complete verse (Romans 1:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 1:11:

  • Uma: “I really want to meet you, so I can share with you blessings from the Holy Spirit that will strengthen your faith.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “For/because I really want to see you so that I can teach you what God’s Spirit has taught me so that your trust would increase.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Because I very much want to come to you and I want to teach you what the Holy Spirit has taught me, so that your faith in God might be drawn tight.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because extreme is my desire to see you so that I can share-with you blessings from the Holy Spirit so that your faith will be strengthened thereby.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because I want to go there to see you. And I will open up the road about God in order that you will be strengthened more.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Romans 1:11

A spiritual blessing (literal “spiritual gift”) may refer either to a gift, favor, or blessing from the Spirit of God, or to that which is related to one’s (human) spirit. Most commentators tend to accept the former of these two interpretation. Paul further discusses this matter of spiritual gifts in 12.6-8.

The equivalent to an expression in order to share a spiritual blessing with you may be “in order that I may cause you to have a blessing from God’s Spirit” or “in order that I may share with you the goodness that God gives by means of his Spirit.”

To make you strong refers to spiritual, not physical strength. To indicate spiritual rather than physical strength, one may say “to make you strong in your hearts,” “to make your spirits strong,” or “to cause your real selves to be firm.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .