Rom 3:17

peace (inner peace)

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated into English as “peace” (or “at ease”) is (back-) translated with a variety of idioms and phrases:

“a song in the body” (Baoulé)
“heart coolness” (Eastern Maninkakan)
“sit down in the heart” (South Bolivian Quechua)
“quietness of heart” (Chol)
“quiet goodness” (Kekchí)
“having your hearts feel oneness for one another” (Tzeltal) (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
“my heart sits down” (Northern Grebo)
“coolness” (Pular / Kutu) (source for Kutu: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
“rest within” (Lacandon)
“have one heart” (Miskito)
“well-arranged soul” (Mashco Piro)
“have a quiet mind” (Ngäbere)
“completeness” (Highland Puebla Nahuatl) (source for this and six above: Nida 1952, p. 128ff.)
“rest the heart” (Central Mazahua) (source: Nida 1952, p. 40)
“joy in heart” (Eastern Highland Otomi) (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
momapu laro or “cold/cool-hearted” (as an adjective); mapuhio laro or “make the heart cool” (as a verb) (Moronene) (source: David Andersen)
“inner coolness” (Binumarien) (source: Oates 1995, p. 249)
“wait well in your heart” (Yatzachi Zapotec)
“live quietly” (Central Tarahumara)
“have security in your heart” (Highland Totonac)
“heart will lie quietly” (Isthmus Zapotec) (source for this and three above: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)
“smooth interior” (Bariai) (source: Bariai Back Translation)
Warao: “kobe (= the abdominal region, including the heart) quiet” (source: Henry Osborn in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 74ff. )
Welsh: tangnefedd — “an internal condition that makes external peace (heddwch) possible” (source: Rosa Hunt in Journal of European Baptist Studies 1/23 (2023), p. 1ff. )

In American Sign Language it is signed with a compound sign consisting of “become” and “silent.” (Source: Yates 2011, p. 52)

“Peace” in American Sign Language (source )

the way of peace they have not known

The Greek that is translated as “the way of peace they have not known” or similar in English is translated into Chol as “they have not known the road of the quiet heart.” (Source: Nida 1952, p. 40)

complete verse (Romans 3:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 3:17:

Uma: “They refuse to seek harmony.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “They do not want to live peacefully/harmoniously.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They do not know about the peaceful custom.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “They have not walked-on the path which leads to harmony and peace,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “Concerning how to bring about that people stop fighting, they do not know about this.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Teutila Cuicatec: “They don’t even know how to live well together.” (Source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.)

Translation commentary on Romans 3:15 – 3:17

The Old Testament passages referred to in these verses are Isaiah 59.7-8 and Proverbs 1.16.

They are quick to hurt and kill renders a Hebrew idiom, which translated literally conveys little or no meaning for the average English reader (see New English Bible “their feet hasten to shed blood”). It may, of course, be necessary to specify the goal of hurting and killing—for example, “to hurt and kill people” or “to cause people to suffer and to kill them.”

Verse 16 describes further the evil things done by these people; a translation such as “ruin and misery lie along their paths” (New English Bible) leaves the reader doubtful as to whether this is something that these people do or something that happens to them. They leave ruin and misery must be translated in many instances as a causative: “they cause ruin and misery,” “they cause people to be destroyed and to suffer,” or “they harm people and cause them to suffer.”

Verse 17 must be taken to mean that these people never do anything to bring about peace with their fellowmen. Bringing about peace may be rendered as “cause people to know peace,” “cause people to live in peace with one another,” or “cause people to live together peacefully.”

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 .

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Verse: Romans 3:17