The NLT is widely known and accepted.

It is used in youth groups, churches, and

bible studies all across the United States. Since the importance of accurate translation is
essential for accurate interpretation, examination of this widely circulated resource on
Romans specifically, and the Bible generally is important. On it’s website it claims to be
the “new benchmark in Dynamic Equivalency”i. In the following pages the NLT, certain
passages from the NLT will be critically examined to determine the accuracy of this
statement. The passages were selected based on a popular devotional and evangelistic
method in the use of Romans; the Romans Road. These passages provide the foundations
of the popular interpretation of Romans, and seem to be a good place to start a critical
examination of the text.
The passages examined will be as follows: Romans 1:16-17; 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9-10:
1:16-17
In verse 16 the NLT it translates the Greek τὸ εὐαγγέλιον well enough as “Good News”,
yet adds on to the end “about Christ”. This prepositional phrase is absent in the Greek,
and certainly defines the Gospel of God with preconceived notions. This is not to say the
notions are wrong, indeed this gospel does seem to be concerning Christ, but it is referred
to by Paul as the Gospel of God (Rom 1:1). Also the phrase “power of God at work” is
nowhere found in the verse, the phrase εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι translates
literally, “for salvation to all those who believe”. The translation does not convey a faulty
message, however, it does begin to show signs of mistranslation.
Verse 17 displays the same methodology of translation as the previous verse. That “God
makes us right in his sight” might be the inferred language, but it is a stretch from the
Greek (“For the righteousness/justice of God in it is revealed”). The phrase ἐκ πίστεως
εἰς πίστιν brings some complications. The wording itself seems almost enigmatic. The
NLT translates it “This is accomplished from start to finish by faith”. This, in the present
writer’s opinion, is a poor translation of this statement. The phrase literally translated is
“from/out of faith into/to/for faith”. Cobb and Loll translate πίστις as faithfullness
instead of faith. Certainly the NLT has the popular Lutheran Paul in mind, who is
concerned with faith apart from works as the apparatus of salvation. This is not
necessarily the wrong way to interpret the meaning this passage, but the phrase used in
the NLT allows for no other meaning. This is subjective scholarship to the extreme and
does not allow for a rich translation and interpretation of this essential passage in
Romans. This type of exegesis should be avoided. Evidence should be cited in other
portions of Romans for a Lutheran Paul and the manipulation of the Greek should
certainly be avoided.
Again the translation of the quotation of Habakkuk 2:4 also misrepresents the Greek.
NLT reads “As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life”.
Inclusive language aside (which is appreciated in a portion of Scripture such as this), this
phrase literally reads “The righteous by faith will live”. It is a quite a stretch to translate
ζήσεται in the present tense, when it is clearly future. Furthermore, the evidence from the
verse does not indicate at all that faith brings life (though this may be true), but rather that
those who are righteous or just, will live a life of faithfulness, or defined by faith.
Furthermore, the first half of the main clause (This is accomplished) and the prepositional
phrase (from start to finish) is nowhere found in the Greek. This translation does allow
for the type of interpretational ambiguity required from a accurate translation of the
Greek. The bias is evident, something that should be avoided as much as possible in the
current milieu of biblical scholarship. A critical look at the remainder of the select
passages from Romans will reveal any further misuse of the Greek.
Romans 3:23
The use of this verse has been for the opinion that people must place faith in Jesus Christ
because everybody has sinned. This opinion has been strongly contested by Stowers,
Gager, and Elliot, at least in part, because of a mistranslation of the Greek in verse 22.
Because of the importance of this verse, a close look at the Greek is necessary. The
phrase δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας.
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν διαστολή, reads as follows, “and the righteousness/justic of God through
the faith(fullness) of Jesus Christ for all who believe (present tense; are believing or
trusting). For there is no distinction.” The key phrase here is the use of διὰ (by or
through) the πίστεως (faith/faithfulness) of Jesus Christ. The NASB, NRSV, NIV, and
the majority of modern translations translate this phrase faith in Jesus Christ.
Grammatically this is a real stretch. Jesus Christ is in the genitive, implying possession,
the general and normal use of the genitive case. There is a perfectly good preposition for
“in”, and the use of the accusative of Jesus Christ would be expected. Further, an
accusative direct object of the “faith/faithfulness” of Jesus Christ is provided in the
participle πιστεύοντας. The participle is present active, and is in the accusative case.
Thus the “faith/faithfulness of Christ” manifests the righteousness of God for those who
believe. The NLT takes the classic interpretation a step further than the other translation,
basically interpreting the passage for you. It reads, “We are made right with God by
placing our faith in Jesus Christ.” The reading does not adequately depict the
grammatical structure of Romans.
Verse 23 plays a crucial role in the traditional reading of Paul, for it provides the reason
for this grace. The NLT reads, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s
glorious standard.” This beings accurate enough, ends somewhat suspect. The phrase in
Greek is not too ambiguous, making it easy to directly translate. “For everyone has
sinned (aorist) and falls short (present) of the glory of God.” The issue with the NLT is
the translation of δόξης as “God’s glorious standard”. This does not seem to correctly
convey the complexity and variety of meaning of this multi-nuanced word. Space permits
a proper study of this robust word, however there is ample evidence for the meaning of
δόξης in this context being something close to God’s presence, which is his
magnificence. This is expressed in the Old Testament by the word ‫ כבוד‬, of which δόξης
is frequently translated in the LXX. Thus those who are in sin, that is everyone both Jew
and Greek, continually fall short of the worthiness of God’s presence. God presence
means life. Certainly there are standards involved in living a godly life, but the δόξης of
God is experienced by few. Thus it is no so much of a standards as it is a gift, and one not
lightly given.
Romans 5:8
Though variant from the original Greek, the translation leading up to thisii seems
to display the basic meaning of the text. This trend of translation continues through to
verse 8. The word συνίστησιν (demonstrate) is quite interesting. It is a nuanced word.
One of the possible translations is indeed to show, the words chosen by the NLT to
translate the verse. The verse adds a descriptor to God’s love. It reads, “God showed his
great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” The verb for
sending is not present in the Greek. While this may be what Paul had in mind, the
translation again leads the reader to one interpretation of the Scripture.
Romans 6:23
The phrase here in the NLT reflects the Greek. This is probably due to the fame and
renown of this verse. It is so widely known that serious change to it would bring
repercussions. The verse itself is located in the answer to the question in verse 15iii; Does
grace allow the person to continue to sin? Paul’s answer is no (or May it never be!). The
verses preceding verse 23 do reflect the meaning of the Greek. In this case the NLT
represents the text well. However, these verses represent a classical interpretation of the
Lutheran Paul. They are already proof texts of this type of theological leaning and do not
require any type of real adjusting. In this case, then, the NLT stays close to the Greek.
Romans 10:9-10
These two verses form the crux of what it means to accept the “Gospel of God”. They
describe the salvation of those who both confess with their mouths (στόμα) and believe
with their hearts (καρδία) that Jesus is Lord and that God has raised him from the dead,
the individual has attained salvation in the eyes of God. This salvation has to do with the
δόξης of God, which is representational of righteousness par excellence.
The NLT shows some inaccuracies in verse 8. Verse 7 describes what the “of
faith/faithfulness righteousness (δικαιοσύνη)” speaks. This righteousness instructs the
reader not to ask who will ascend into heaven” and bring the Messiah/Christ down, nor
who will “descend into the abyss and bring the Messiah/Christ up from the dead. Rather
the answer to these questions lies closer still, in a person’s mouth and in their heart. Verse
eight in the Greek poses the question, “What does it say?”iv The NLT translates this
phrase as, “In fact, it says.” Though the question in the Greek leads to a straightforward
answer, the “in fact”, the rephrasing of this question to a statement changes the rhetorical
force of the section. From chapter 3 through the end of chapter 11, Paul is engaged in a
dialogue with an interlocutor posing questions, leading into theological answers. Thus the
answer to that question is that the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”
(v.10:8). This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 30:14 describing the intimate nature of
this righteousness. The NLT translates the answer, i.e. the quotation as the “message”
being “very close at hand.” The second person sing pronoun being removed.
Verses 9 and 10 in the NLT are translated with relative accuracy. However, the
rhetoric of the section is diminished, being represented differently in the NLT than in the
Greek, and other translations (NASB; NRSV). This translational methodology takes away
from the Greek and implants an English stylized version of what Paul was meaning to
convey. The intended message is not wholly inaccurate, but manipulated to a point where
questioning of the passage is limited.
 When examining the NLT one finds it to be both pleasant to read and easy to
understand. There are times, however, when the mystery and complexity of Romans is
sacrificed on the altar of convenience and readability. While the Gospel, and the
Scriptures containing it, should be accessible to everyone, one must question the
reworking of ambiguous and sometimes confusing passages is acceptable, or even
ethical. The goal of scholarship, and, dare say, the goal of faith is to pursue truth. Jesus
himself says that truth brings freedom!v There should be no fear the pursuit of truth.
Therefore, the revising of difficult passages in Romansvi in order to present a specific
theological predisposition should be avoided! If correct methodology and honest and
objective criticism and translation are practiced, truth will be victorious, even if more
time and information is required.
i
http://www.newlivingtranslation.com/05discoverthenlt/textcomparison.asp
ii
γὰρ Χριστὸς… ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανεν. For Christ…died for the ungodly”. NLT translates this “Christ came…and died
for us sinners”. The first person plural pronoun is not present in the Greek. Again, a theological statement is being made by
the translators but inserting words not present in the Greek. Though the message may be accurate, all other interpretations
are void at this point.
iii
NLT, “Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning?” cf. NASB “What
then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace?” NRSV, “What then? Should we sin because we are not
under law but under grace?”
iv
NASB; NRSV
v
John 8:32
vi
Such as Romans 3:23, see above.