This volume by Bird from Lexham Press is designed to facilitate deeper engagement with the biblical text. It presents the SBL Greek text alongside a literal English interlinear translation. Complementing this is Bird's interpretive paraphrase which articulates the flow of Paul's discourse into contemporary English with an eye toward the rhetorical force of the Greek text.
This gives a reader an immediate sense of both translational directions (overly wooden & creatively paraphrastic).
An added feature of this little volume is the study notes. These notes include insights into the Greek text alongside explanations of translation choices. They also address OT citations, NT parallels, and text-critical issues.
This combination of interlinear translation, paraphrase, and detailed notes makes the work a valuable resource for those seeking a more nuanced understanding of the text of Romans.
I normally do not recommend interlinear volumes (for those who do not know the languages, they imply a mistaken level of linguistic correspondence; for those who do know the languages, they are relatively redundant).
However, the quality aesthetic of this volume (very slick!), Bird's interpretive paraphrase, and the notes throughout make this a very helpful resources for those wanting to have quick access to some of the most important textual features that need consideration.
Good stuff!
Some Notes:- See details of this series with more images & explanation at Lexham's website; Cf. my goodreads & other extended reviews of recent works; Thanks to Lexham for this review copy. NB: My latest book is One Grand Story.
