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 2:8

2:8 but ⁶  wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition ⁷  and do not obey the truth but follow ⁸  unrighteousness.

Romans 4:1

The Illustration of Justification

4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, ⁹  has discovered regarding this matter? ¹⁰ 

Romans 9:24

9:24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Romans 10:10

10:10 For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness ¹¹  and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. ¹² 

Romans 11:5

11:5 So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

Romans 13:8

Exhortation to Love Neighbors

13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Romans 16:13

16:13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother who was also a mother to me. ¹³ 

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

[1:1]  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.

[1:1]  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.

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “a called apostle.”

[1:1]  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.

[2:8]  ⁶ tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.

[2:8]  ⁷ tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”

[2:8]  ⁸ tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”

[4:1]  ¹¹ tn Or “according to natural descent” (BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4).

[4:1]  ¹² tn Grk “has found?”

[10:10]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “believes to righteousness.”

[10:10]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “confesses to salvation.”

[16:13]  ²¹ tn Grk “and his mother and mine.”