Romans 4:18

During class, there was a short discussion on how ελπιδα επ ελπιδι is to be translated. To me it is quite an interesting phrase construction and description of Abraham's faith: that even though he knows that he and Sara are dead as far as their progeny is concerned (v.17), even when there is no reason for hope, Abraham kept on hoping (NLT 2004), that he will become the father of many nations as promised by God. (The lecturer commented that the 2nd edition of the New Living Translation is very well done. I guess it's time I upgrade my 1996 copy?)

This serves as a reminder to me that even when all hope is gone (not even seems gone but is gone), we can hope against hope that God will eternally be faithful in his love and his purpose; in fact even if we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself (2Tim 2:13).

Such is our God. We do not lose heart. We hope. We trust.

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ος παρ ελπιδα επ ελπιδι επιστευσεν
(hos gar elpida ep elpidi episteusen)
Who in hope against hope have faith (my translation)

ALT: Who against hope believed in hope

Amplified: [For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith

ASV: Who in hope believed against hope

BBE: Who without reason for hope, in faith went on hoping

CEV: And when it all seemed hopeless, Abraham still had faith in God

CUV-T: 他 在 無 可 指 望 的 時 候 ，因 信 仍 有 指 望
(ta1 zai4 wu2 ke3/4 zhi3wang5 de* shi2hou5 , yin1 xin4 reng2 you3/4 zhi3wang5)

Darby: Who against hope believed in hope

ESV: In hope he believed against hope

GW: When there was nothing left to hope for, Abraham still hoped and believed

IBIS: Abraham terus saja berharap dan percaya meskipun tidak ada harapan lagi
(Abraham kept on hoping and believing eventhough there is no more hope)

ISV: Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances

ITB: Sebab sekalipun tidak ada dasar untuk berharap, namun Abraham berharap juga dan percaya
(Eventhough there is no basis for hope, yet Abraham also hoped and believed)

KJV: Who against hope believed in hope

LITV: He against hope believed in hope

MKJV: For he who beyond hope believed on hope

MSG: When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway

Murdock: And without hope, he confided in the hope

NASB: In hope against hope he believed

NET: Against hope Abraham believed in hope

NIrV: When there was no reason for hope, Abraham believed because he had hope

NIV: Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed

NLT 1996: When God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations, Abraham believed him

NLT 2004: Even when there is no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping

RV: Who in hope believed against hope

Webster: Who against hope believed with hope

WNT: Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed

Wycliffe: Which Abraham against hope believed into hope

YLT: Who, against hope in hope did believe

Maeghan