Romans 6

Romans 6:1

28 sn The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:13. Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.

29 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

30 tn Grk “in order that I might have some fruit also among you just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.”

Romans 6:2

31 tn Or “obligated.”

Romans 6:3

32 tn Or “willing, ready”; Grk “so my eagerness [is] to preach…” The word πρόθυμος (proqumo", “eager, willing”) is used only elsewhere in the NT in Matthew 26:41 = Mark 14:38: “the spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak.”

33 map For location see JP4-A1.

Romans 6:4

34 sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.

Romans 6:5

35 tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).

36 tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

37 tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκπίστεωςεἰςπίστιν (ek pistew" ei" pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκπίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰςπίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.

38 sn A quotation from Habakkuk 2:4.

Romans 6:6

39 tn The genitive ἀνθρώπων could be taken as an attributed genitive, in which case the phase should be translated “against all ungodly and unrighteous people” (cf. “the truth of God” in v. 25 which is also probably an attributed genitive). C. E. B. Cranfield takes the section 1:18-32 to refer to all people (not just Gentiles), while 2:1-3:20 points out that the Jew is no exception (Romans [ICC], 1:104-6; 1:137-38).

40 tn “Their” is implied in the Greek, but is supplied because of English style.

41 tn Or “by means of unrighteousness.” Grk “in (by) unrighteousness.”

Romans 6:7

42 tn Grk “is manifest to/in them.”

Romans 6:8

43 tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

Romans 6:9

44 tn Grk “heart.”

Romans 6:10

45 tn The participle φάσκοντες (faskonte") is used concessively here.

Romans 6:11

46 tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (afqarto", “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (fqarto", “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).

47 sn Possibly an allusion to Psalms 106:19-20.

Romans 6:12

48 sn Possibly an allusion to Psalms 81:12.

49 tn The genitive articular infinitive τοῦἀτιμάζεσθαι (tou atimazesqai, “to dishonor”) has been taken as (1) an infinitive of purpose; (2) an infinitive of result; or (3) an epexegetical (i.e., explanatory) infinitive, expanding the previous clause.

50 tn Grk “among them.”

Romans 6:13

51 tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

52 tn Grk “the lie.”

53 tn Or “creature, created things.”

Romans 6:14

54 tn Grk “for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is contrary to nature.” The term χρῆσις (crhsi") has the force of “sexual relations” here (L&N 23.65).

Romans 6:15

55 tn Grk “likewise so also the males abandoning the natural function of the female.”

56 tn Grk “burned with intense desire” (L&N 25.16).

57 tn Grk “another, men committing…and receiving,” continuing the description of their deeds. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

Romans 6:16

58 tn Grk “and just as they did not approve to have God in knowledge.”

59 tn Grk “the things that are improper.”

Romans 6:17

60 tn Grk “being filled” or “having been filled,” referring to those described in v. 28. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

61 tn Grk “malice, full of,” continuing the description. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

Romans 6:19

62 tn Or “promise-breakers.”

Romans 6:20

63 tn Grk “who, knowing…, not only do them but also approve…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

64 tn Grk “are worthy of death.”

65 sn “Vice lists” like vv. 28-32 can be found elsewhere in the NT in Matthew 15:19; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; and 1 Peter 4:3. An example from the intertestamental period can be found in Wis 14:25-26.

Romans 6:22

1 sn Romans 2:1-29 presents unusual difficulties for the interpreter. There have been several major approaches to the chapter and the group(s) it refers to: (1) Romans 2:14 refers to Gentile Christians, not Gentiles who obey the Jewish law. (2) Paul in Romans 2 is presenting a hypothetical viewpoint: If anyone could obey the law, that person would be justified, but no one can. (3) The reference to “the ones who do the law” in 2:13 are those who “do” the law in the right way, on the basis of faith, not according to Jewish legalism. (4) Romans 2:13 only speaks about Christians being judged in the future, along with such texts as Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10. (5) Paul’s material in Romans 2 is drawn heavily from Diaspora Judaism, so that the treatment of the law presented here cannot be harmonized with other things Paul says about the law elsewhere (E. P. Sanders, Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People, 123); another who sees Romans 2 as an example of Paul’s inconsistency in his treatment of the law is H. Räisänen, Paul and the Law [WUNT], 101-9. (6) The list of blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 27-30 provide the background for Romans 2; the Gentiles of 2:14 are Gentile Christians, but the condemnation of Jews in 2:17-24 addresses the failure of Jews as a nation to keep the law as a whole (A. Ito, “Romans 2: A Deuteronomistic Reading,” JSNT 59 [1995]: 21-37).

2 tn Some interpreters (e.g., C. K. Barrett, Romans [HNTC], 43) connect the inferential Διό (dio, “therefore”) with 1:32a, treating 1:32b as a parenthetical comment by Paul.

3 tn That is, “you have nothing to say in your own defense” (so translated by TCNT).

4 tn Grk “O man.”

5 tn Grk “Therefore, you are without excuse, O man, everyone [of you] who judges.”

6 tn Grk “in/by (that) which.”

Romans 6:23

7 tn Or “based on truth.”