Romans 8:12
BYZR: Ara oun, adelphoi, opheiletai esmen :: ou tĕ sarki, tou kata sarka zĕn.
Deviation scores of the whole verse text (if the verse is missing completely): ·THEREFORE³₁ ·THEN¹₁, ·BROTHERS³₁, ·WE³₁ ·ARE¹₁ ·DEBTORS³₁ :: ·NOT³₁ ·TO₁ ·THE ·FLESH³₁, ·TO₁ ·LIVE³₁ ·ACCORDING₁ ·TO₀ ·THE ·FLESH³₁.
The negation “ou” apparently does not affect the verb “we are”, because the negation is after the verb. It is not customary
in koiné greek that “ou” would negate a verb that precedes it. I have given deviation points to translations that negate
the verb “we are”. This is marked so that the misplaced “₃not” (or some other negation) in the translation is marked with 3
structural deviation points, in the left bottom corner of the word. It is untypical in this review to give more than one deviation point for a structural
deviation, but in this verse the incorrect location of the negation changes the meaning of the thought enough to be equal in importance with an omitted
or incorrectly translated word, which typically receives 3 deviation points for literal accuracy.
The text samples BYZR, SAMPLET and SAMPLEP use a double colon (::) between the expressions “we are debtors” and “not to the flesh”, to
highlight to the reader that it is not certain, whether these two thoughts should be logically separated from each other (even with a period), or closely
connected with each other without any punctuation.
Gender-neutral translations use varying strategies to remove the impression that the writer directs his words to men only, and not also to women.
I have given deviation points for deliberately changing the expression “brothers”, if it is not clearly indicated e.g. with italics,
which part of the text is an addition or interpretation of the translator.
Main thoughts in this verse:
A) Because of what has been explained afore. 3 points: No reference to what was said afore. (In the phrase “So brothers... since we don’t owe” the word “so” does not form a logical connection between the verb “owe” and what was said previously.) 2 points: Reference to what was said afore is very vague (e.g. “then” or “it is so then”). 1 point: Reference to what was said afore is a bit vague (e.g. “therefore ... it is not to our lower natures that we are under obligation”, “there you have it” or “so” — but not: “so then”, “so that” or “and so”).
B) Brothers, we are indebted or we have an obligation. 3 points: This thought is not mentioned. 2 points: It is not mentioned that we are indebted or obliged (e.g. it is only mentioned that we are not indebted to the flesh, but not that we are indebted to something else). 1 point: The aspect of being indebted is vague (e.g. we “must” live in the right way). / Brothers are not mentioned, or in singular (“bro”), or replaced with some other concept (e.g. “friends”, “fellow Christians”, “fellow believers” or “beloved ones”). 0 points: Some ambiguous statements, such as “debtors we are not to the flesh”, have been accepted without deviation points.
C) We are not indebted to the flesh, the natural desires. 2 points: This thought is not mentioned (separately from living according to the flesh). / Constrained by our sensual part. / Ruled by our wrong ways. 1 point: “flesh” is translated as “old do-it-yourself life” (and thought D is omitted completely). / Being indebted is not mentioned clearly (e.g. “must not be ruled by” or “no necessity to obey”). 0 points: Deviations concerning the word “flesh” are usually handled in thought D (only once, although the word appears twice in this verse), except when thought D is missing completely from the translation, or thought D uses a much better expression for flesh than thought C.
D) We are not expected to live according to the flesh, the natural desires. 3 points: This thought is not mentioned. / “Flesh” is translated as “bad things” or “living sinfully”. / Live under the power of sin. 2 points: “Flesh” is translated as “nature” or “natural realm” (a vague expression, which can easily be understood completely wrong), or as “wickedly according to senses”, “depravity”, “wrong desires”, “animal instincts”, “sensual gratifications”, “sensual passions”, “selfish desires” or “selfishness” (possibly together with “ourselves”), which covers only a small part of what the concept of flesh can refer to. 1 point: “Indebted ... to live” is changed into a more neutral statement “living”. / Live on the material plane. / The term “flesh” is translated as “desires”, or replaced with an expression that emphasizes something else than the natural, physical or earthly person (e.g. “lower part” of our human nature, “sensual nature”, “instincts”, “unspiritual selves”, “corrupt nature”, “sinful nature”, “sinful selves” or “sinful flesh”). / Let our weak and broken human ways guide us. / Under the “control” or “dominion” of flesh, “dominated by” flesh, or as our bodies “dictate”. (The greek preposition “kata” can mean “under”, if the next word is in genitive, but this is not the case in this verse. The translation “under the flesh” is approved here nevertheless, as it is deemd to be close enough to “according to flesh”, but “under the control of flesh” emphasizes subjugation too strongly to be a faultless equivalent to the original text.) / Those things are wrong. 0 points: “According to” is translated as “in obedience to”. (I have given this expression the benefit of doubt that the obedience can be voluntary, not “dominated” or “under control”.) / The term “flesh” is replaced with an expression that refers to the natural, physical or weak personality or its desires (e.g. “human nature”, “human flesh”, “flesh and blood”, “physical nature”, “our bodies”, “fleshly nature”, “earthly nature”, “old nature”, “lower nature”, “self-directed nature”, “weak human thoughts”, “desires of the flesh”, “flesh-based life” or “bodies and feelings”) — without an emphasis that deviates from this basic meaning.
Z) Thoughts added by translators. 3 points: How to follow God’s guidelines. 1 point: Christian, b’Moshiach, sisters. / We must live in the right way. / Live “continually” or “habitually”.
Inconvenient readability of words. 3 points: ŧerfore / ŧerfor / breŧern / breŧeren / bretheren / brethern / briŧeren / britheren / Achim / b’Moshiach / detters / dettours / dettouris / detouris / aftir (according to) / fleshe / flesshe / flesch / fleisch / fleysche / fleyssche / basar / lyue / lyuen / plane (level). 2 points: therfor / wherefore / hence / brethren / bro / ben (have been) / be (are) / oblig’d / debters / ŧe / tha / flesh / fleshly / realm / depravity / self-directed / gratifications / ŧat / liue / zoe-live / after (according to) / regime / ways. 1 point: thus / therfore / consequently / accordingly / vve / wee / nowe / debtors / obligation / obligations / obliged / obligated / claim / corrupt / broken / flesh and blood / urges / dominion / upon / unto / accorting.
Inconvenient readability of expressions. 3 points: walk in the / sensual part / particle flesh / do-it-yourself life / one red cent / according to the flesh we should walk / a longer remark in the middle breaks the thought of the main phrase (INTLSV) / additional rhymed text confuses the reading experience (BELOVED) / long text in UPPERCASE / very inconvenient phrase structure (INTLSV). 2 points: continue being / owe it / constrained by / under every obligation / the to live / live of the flesh / live (or living) by the flesh / walk according to / in line with / those under / flesh-based / animal instincts / a life of nature / lower part of our human nature / of the “to be living ...” _kind. 1 point: there you have it / know this bro / then therefore / it follows / [my] family [members] / a thing (anything) / debtors we are / debtors are we / debtors ... [but] not / we are not to / bound to / owe a duty / according to flesh to live / according to flesh we should live / to the flesh [to] live to its call / so as to live / that we [would] live / live conforming to / living down / and living (and to live) / along the line of / in accord with / in accordance with / according to the senses / on the level of and in accord with / lower nature(s) / whom living sinfully controls / every word begins with uppercase letter / rhyming of text takes attention away from the main thought (BELOVED) / inconvenient or insufficient punctuation (CONSVRI x2, BYINGTN, FERRFEN, LIVORAC, MODNLIT, GREBER, BARNSTN, ROTHERH x4, YLTREVD, LSAWYER, SHARPE, WILL, TYND, WEYM, WORRELL, WYL1731 X2, YLT1898).
Inconvenient readability scores for translation LITTRCH. 6 points: of-the-one (in order to). 4 points: unto-a-flesh (flesh). 3 points: Brethrened / unto-the-one (to) / down (according to) / to-a-flesh (flesh) / to-life-unto (live). 2 points: we-be (we are).
Literal and formal deviations, approximately in the order that they appear in the text of this verse: ·THEREFORE³₁ / hence / wherefore / consequently / thus / so / *it₀ *is¹₁ so³₁ / for₁ that₁ *reason¹₁ / *the conclusion¹₁ ... *is¹₁ *this¹₁ / that’s¹₂ *why¹₁ / there¹₁ *you¹₁ *have³₁ *it¹₁ / *it₀ follows¹₁ / *this¹₁ means¹₁ / then⁰₀ / well³₁ / how³₁ | ·THEN¹₁ / indeed / truly⁰₀ / therefore / clearly¹₁ / accordingly¹₁ / ₁since³₁ / now¹ / nowe¹ / that¹₁ / and²₁ / *the case³₁ *is¹₁ | *can¹₁ / *don’t¹₁ | *for₁ / *upon₁ | *you¹₁ / ₁us₁ | *not¹₁ | *see³₁ / *know³₁ | *this¹₁ | *my¹₁ | *fellow¹₁ / *dear²₁ / *Christian²₁ / *b’Moshiach²₁ | ·BROTHERS³₁ / bro₁ / Christians² / believers² / friends² / relatives² / you³ / family²₁ / beloved³₀ ones₀ | *and¹₁ *sisters¹₁ | *that¹₁ | *our¹₁ | ·WE³₁ / ₁we / you³ / us₁ / ₁us₁ / our₁ | ·ARE¹₁ / ₁are / be₀ / ben₁ / have¹₁ / ₁have¹₁ / *there⁰₀ is₁ / ₁is₁ / has¹₁ / *continue³₁ being₁ / owe²₁ / must³₁ | *let³₁ | *in₁ | *particular³₁ / *further²₁ | *reason²₁ | *feel³₁ | *a | ·DEBTORS³₁ / obligated₁ / obliged₁ / oblig’d₁ / those¹₁ under₁ obligation₁ / under₁ obligations¹₁ / under₁ *every³₁ obligation¹₁ / under₁ (*an) obligation¹₁ / ₀under₁ ₁obligation¹₁ / (*an) obligation¹₁ / ₁obligation¹₁ / in₁ debt¹₁ / *people¹₁ with₁ *a debt¹₁ / *persons¹₁ indebted₁ / indebted₁ / owe¹₁ / owe¹₁ *it₀ / duty¹₁ / responsibility¹₁ / ₁claim²₁ / grateful²₁ / constrained³ / bound³ / have³₁ to₀ *do²₁ / must³₁ / need³₁ / necessity³₁ | *all²₁ | *who¹₁ *owe¹₁ *payment¹₁ | *Our¹₁ | *duty¹₁ / *to₀ *fulfill¹₁ | *is¹₁ / isn’t¹₁ | *be¹₁ *ruled³₁ | *a *thing¹₁ / *whatever¹₁ / *any¹₁ / *anything¹₁ / *at₀ *all¹₁ / *by₀ (no) *means²₁ | *but¹₁ / *and¹₁ | *it₀ / *it¹₁ / *it’s²₂ / *this¹₁ / *what¹₁ | *is¹₁ | *in₀ *the *right³₁ *way³₁ | *we¹₁ | *do₁ / *are¹₁ | ·NOT³₁ / ₁not / ₃not / ₃no₁ / ₃no₀ *longer¹₁ / ₃don’t₁ / *do₁ ₃not / ₃nothing¹₁ / leave³₁ | *debtors¹₁ / *obligation¹₁ / *obey²₁ / *do²₁ | *upon₀ | *respect¹₁ | *us¹₁ | ·TO₁ / by₁ | *what¹₁ | *way¹₁ | *live³₁ | *lower²₁ *part³₁ *of₀ | *our¹₁ / *your¹₁ | *the | *physical¹₁ / *particle³₁ / *human¹₁ / *earthly²₁ / *unspiritual²₁ / *old²₁ / *weak²₁ / *lower²₁ / *sinful³₁ / *bad³₁ / *selfish³₁ / *do³₁-*it¹₁-*yourself³₁ / *sensual³₁ / *animal³₁ | *nature¹₁ / *desires²₁ | *of₁ | ·FLESH³₁ / flesh / body¹ / bodies¹₁ / nature¹ / ₁nature¹ / nature³ (when the context leaves it possible that this means the natural world generally) / *natural¹₁ realm³₁ / human² / selfishness³ / selves²₁ / desires²₁ / part³₁ / instincts³₁ / thoughts³₁ / things³₁ / life³ / ourselves³₁ / sinfully³₁ | *has¹₁ *no¹₁ *claim²₁ / *has¹₁ ... *claims²₁ | *of₁ / *on₀ / *upon₀ | *the | *one¹₁ | *red³₁ | *cent³₁ | *that¹₁ | *nor²₁ | *is¹₁ / *are¹₁ | *and¹₁ / *or²₁ | *we¹₁ | *has¹₁ | *to₁ / *to₀ | *do²₁ | *would₀ *require²₁ / *tell²₁ | *us¹₁ / *we¹₁ / *you¹₁ | *so¹₁ | *as₁ | *is¹₁ | *no¹₁ / *not¹₁ / *don’t¹₁ / *do₀ *not¹₁ / *no¹₁ *longer¹₁ / *longer¹₁ / *at₀ *all¹₁ | *have²₁ (to) / *must²₁ / *obliged²₁ / *bound²₁ / *need²₁ / *want²₁ | *not¹₁ | ·TO₁ / ₁to / that¹₁ / *of₁ the₀ “to ...” (genitive is not intended, as the following words are not in genitive) | *we¹₁ | *should¹₁ / *shouldn’t²₂ | ·LIVE³₁ (infinitive) => zoe-live⁰ / ₁live / live₁ (present tense) / lyue₁ (present tense) / living₁ / be₀ living₁ / life₁ / be₀ *continually³₁ living₁ / lyuen₁ / walk² / ₁walk² / follow² / ₁follow² / be₀ following²₁ / do² / ₁do² / obey³ / be² / let³ / oppose³ | *that¹₁ | *operates²₁ | *wickedly³₁ / *habitually³₁ | *our¹₁ | *God’s³₁ | *lives¹₁ / *life¹₁ | *down¹₁ *on₀ *the *level²₁ *of₀ *and¹₁ | ·ACCORDING₁ ·TO₀ / after⁰ / aftir⁰ / by₀ / like₀ / as₀ / under₁ / of₁ / in₁ / to₁ / along₁ the₀ line¹₁ of₀ / in₁ line¹₁ with₀ / on₁ the₀ basis¹₁ of₀ / in₁ accord₁ with₀ / [⁰in] accord₁ [⁰with] / in₁ accordance₁ with₀ / conforming¹ to₀ / in₁ harmony¹₁ with₀ / satisfy²₁ / under₁ the₀ *power³₁ of₀ / dominated³₁ by₀ / ruled³₁ by₀ / what²₁ / the₀ way¹₂ / way²₂ / in₁ ... way²₁ / in₁ the₀ way¹₁ of₀ / in₁ the₀ manner¹₁ of₀ / on₁ the₀ level²₁ of₀ / on₀ ... level²₁ / on₀ ... plane²₁ / in₁ obedience²₁ to₀ / under₁ ... *control³₁ / according to₀ ... *ways¹₁ / by₀ ... *rule³₁ / by₀ ... *standards²₁ / by₀ the₀ *standard²₁ *set²₁ by₁ / *the₀ *standards²₁ *set²₁ by₀ / guidelines²₂ / under₁ the₀ *dominion³₁ of₀ / of-the-one¹₁ down₁ | *control³ / *ways³₁ | *begs³₁ | *you¹₁ / *your¹₁ / *our¹₁ / *those¹₁ | *whom¹₁ | *living³₁ | *old²₁ / *unspiritual²₁ / *particle³₁ / *sinful³₁ / *sensual³₁ / *human¹₁ / *weak³₁ / *broken³₁ / *corrupt³₁ / *wrong³₁ / *self-directed³₁ | fleshly₂ (·ACCORDING₁ ·TO₀ flesh₁) / flesh-based¹₂ (*based¹₁ *on₁ flesh₁) / selfishly³₂ (·ACCORDING₁ ·TO₀ selfishness³₁) | *those¹₁ / *that¹₁ | ·FLESH³₁ / fleshly₁ / blood³ / desires²₁ / nature¹ / nature³ (when the context leaves it possible that this means the natural world generally) / *natural¹₁ realm³₁ / material³₁ / selves²₁ / bodies¹₁ / senses³₁ / ways³₁ / selfishness³ / sin³ / sinfully³₁ / gratifications³₁ / instincts³₁ / lives³₁ / things³₁ / its²₁ / it² / they²₁ / that²₁ / that³₁ | *which¹₁ | *people³₁ | *and¹₁ | *natural¹₁ | *natures¹₁ / *feelings²₁ / *desires²₁ / *call²₁ | *would₀ | *lead²₁ / *guide²₁ / *want²₁ / *wants²₁ / *urges²₁ / *begs²₁ / *have²₁ / *like²₁ / *control³₁ / *controls³₁ / *dictate³₁ / *dictates³₁ | *us¹₁ / *you¹₁ | *to₀ | *live¹₁ / *do²₁ / *do¹₁ | *life¹₁ | *anymore¹₁ | *those¹₁ *things¹₁ *are¹₁ *wrong³₁.