The sources of the catena in Rom 3:10–18: MT and LXX
Says Rom 3:10–12: Ps 14:1–3 (LXX 13:1–3; = Ps 53:1–3, MT 53:2–4, LXX 52:2–4). MT 14:3: הַכֹּל סָר יַחְדָּו נֶאֱלָחוּ (hakkol sar yakhdav ne'elakhu, "all have turned aside"). ποιῶν χρηστότητα follows Swete's Ps 13:3, not Ps 52:4 (οὐκ ἔστιν ποιῶν ἀγαθόν). δίκαιος (3:10) is not in the psalm; compare Eccl 7:20, אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ (en tsaddiq ba'arets).
Says Rom 3:13 is exactly LXX Ps 5:10 (ENG 5:9) and 139:4 (ENG 140:3); MT קֶבֶר־פָּתוּחַ גְּרוֹנָם (qever-patuakh geronam) and חֲמַת עַכְשׁוּב תַּחַת שְׂפָתֵימוֹ (khamat 'akhshuv takhat sefatemo; BDB p. 747). Rom 3:14 shortens Ps 10:7 (LXX 9:28), οὗ ἀρᾶς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ γέμει καὶ πικρίας καὶ δόλου; MT אָלָה פִּיהוּ מָלֵא (alah pihu male', "his mouth is full of cursing").
Says Rom 3:15–17 shortens Isa 59:7–8: MT וִימַהֲרוּ לִשְׁפֹּךְ דָּם (vimaharu lishpokh dam, "they hasten to shed blood") and דֶּרֶךְ שָׁלוֹם לֹא יָדָעוּ (derekh shalom lo' yada'u); Swete ταχινοὶ ἐκχέαι αἷμα … καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ οἴδασιν (B; Paul's ἔγνωσαν is A's reading, with Qmg). Prov 1:16's Hebrew is nearly identical. Rom 3:18: Ps 36:1 (MT 36:2; LXX 35:2), אֵין־פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו (en-pakhad elohim leneged 'enav); LXX αὐτοῦ, Paul αὐτῶν.
Swete's text (B) lacks Prov 1:16, which his apparatus gives from ℵc.a and A. His Ps 13:3 carries all of Rom 3:13–18 word for word; A omits this; ℵc.a brackets it.
Uncertain Whether Paul compiled the catena or took over an existing collection is unsettled.
Implies Paul applies these portraits of the wicked to Jews and Greeks alike (3:9, 19).
Claims
- SaysRom 3:10–12 follows Ps 14:1–3 (= Ps 53:1–3); ποιῶν χρηστότητα agrees with LXX Ps 13:3 against Ps 52:4 ἀγαθόν; δίκαιος (3:10) is not in the psalm (cf. Eccl 7:20).
- SaysRom 3:13 = LXX Ps 5:10 and 139:4; 3:14 shortens LXX Ps 9:28; 3:15–17 shortens Isa 59:7–8 (ἔγνωσαν with A and Qmg; Swete's text οἴδασιν); 3:18 = Ps 35:2 with αὐτῶν for αὐτοῦ. Prov 1:16 has almost the same Hebrew as Isa 59:7.
- UncertainWhether Paul compiled the catena or took over an existing collection.
- ImpliesPaul applies these portraits of the wicked to Jews and Greeks alike (3:9, 19).
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Ps 14:1–3; 53:2–4; 5:10; 140:4; 10:7; 36:2 (MT); Isa 59:7–8; Prov 1:16; Eccl 7:20
- BDB CC BY 4.0 s.v. 'akhshuv (H5919), p. 747, entry p.cq.ae ("usu. asp, viper, but perh. = spider ψ 140:4")
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Ps 13:1–3 (text of 13:3 with the plus; apparatus "om ταφος…οφθαλμων αυτων ℵc.a (uncis incl) A"; ℵc.a is Swete's siglum for a corrector of Sinaiticus); Ps 52:4; 5:10; 139:4; 9:28; 35:2. LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 2 (1896), pp. 216, 221, 225, 256, 281, 403. Prov 1:15–17 (no v. 16 in the text; apparatus "+ (16) οι γαρ ποδες … εκχεαι αιμα ℵc.a A"). LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 2 (1896), p. 417. Isa 59:7–8 (B in the text; apparatus "απο φονων …] αφρονων ℵ* (απο φον. ℵc.b) A" and "οιδασιν 1°] εγνωσαν AQmg"). LXX checked against Swete scan, vol. 3 (1912), p. 209.
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 3:9–19
- TVTMS CC BY 4.0 Ps 14 = LXX 13; Ps 53:1–3 = MT 53:2–4 = LXX 52:2–4; Ps 5:9 = MT 5:10; Ps 140:3 = MT 140:4 = LXX 139:4; Ps 10:7 = LXX 9:28; Ps 36:1 = MT 36:2 = LXX 35:2
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-10-30
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