9:1 2 I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me 3 in the Holy Spirit –
4:7 “Blessed 4 are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, 10 partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, 11
3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, 12 partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, 13
1:1 After God spoke long ago 14 in various portions 15 and in various ways 16 to our ancestors 17 through the prophets,
1:1 After God spoke long ago 18 in various portions 19 and in various ways 20 to our ancestors 21 through the prophets,
2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
1 tc ὁ θεός (Jo qeos, “God”) is found after the verb συνεργεῖ (sunergei, “work”) in v. 28 by Ì46 A B 81 sa; the shorter reading is found in א C D F G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï latt sy bo. Although the inclusion is supported by a significant early papyrus, the alliance of significant Alexandrian and Western witnesses favors the shorter reading. As well, the longer reading is evidently motivated by a need for clarification. Since ὁ θεός is textually suspect, it is better to read the text without it. This leaves two good translational options: either “he works all things together for good” or “all things work together for good.” In the first instance the subject is embedded in the verb and “God” is clearly implied (as in v. 29). In the second instance, πάντα (panta) becomes the subject of an intransitive verb. In either case, “What is expressed is a truly biblical confidence in the sovereignty of God” (C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:427).
2 sn Rom 9:1–11:36. These three chapters are among the most difficult and disputed in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. One area of difficulty is the relationship between Israel and the church, especially concerning the nature and extent of Israel’s election. Many different models have been constructed to express this relationship. For a representative survey, see M. Barth, The People of God (JSNTSup), 22-27. The literary genre of these three chapters has been frequently identified as a diatribe, a philosophical discussion or conversation evolved by the Cynic and Stoic schools of philosophy as a means of popularizing their ideas (E. Käsemann, Romans, 261 and 267). But other recent scholars have challenged the idea that Rom 9–11 is characterized by diatribe. Scholars like R. Scroggs and E. E. Ellis have instead identified the material in question as midrash. For a summary and discussion of the rabbinic connections, see W. R. Stegner, “Romans 9.6-29 – A Midrash,” JSNT 22 (1984): 37-52.
3 tn Or “my conscience bears witness to me.”
4 tn Or “Happy.”
5 tn Or “was justified.”
6 tn The Greek sentence expresses this contrast more succinctly than is possible in English. Grk “For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.”
7 sn Gentile is a NT term for a non-Jew.
8 tn Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:135-37) take the phrase φύσει (fusei, “by nature”) to go with the preceding “do not have the law,” thus: “the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature,” that is, by virtue of not being born Jewish.
9 tn Grk “do by nature the things of the law.”
10 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.
11 tn Grk “of our confession.”
12 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.
13 tn Grk “of our confession.”
14 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
15 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
16 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
17 tn Grk “to the fathers.”
18 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
19 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
20 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
21 tn Grk “to the fathers.”
22 tn Or “who was made a little lower than the angels.”
23 tn Grk “because of the suffering of death.”
24 tn Grk “would taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).