35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [8:36] As it is written: 'For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were reckoned as sheep for the slaughter.' [8:37] But in all these things we more than conquer through him who loved us. [8:38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [8:39] nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROM 8:35-39
More than Conquerors
In the world it was spoken into
In the Roman world, where power dynamics were deeply entrenched, Paul’s assertion that nothing can separate believers from the love of Christ would have been striking. The list of adversities—tribulation , distress , persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword—reflects the harsh realities of life under Roman rule, particularly for marginalized groups. Tribulation, often associated with physical crushing, and distress, evoking a sense of being trapped, would have resonated with those facing systemic oppression or economic hardship. The mention of cosmic powers and spiritual forces reflects the widespread belief in a hierarchical spiritual realm, where unseen authorities influenced human affairs. Paul’s claim that believers 'super-conquer' through Christ’s love subverts the Roman narrative of victory through military or imperial might, offering a countercultural vision of triumph rooted in divine love rather than human power. This would have been both comforting and provocative to a community navigating a world dominated by imperial ideology and spiritual anxieties.
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How other translations render this
ROM 8:35
- KJV
- Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
- BSB
- Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
- Koinōnos
- Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
ROM 8:36
- KJV
- As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
- BSB
- As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
- Koinōnos
- As it is written: 'For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were reckoned as sheep for the slaughter.
ROM 8:37
- KJV
- Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
- BSB
- No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
- Koinōnos
- But in all these things we more than conquer through him who loved us.
ROM 8:38
- KJV
- For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
- BSB
- For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
- Koinōnos
- For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
ROM 8:39
- KJV
- Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- BSB
- neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Koinōnos
- nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
ROM 8:35
- Tribulation:The word translated 'tribulation' literally means intense pressure, like being squeezed or crushed. It evokes a sense of being under severe duress, not just general trouble.
- distress:The term translated 'distress' refers to a feeling of being in a narrow, confined space, experiencing a lack of room or freedom. It suggests a sense of being hemmed in with no escape.
ROM 8:37
- we more than conquer:The phrase 'we more than conquer' uses a word that intensifies the idea of victory, suggesting an overwhelming and decisive triumph, not just barely winning.
ROM 8:38
- principalities:The word translated 'principalities' refers to ruling powers or authorities, often implying cosmic or spiritual forces that hold dominion. It suggests a hierarchy of power, not just abstract concepts.