Discovery BoxRomans 1:4
Context1:4 who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power 1 according to the Holy Spirit 2 by the resurrection 3 from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 2:8
Context2:8 but 4 wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition 5 and do not obey the truth but follow 6 unrighteousness.
Romans 3:20
Context3:20 For no one is declared righteous before him 7 by the works of the law, 8 for through the law comes 9 the knowledge of sin.
Romans 9:6
Context9:6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, 10
Romans 9:32
Context9:32 Why not? Because they pursued 11 it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works. 12 They stumbled over the stumbling stone, 13
Romans 11:36
Context11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.
[1:4] 1 sn Appointed the Son-of-God-in-power. Most translations render the Greek participle ὁρισθέντος (Jorisqentos, from ὁρίζω, Jorizw) “declared” or “designated” in order to avoid the possible interpretation that Jesus was appointed the Son of God by the resurrection. However, the Greek term ὁρίζω is used eight times in the NT, and it always has the meaning “to determine, appoint.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh (with respect to the flesh, v. 3) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
[1:4] 2 tn Grk “spirit of holiness.” Some interpreters take the phrase to refer to Christ’s own inner spirit, which was characterized by holiness.
[1:4] 3 tn Or “by his resurrection.” Most interpreters see this as a reference to Jesus’ own resurrection, although some take it to refer to the general resurrection at the end of the age, of which Jesus’ resurrection is the first installment (cf. 1 Cor 15:23).
[2:8] 4 tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.
[2:8] 5 tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”
[2:8] 6 tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”
[3:20] 7 sn An allusion to Ps 143:2.
[3:20] 8 tn Grk “because by the works of the law no flesh is justified before him.” Some recent scholars have understood the phrase ἒργα νόμου (erga nomou, “works of the law”) to refer not to obedience to the Mosaic law generally, but specifically to portions of the law that pertain to things like circumcision and dietary laws which set the Jewish people apart from the other nations (e.g., J. D. G. Dunn, Romans [WBC], 1:155). Other interpreters, like C. E. B. Cranfield (“‘The Works of the Law’ in the Epistle to the Romans,” JSNT 43 [1991]: 89-101) reject this narrow interpretation for a number of reasons, among which the most important are: (1) The second half of v. 20, “for through the law comes the knowledge of sin,” is hard to explain if the phrase “works of the law” is understood in a restricted sense; (2) the plural phrase “works of the law” would have to be understood in a different sense from the singular phrase “the work of the law” in 2:15; (3) similar phrases involving the law in Romans (2:13, 14; 2:25, 26, 27; 7:25; 8:4; and 13:8) which are naturally related to the phrase “works of the law” cannot be taken to refer to circumcision (in fact, in 2:25 circumcision is explicitly contrasted with keeping the law). Those interpreters who reject the “narrow” interpretation of “works of the law” understand the phrase to refer to obedience to the Mosaic law in general.
[9:6] 10 tn Grk “For not all those who are from Israel are Israel.”
[9:32] 13 tn Grk “Why? Because not by faith but as though by works.” The verb (“they pursued [it]”) is to be supplied from the preceding verse for the sake of English style; yet a certain literary power is seen in Paul’s laconic style.
[9:32] 14 tc Most
