Romans 1:1
Paulos duolos ho Christos Iesous kletos apostolos aphorizo eis euaggelion theos
Doesn't even look like English, does it? It isn't. It is "transliterated" Greek. Greek
letters aren't the same as English letters, so it's a little heard to print them in a place designed for English letters. But here's a little
translation.
Paulos: of Latin origin, meaning little. In this context, a proper name; the name of a Roman.
Doulos: a slave, literally or figuratively, but usually voluntary thus indicating subserviency. From deo meaning to be bound.
Ho: a definite article indicate 'the', as in "the one and only". A definite article that defines uniqueness.
Christos: anointed. From chrio meaning to be smeared or rubbed with oil. In religious context to be consecrated. In most literature of the first 3 centuries
AD, the term refers almost exclusively of Jesus. This is the same word that when translated from Hebrew is Messiah.
Iesous: of Hebrew origin Yehoshua which means 'God saves', usually when translated from Hebrew
directly, Joshua. In most literature of the first 3 centuries AD, the name refers to Jesus of Nazareth who was called the Christ and/or the Messiah, although
in other literature it refers to Jesus Justus, a Roman ligate. There were also two other historical Israelites of the first two centuries known simply as
Jesus.
Kletos: invited verbally, called. Also the person so summoned.
Apostolos: a delegate; one sent as an messenger or ambassador.
Aphorizo: to set off by a boundary (figurative); to set aside; to set apart; to sever.
Eis: a primary preposition meaning to or for or into (indicating the point reached or entered); of place, time, or purpose (the result).
Euaggelion: a good message (the gospel).
Theos: deity, expecially the supreme divinity; God.
So, our translation of this verse is as follows:
Paul, a bound-slave of the Messiah Jesus, called to be a messenger, set aside for the gospel of God.
The KJV reads: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.
Questions for thought:
1. To what, or whom, are you a slave? A slave serves the one to whom they are enslaved. Who or what do you serve? When you relax, where does your mind go? Do
you find that you think about Jesus? Or do you only think about God when you go to church? Is your heart bound to Jesus? Can you imagine life without Him?
2. In other scriptures, we are told that we are "in Christ". From this lesson, we know that the word
Christ (christos) means anointing. What does it mean to be in the anointing?
3. Have you been called? Have you responded to the call? What have you been called to do? Why did Jesus set you aside?
