The Narrow Path Ministries

I’ve been studying Rom 1:20 for about a week now and I still don’t know how to correctly translate it. What is giving me a difficult time is the fact that “eternal power and deity” are in the nominative case which would indicate that they may be performing the action: “to look down upon”, kathoraw. It seems to me that the verse is saying that His eternal power and deity are looking down into “them”. If this is true, I think it is quite interesting that God’s attributes are performing actions like looking and observing, but perhaps it is meant in a figurative sense. How would you guys translate it?

But the verb "kathoraō" is in the passive voice. That means that "His eternal power and deity" are the recipients of the action.

Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse... RSV

They don't need to be in the accusative case if they are receiving the action?

Correct!