What then shall we say about these things? Paul continued. If God is for (ὑπὲρ) us, who can be against (καθ᾿, a form of κατά) us?1 It would be a mistake to think that Paul implied that no one is, or would be, against us. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against (κατὰ) his father, a daughter against (κατὰ) her mother, and a daughter-in-law against (κατὰ) her mother-in-law, and a man’s enemies (ἐχθροὶ, a form of ἐχθρός) will be the members of his household” [Table].2 The point of Paul’s rhetorical question is, who are they who would array themselves against us compared to God?
Though they do not measure up to God they are the enemies we love. But3 I say to you who are listening, Jesus said: Love your enemies (ἐχθροὺς, another form of ἐχθρός), do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”4 It is a mysterious blessing that we learn this love at home, with our families, in our own households.
Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, Paul continued to elaborate how God is for (ὑπὲρ) us, but gave him up for (ὑπὲρ) us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?5 Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift (δωρεὰν) of the Holy Spirit,6 Peter ended his first sermon on Pentecost. Paul indicated that those who trust in Jesus receive the abundance of grace and of the gift (δωρεᾶς, a form of form of δωρεά) of righteousness.7 I became a servant of this gospel, Paul wrote the Ephesians, according to the gift (δωρεὰν) of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power.8 When Paul enumerated the gifts of God’s grace for the Corinthians9 he went on to describe a way that is beyond (καθ᾿) comparison,10 the love11 that fulfills the law, the gift of righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit, the essence of what it means to be led12 by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
As Paul wrote the Ephesians, For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift (δῶρον) of God [Table]; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.13
Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (ἐκλεκτῶν, a form of ἐκλεκτός)? Paul continued in Romans. Of course, many will presume, but who are they compared to God? It is God who justifies.14 And yet the elect are not smug masters of the universe (Colossians 3:12-17 NET):
Therefore, as the elect (ἐκλεκτοὶ, another form of ἐκλεκτός) of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness (χρηστότητα, a form of χρηστότης), humility, gentleness (πραΰτητα, a form of πραΰτης), and patience (μακροθυμίαν, a form of μακροθυμία), bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others [Table]. And to all these virtues15 add16 love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη), which17 is the perfect bond. Let the peace (εἰρήνη) of Christ18 be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns,19 and spiritual songs,20 all with grace21 in your hearts22 to God. And whatever23 you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God24 the Father through him.
To clothe myself with a heart of mercy (σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ) is an interesting word picture. I am to clothe myself with something internal, cover my naked ambition one might say with Christlikeness, the fruit of his Spirit (Galatians 5:13-16, 22-26).
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself” [Addendum 1/1/2025: Table comparing Paul’s Greek to the Septuagint]. However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another [Table]. But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh…the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy, peace (εἰρήνη), patience (μακροθυμία), kindness (χρηστότης), goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (πραΰτης), and self-control. Against such things there is no law [Table]. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another.
Who is the one who will condemn? Paul continued. Again, many will condemn, but who are they by comparison? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us.25 Though many will try to bring a charge or condemn, who will actually prevail? Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered” [Table].26
Paul quoted from Psalm 44. In the Psalm the experience of death was viewed in confusion, as an evil, a lament, a plea to, or a rebuke of, God (Psalm 44:20-24 NET):
If we had rejected our God, and spread out our hands in prayer to another god, would not God discover it, for he knows one’s thoughts? Yet because of you we are killed all day long; we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block (Table). Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Wake up! Do not reject us forever! Why do you look the other way, and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated?
Paul’s attitude about death in the Gospel was entirely different (2 Corinthians 4:7-11 NET):
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus,27 so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body.
No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! Paul continued in Romans. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.28
Paul’s quotation is compared with the Septuagint below for completeness.
|
Paul |
Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint) |
NET Bible (Greek parallel text) |
| For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
Romans 8:36 (NET) |
ὅτι ἕνεκα σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς | ὅτι ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς |
Addendum: January 1, 2025
Tables comparing Psalm 44:20; 44:21; 44:23 and 44:24 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 44:20 (43:21); 44:21 (43:22); 44:23 (43:24) and 44:24 (43:25) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Luke 6:27; Colossians 3:14-17 and 2 Corinthians 4:10 in the KJV and NET follow.
| If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; | If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; | If we had rejected our God, and spread out our hands in prayer to another god, |
| εἰ ἐπελαθόμεθα τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ εἰ διεπετάσαμεν χεῖρας ἡμῶν πρὸς θεὸν ἀλλότριον | εἰ ἐπελαθόμεθα τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ εἰ διεπετάσαμεν χεῖρας ἡμῶν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀλλότριον |
| If we had forgotten the name of our God and if we had spread out our hands to a foreign god, | If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread out our hands to a strange god; |
| Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. | Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. | would not God discover it, for he knows a person’s secret thoughts? |
| οὐχὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐκζητήσει ταῦτα αὐτὸς γὰρ γινώσκει τὰ κρύφια τῆς καρδίας | οὐχὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐκζητήσει ταῦτα; αὐτὸς γὰρ γινώσκει τὰ κρύφια τῆς καρδίας |
| would not God search this out? For he it is that knows the secrets of the heart; | shall not God search these things out? for he knows the secrets of the heart. |
| Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. | Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. | Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Wake up! Do not reject us forever. |
| ἐξεγέρθητι ἵνα τί ὑπνοῖς κύριε ἀνάστηθι καὶ μὴ ἀπώσῃ εἰς τέλος | ἐξεγέρθητι· ἱνατί ὑπνοῖς, Κύριε; ἀνάστηθι καὶ μὴ ἀπώσῃ εἰς τέλος |
| Wake up! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Arise, and do not reject us totally! | Awake, wherefore sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, and do not cast [us] off for ever. |
| Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? | Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression? | Why do you look the other way, and ignore the way we are oppressed and mistreated? |
| ἵνα τί τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀποστρέφεις ἐπιλανθάνῃ τῆς πτωχείας ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν | ἱνατί τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀποστρέφεις; ἐπιλανθάνῃ τῆς πτωχείας ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν |
| Why do you turn away your face? Why do you forget our poverty and our affliction? | Wherefore turnest thou thy face away, [and] forgettest our poverty and our affliction? |
|
Luke 6:27 (KJV) |
|
| “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, | But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, |
| Ἀλλὰ ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς ἀκούουσιν· ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς | αλλ υμιν λεγω τοις ακουουσιν αγαπατε τους εχθρους υμων καλως ποιειτε τοις μισουσιν υμας | αλλ υμιν λεγω τοις ακουουσιν αγαπατε τους εχθρους υμων καλως ποιειτε τοις μισουσιν υμας |
|
Colossians 3:14-17 (KJV) |
|
| And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. | And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. |
| ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην, ὅ ἐστιν σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος | επι πασιν δε τουτοις την αγαπην ητις εστιν συνδεσμος της τελειοτητος | επι πασιν δε τουτοις την αγαπην ητις εστιν συνδεσμος της τελειοτητος |
| Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. | And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. |
| καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, εἰς ἣν καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν |ἑνὶ| σώματι· καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε | και η ειρηνη του θεου βραβευετω εν ταις καρδιαις υμων εις ην και εκληθητε εν ενι σωματι και ευχαριστοι γινεσθε | και η ειρηνη του θεου βραβευετω εν ταις καρδιαις υμων εις ην και εκληθητε εν ενι σωματι και ευχαριστοι γινεσθε |
| Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. | Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. |
| Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐνοικείτω ἐν ὑμῖν πλουσίως, ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ διδάσκοντες καὶ νουθετοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς, ψαλμοῖς ὕμνοις ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς ἐν [τῇ] χάριτι ᾄδοντες ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν τῷ θεῷ | ο λογος του χριστου ενοικειτω εν υμιν πλουσιως εν παση σοφια διδασκοντες και νουθετουντες εαυτους ψαλμοις και υμνοις και ωδαις πνευματικαις εν χαριτι αδοντες εν τη καρδια υμων τω κυριω | ο λογος του χριστου ενοικειτω εν υμιν πλουσιως εν παση σοφια διδασκοντες και νουθετουντες εαυτους ψαλμοις και υμνοις και ωδαις πνευματικαις εν χαριτι αδοντες εν τη καρδια υμων τω κυριω |
| And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. | And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. |
| καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι ἐὰν ποιῆτε ἐν λόγῳ ἢ ἐν ἔργῳ, πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ πατρὶ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ | και παν ο τι αν ποιητε εν λογω η εν εργω παντα εν ονοματι κυριου ιησου ευχαριστουντες τω θεω και πατρι δι αυτου | και παν ο τι αν ποιητε εν λογω η εν εργω παντα εν ονοματι κυριου ιησου ευχαριστουντες τω θεω και πατρι δι αυτου |
|
2 Corinthians 4:10 (KJV) |
|
| always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body. | Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. |
| πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν φανερωθῇ | παντοτε την νεκρωσιν του κυριου ιησου εν τω σωματι περιφεροντες ινα και η ζωη του ιησου εν τω σωματι ημων φανερωθη | παντοτε την νεκρωσιν του κυριου ιησου εν τω σωματι περιφεροντες ινα και η ζωη του ιησου εν τω σωματι ημων φανερωθη |
1 Romans 8:31 (NET)
2 Matthew 10:34-36 (NET)
3 The NET parallel Greek text had Ἀλλὰ here, where the NA28, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had Ἀλλ’.
4 Luke 6:27 (NET)
7 Romans 5:17 (NET)
13 Ephesians 2:8-10 (NET)
14 Romans 8:33 (NET)
15 NET Note (14): The term “virtues” is not in the Greek text, but is included in the translation to specify the antecedent and to make clear the sense of the pronoun “these.” See: Peter’s Way?
16 Net Note (15): The verb “add,” though not in the Greek text, is implied, picking up the initial imperative “clothe yourselves.” See: Peter’s Way?
17 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὅ here, a neuter form of ὅς, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ητις, a feminine form of ὅστις.
18 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Χριστοῦ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θεου (KJV: God).
19 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: and) preceding hymns. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
20 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: and) preceding spiritual songs. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
21 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article [τῇ] preceding grace. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.
22 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the plural ταῖς καρδίαις here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular τη καρδια.
23 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the conjunction ἐὰν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the particle αν.
24 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: and) following God. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
26 Romans 8:35, 36 (NET)
27 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κυριου (KJV: Lord) preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
28 Romans 8:37-39 (NET)