Lectionary Year A
September 15, 2002
Romans 14:1-12

Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation

A. Comparing Translations

(JFC) The New Revised Standard Version and the Revised Standard Version of the Bible differ some, as these notes identify:

1 Welcome those who are weak in faith, - NRSV
As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, - RSV

but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions. - NRSV
but not for disputes over opinions. - RSV

The NRSV continues to pluralize the pronouns and some nouns, too, while the RSV refers consistently to the third person, singular, masculine.

5 Some judge one day to be better than another, - NRSV
One man esteems one day as better than another, - RSV

12 So then, each of us will be accountable to God. - NRSV
So each of us shall give account of himself to God. - RSV

B. Textual Criticism

(JFC) 2 For evsqi,ei, present, active, indicative, in the second person singular, several significant witnesses read, esqietw, third person, singular, imperfect, while many more retain the text as printed. The text as received seems more like Paul's style, too.
3 In place of o` de., a few important redactors have, kai o, while others have, oude o. Yet, many more major witnesses retain the Textus Receptus, prudently it seems. The printed version seems to give the more emphatic opposite practice here advised.

4 For dunatei/ ga.r, third person, singular, present, active, indicative, several Western Witnesses read, dunatoj gar estin, a state of being verb with a noun form of the received version's verb, while even more retain the text as printed. Metzger's (TCGNT) "Committee preferred dunatei/ ga.r, . . . regarding the (other) readings . . . as scribal substitutes for the unusual word dunatew, (occurs elsewhere in the New Testament only in 2 Cor 9.8 and 13.3)." Then, instead of ku,rioj, several Western Witnesses have, qeoj, while just as many majors keep the printed form, wisely, if it makes much difference. Metzger says, "the copyists having been influenced by qeo.j in ver. 3."

6 After the first phrase in this verse, several of "the later witnesses . . ," according to Metzger, "adds the clause, kai o mh fponwn thn hmeran kuriw ou fponei unatei. This is typical Byzantine gloss, prompted by the desire to provide a balanced statement after the model of the clause kai. o` mh. evsqi,wn later in the verse."

9 Several attempts to clarify and/or emphasize Christ's dying and living again occur in various editions worthy of considering. Metzger concludes, "The oldest and best attested readings appear to be avpe,qanen . . . Influenced perhaps by I Th 4.14 (Ihsouj avpe,qanen kai anesth) scribes sought to define more precisely the meaning of e;zhsen, either by replacing it with avnesth . . . or by combining avnesth with the other two verbs, in various sequences."

10 Some significant witnesses change qeou/, at the end of this verse, to read Cristou. Many others retain the Textus Receptus, which seems more likely to have been original. Metzger's states, "At an early date (Marcion Polycarp Tertullian Origen) the reading qeou, which is supported by the best witnesses . . . , was supplanted by Cristou, probably because of influence from 2 Cor 5.10 (emprosqen tou bhmatoj tou Cistou)." ICC agrees with this latter probability.

12 Several version seem to add tw/| qew/|, which, apparently was absent from the original text, while just as many significant witnesses retain the verse without an indirect object referring to the final verb, dw,sei. Metzger can imagine how/why copyists might supply such a reference to such a God at this juncture, yet seems to believe it was not original, so, printed it in square brackets in Nestle-Aland.

C. Rough Translation

(JFC) 1 But the one being sick/ill/weak in the faith you will welcome/accept [second person, plural, imperfect], not to/into/upon discriminating/arguing/disputes [accusative, plural] of thoughts/opinions/motives [genitive]. 2 One believes to eat/consume [aorist, infinitive] everything, but the one ill/sick/weak vegetables eats. 3 The one eating the not eating [accusative] not will he reject/despise/treat with contempt [imperfect], but the not eating one the eating one [accusative] not will he judge [imperfect]. 4 You who are the judge another [accusative] servant [accusative]? This one in his own Lord stands or falls; but he will be put/made to stand [aorist, passive, indicative], is able the Lord to place/establish [aorist, passive, infinitive] him. 5 One considers/prefers/thinks a day more than/above a(nother) day, but another considers/regards/determines every day; each in the individually discernment/understanding will be accomplished [present, passive, imperfect]. 6 He who is thinking highly of the day to the Lord [dative] is thinking highly. And the one eating in the Lord eats [indicative], for he gives thanks [indicative] to the God. 7 For none of us unto himself lives and none of us unto himself dies; 8 for when/if we should/would live, (it is) in the Lord we live, if/when we die [subjunctive], in the Lord we die [indicative]. If/when then we live [subjunctive] or even if/when we die [subjunctive], of the Lord [genitive] we are/live/remain. 9 For to this Christ died and He lived, in order that our dieing and our living should be [subjunctive] in the Lord. 10 But you(,) why do you judge the brother of yours? Or also you(,) why do you despise/treat with contempt the brother of yours? For all will be stood/presented [future, middle, indicative] to the judicial bench of the God, 11 for it is written; As I live, says the Lord, that to me shall bow every knee And all tongue/language/utterance shall acknowledge the God. 12 So every one of you concerning/with reference to yourself an accounting shall give to the God.



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