‘Rectification’

Translating the dik- word group into English is hard! Think of the Greek words you’ve got: dikaiosyne, dikaioo, dikaios, and dikaiosis. How do you match them up neatly with the English words righteousness, justice, justification and convey the covenantal, ethical, soteriological, relational, forensic and juridical connotations that the Greek words can often invoke? As such, the problem of shifting between ‘righteousness’ and ‘justification’ in English translations can create more confusion than anything else.

Leander E. Keck and Richard K. Moore opt for a translation of ‘rectification’ in some places – which is perhaps a more holistic representation esp. in seeing the righteousness of God as God’s rectifying power. It is an interesting proposal and one I shall have to think about.

Note also, Keck has a Romans commentary coming soon. See the table of contents here