Romans 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ¹  a slave ²  of Christ Jesus, ³  called to be an apostle, ⁴  set apart for the gospel of God. ⁵ 

Romans 9:31

9:31 but Israel even though pursuing ⁶  a law of righteousness ⁷  did not attain it. ⁸ 

Romans 10:4

10:4 For Christ is the end of the law, with the result that there is righteousness for everyone who believes.

Romans 10:7

10:7 or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ⁹  (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Romans 11:32

11:32 For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. ¹⁰ 

Romans 12:10

12:10 Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.

Romans 14:1

Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14:1 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. ¹¹ 

Romans 14:9

14:9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

Romans 14:19

14:19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.

Romans 15:2

15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.

Romans 15:7

Exhortation to Mutual Acceptance

15:7 Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory.

Romans 16:27

16:27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen.

¹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

² tn Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

³ tc Many important mss, as well as several others (̲⁶ א A G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï), have a reversed order of these words and read “Jesus Christ” rather than “Christ Jesus” (̹⁰ B 81 pc). The meaning is not affected in either case, but the reading “Christ Jesus” is preferred as slightly more difficult and thus more likely the original (a scribe who found it would be prone to change it to the more common expression). At the same time, Paul is fond of the order “Christ Jesus,” especially in certain letters such as Romans, Galatians, and Philippians. As well, the later Pauline letters almost uniformly use this order in the salutations. A decision is difficult, but “Christ Jesus” is slightly preferred.

⁴ tn Grk “a called apostle.”

⁵ tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.

⁶ tn Or “who pursued.” The participle could be taken adverbially or adjectivally.

⁷ tn Or “a legal righteousness,” that is, a righteousness based on law. This translation would treat the genitive δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosunh") as an attributed genitive (see ExSyn 89-91).

⁸ tn Grk “has not attained unto the law.”

¹¹ sn A quotation from Deut 30:13.

¹⁶ tn Grk “to all”; “them” has been supplied for stylistic reasons.

²¹ tn Grk “over opinions.” The qualifier “differing” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.