Saturday, May 21, 2011

Original Meaning Translation: Romans 5:12-17

OK, I'm going to translate this section.  For when I started: http://kenschenck.blogspot.com/2011/02/original-meaning-translation-romans-116.html

12 For this [reason], just as through one person Sin entered into the world and through Sin, death, and so death passed to all people because everyone sinned--13 (for Sin was in the world before the Law, but sin is not added up when there is no law. 14 But Sin ruled from Adam to Moses and over those who did not sin in a similar way to Adam's transgression, who is a type of the one who was coming.

15 But even the act of grace is not like the transgression.  For if many people died because of the transgression of the one person, how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one person Jesus Christ abound to the many.  16 And the gift dispensed [is] also not like [what came] through the one who sinned.  For the judgment from the one [resulted] in condemnation, but the act of grace [resulted] in being righteous out of many transgressions. 17 For if death ruled through the one person because of the transgression of the one person, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness rule through the one person, Jesus Messiah.)

3 comments:

Christopher said...

Hi Ken,

Just a quick question - I know there's some debate over the phrase 'eph ho' in 5:12. Why would you prefer a translation of 'because' over 'with the result that'? Isn't the second option equally viable?

Thanks!

Ken Schenck said...

It seemed to me more likely that sin would be the cause of death rather than death being the cause of sin...

Christopher said...

Perhaps that seems more likely to us as an effect of longstanding theological traditions? I'm just wondering whether it's possible to reverse the equation given that:

1. death can be seen in this verse functioning not just as a physical phenomenon, but as an apocalyptic force, like Sin;

2. we see this in science, where the mortality of the body eventually erodes what are traditionally considered 'spiritual' senses - a knock to the brain (assumedly innocuous to the resurrection body) can provoke violent behaviour or cause one to lose one's ability to love/empathise.

Well, that's me in all my non-Reformed-ness wrestling with this verse...