπεισμαι δέ, ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ μεστοί ἐστε ἀγαθωσύνης, πεπληρωμένοι ⸀πάσης γνώσεως, δυνάμενοι καὶ ⸀ἀλλήλους νουθετεῖν.
Now I myself am persuaded, my brothers, concerning you, that you yourselves also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
15
⸀τολμηρότερον δὲ ἔγραψα ⸀ὑμῖν ἀπὸ μέρους, ὡς ἐπαναμιμνῄσκων ὑμᾶς, διὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι ⸀ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ
But I have written to you rather boldly in part, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God
16
εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν ⸂Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ⸃ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ.
for me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the nations, serving the gospel of God as a priest, so that the offering of the nations may become acceptable, sanctified in the Holy Spirit.
Why this rendering
Rom.15.16 Observation
Syntactic observation
εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ — for me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the nations, serving the gospel of God as a priest, so that the offering of the nations may become acceptable, sanctified in the Holy Spirit. The verse is woven from the vocabulary of sacrifice — λειτουργός (the public office of 13:6; in Luke 1:23 λειτουργία is Zechariah’s temple service), ἱερουργέω (only here in the New Testament: to do the work of a ἱερεύς, a priest), προσφορά (offering; the word of Acts 21:26), εὐπρόσδεκτος (acceptable; from δέχομαι, receive), ἁγιάζω (sanctify; Matt 6:9). The preaching of the gospel is drawn as a priest’s presentation, and the offering is the nations themselves — the counterpart of the ‘living sacrifice’ of 12:1.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “serve as a priest” — ἱερεύς made visible inside ἱερουργέω
Basis Follows the fixed word for ἱερεύς (priest).
“offer the sacrifice of the gospel”
Basis Reading it through θυσία (sacrifice).
Rejected No θυσία in the text; ‘sacrifice’ belongs to that word.
Lost in translation
λειτουργός (v.16) ↔ διάκονος (v.8) — Christ is a servant, Paul a minister; kept apart as servant / minister.
Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (this language among them)
17
ἔχω οὖν ⸀τὴν καύχησιν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεόν·
I have, then, the boasting in Christ Jesus in the things toward God;
18
οὐ γὰρ τολμήσω ⸂τι λαλεῖν⸃ ὧν οὐ κατειργάσατο Χριστὸς δι’ ἐμοῦ εἰς ὑπακοὴν ἐθνῶν, λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ,
for I will not dare to speak of anything which Christ did not work out through me for the obedience of the nations, by word and work,
19
ἐν δυνάμει σημείων καὶ τεράτων, ἐν δυνάμει ⸀πνεύματος· ὥστε με ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ πεπληρωκέναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have filled up the gospel of Christ,
first here Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ Ierousalēm
Why this rendering
Rom.15.19 Observation
Syntactic observation
ἐν δυνάμει σημείων καὶ τεράτων, ἐν δυνάμει πνεύματος· ὥστε με ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ πεπληρωκέναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ — in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit … from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have filled up the gospel of Christ. σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα is the pair of Acts 2:22, 43 (signs and wonders). πεπληρωκέναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον is ‘filled up the gospel’ — the verb of 13:8 ‘filled up the law’; ‘fully preached’ would import a verb of preaching the text does not have. The base text marks ⸀πνεύματος as a variant (some manuscripts add θεοῦ). In v.20 φιλοτιμούμενον (aspire; φιλέω + τιμή, to count it an honour) stands in three New Testament places (2 Cor 5:9, 1 Thess 4:11), and ὠνομάσθη Χριστός is ‘where Christ was named’.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “filled up the gospel” — πληρόω as fixed
Basis As in Matt 13:14 and Rom 13:8; there is no verb of preaching in the text.
“fully preached the gospel”
Basis The familiar paraphrase.
Rejected ‘Preach’ belongs to κηρύσσω and εὐαγγελίζω.
Lost in translation
φιλ- and τιμή inside φιλοτιμέομαι (to love the honour of) — ‘aspire’ keeps the reaching, not the honour.
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
20
οὕτως δὲ ⸀φιλοτιμούμενον εὐαγγελίζεσθαι οὐχ ὅπου ὠνομάσθη Χριστός, ἵνα μὴ ἐπ’ ἀλλότριον θεμέλιον οἰκοδομῶ,
and so aspiring to bring good news not where Christ was named, so that I might not build on another’s foundation,
21
ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται· ⸂Οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ ὄψονται⸃, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν.
but as it is written: ‘Those to whom nothing was reported about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’
22
Διὸ καὶ ἐνεκοπτόμην τὰ πολλὰ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς·
For this reason also I was hindered these many times from coming to you;
23
νυνὶ δὲ μηκέτι τόπον ἔχων ἐν τοῖς κλίμασι τούτοις, ἐπιποθίαν δὲ ἔχων τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ ⸀ἱκανῶν ἐτῶν,
but now, no longer having a place in these regions, and having for many years a longing to come to you,
24
ὡς ⸀ἂν πορεύωμαι εἰς τὴν ⸀Σπανίαν, ἐλπίζω γὰρ διαπορευόμενος θεάσασθαι ὑμᾶς καὶ ὑφ’ ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι ἐκεῖ ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπὸ μέρους ἐμπλησθῶ—
whenever I go to Spain — for I hope, going through, to see you and to be sent on my way there by you, if first I may be filled with you in part —
25
νυνὶ δὲ πορεύομαι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ διακονῶν τοῖς ἁγίοις.
but now I am going to Jerusalem, serving the holy ones.
26
εὐδόκησαν γὰρ Μακεδονία καὶ Ἀχαΐα κοινωνίαν τινὰ ποιήσασθαι εἰς τοὺς πτωχοὺς τῶν ἁγίων τῶν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ.
For Macedonia and Achaia were well pleased to make some sharing for the poor among the holy ones in Jerusalem.
Why this rendering
Rom.15.26 Observation
Syntactic observation
εὐδόκησαν γὰρ Μακεδονία καὶ Ἀχαΐα κοινωνίαν τινὰ ποιήσασθαι εἰς τοὺς πτωχούς … εἰ γὰρ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς αὐτῶν ἐκοινώνησαν τὰ ἔθνη, ὀφείλουσιν καὶ ἐν τοῖς σαρκικοῖς λειτουργῆσαι αὐτοῖς — Macedonia and Achaia were well pleased to make some sharing for the poor … for if the nations have shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to serve them in the fleshly things. κοινωνία is the ‘fellowship’ of Acts 2:42, here naming a collection of money — the text calls fellowship and fund by one word. The verb κοινωνέω in v.27 (share in; 12:13) picks it up: the nations shared in the spiritual, so they repay in the fleshly. πνευματικά / σαρκικά are the adjectives of πνεῦμα and σάρξ. λειτουργῆσαι is the verb of the λειτουργός of v.16 — the sending of money is called by the same word as the priestly office. εὐδόκησαν is the verb of Matt 3:17, ‘in whom I am well pleased’.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “sharing” — κοινωνία at the site of a collection
Basis Kept next to κοινωνέω ‘share in’ of v.27; ‘fellowship’ (Acts 2:42) is the same word at a different site.
“contribution / collection”
Basis The familiar rendering.
Rejected The text chooses the word for fellowship; a money-word erases the choice.
Lost in translation
κοινωνία (v.26, a collection) ↔ Acts 2:42 ‘fellowship’ — one word, two renderings.
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
λειτουργέω (v.27) ↔ διακονέω (v.25) — both ‘serve’.
this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)
27
εὐδόκησαν γάρ, καὶ ὀφειλέται ⸂εἰσὶν αὐτῶν⸃· εἰ γὰρ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς αὐτῶν ἐκοινώνησαν τὰ ἔθνη, ὀφείλουσιν καὶ ἐν τοῖς σαρκικοῖς λειτουργῆσαι αὐτοῖς.
For they were well pleased, and they are their debtors; for if the nations have shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to serve them in the fleshly things.
28
τοῦτο οὖν ἐπιτελέσας, καὶ σφραγισάμενος αὐτοῖς τὸν καρπὸν τοῦτον, ἀπελεύσομαι δι’ ὑμῶν ⸀εἰς Σπανίαν·
So, having brought this to completion and having set a seal to them on this fruit, I will go away through you to Spain;
29
οἶδα δὲ ὅτι ἐρχόμενος πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν πληρώματι ⸀εὐλογίας Χριστοῦ ἐλεύσομαι.
and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30
Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ πνεύματος συναγωνίσασθαί μοι ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ πρὸς τὸν θεόν,
Now I exhort you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in the prayers for me to God,
31
ἵνα ῥυσθῶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπειθούντων ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ⸀καὶ ἡ διακονία μου ἡ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ εὐπρόσδεκτος ⸂τοῖς ἁγίοις γένηται⸃,
that I may be rescued from those who disobey in Judea, and that my service to Jerusalem may become acceptable to the holy ones,
first here Judea Ἰουδαία Ioudaia
32
ἵνα ἐν χαρᾷ ⸀ἐλθὼν πρὸς ὑμᾶς διὰ θελήματος ⸀θεοῦ συναναπαύσωμαι ὑμῖν.
so that, coming to you in joy through the will of God, I may rest together with you.
33
ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν· ἀμήν.
Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.