341 lines
16 KiB
TeX
341 lines
16 KiB
TeX
\subsection{The Translation}
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As anyone who has studied a foreign language or a foreign culture knows,
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different peoples have subtly different ways of viewing the world, and many
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of these differences are embodied in their languages. Because of this, the
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translation process is essentially an attempt to reconcile these
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differences. Inevitably a translation is a compromise. Languages do not
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correspond one-to-one.
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Virtually all of the great translations of the New Testament take the
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approach of making the sense of the Original fit ordinary English (or what
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was at the time ordinary or proper English). This is certainly the best
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approach for a general-purpose translation. \textit{The Faithful New Testament }tries to \textit{complement} this approach with a
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translation in which English is used just a little creatively to better
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convey the sense of the Original.
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The result, of course, is that the English is a little more awkward.
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Consequently, \textit{The Faithful New Testament} may not be the best choice for quoting scripture passages in
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public worship, for example. In fact, we think the best way to use \textit{The Faithful New Testament} is alongside your favorite translation as a study aid to see more of the detail
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and power of the Original.
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\textbf{Example 1}
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English uses the one word ``love'' for an enormous variety of types of love;
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the Greek distinguishes them by using different words. The two principle
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words for ``love'' used in the New Testament: are ``agape'' (``ah-GAH-pay'') and
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``philia'' (``fi-LEE-ah''), and the Faithful New Testament translates them as
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``agape-love'' and ``philia-love'' respectively.
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Some Bible expositors teach that agape-love is ``God's Love'' and philia-love
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is ``Man's Love''. But consider:
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\begin{verse}
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Men agape-loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were
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pernicious. (John 3:19, \textit{Faithful New Testament})
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\end{verse}
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How can you have ``God's love'' for the darkness? And Paul says
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\begin{verse}
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If anyone does not philia-love the lord, let him be accursed. (I Cor. 16:22,
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\textit{Faithful New Testament})
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\end{verse}
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This would seem to indicate that philia-love is as important as agape-love.
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In our view, the difference between agape-love and philia-love is along the
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lines of the difference between ``love as commitment'' and ``love as
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feeling''. But you don't have to take our word for it: the \textit{Faithful New Testament} enables the English reader to know immediately which of these two words for ``love'' is
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used in any passage, which ultimately is the decisive way to understand the
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different meanings.
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Making clear the different Greek words for ``love'' in the English sometimes
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dramatically clarifies otherwise confusing passages. For example, in the
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following passage, the resurrected Jesus is talking to Peter, who had so
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recently denied Jesus three times (bold is added):
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King James:
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\begin{verse}
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So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, ``Simon, son of Jonas,
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\textbf{lovest} thou Me more than these?'' He saith unto Him, ``Yes, Lord;
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Thou knowest that I \textbf{love} Thee.'' He saith unto him, ``Feed my lambs.''
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\VS{16} He saith to him again the second time, ``Simon, son of Jonas,
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\textbf{lovest} thou Me?'' He saith unto Him, ``Yes, Lord, Though knowest that
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I \textbf{love} Thee.'' He saith unto him, ``Feed My sheep.''
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\VS{17} He saith
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unto him the third time, ``Simon, son of Jonas, \textbf{lovest} thou Me?''
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Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, ``\textbf{Lovest}
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thou Me?'' and he said unto Him, ``Lord Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest
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that I \textbf{loveth} Thee.'' Jesus saith unto him, ``Feed My sheep.'' (John
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21: 15-17)
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\end{verse}
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Faithful New Testament:
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\begin{verse}
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When therefore they ate breakfast, Jesus says to Simon Peter: Simon son of
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John, do you \textbf{agape-love }me more than these? He says to them: Yes,
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Lord, you know that I \textbf{philia-love} you. He says to him: Be feeding
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my lambs.
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\VS{16} He says to him again a second time: Simon son of John, do
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you \textbf{agape-love} me? He says to him: Yes Lord, you know that I
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\textbf{philia-love} you. He says to him: Be shepherding my sheep.
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\VS{17}
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He says to him the third time: Simon Peter, do you \textbf{philia-love} me?
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Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time: Do you
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\textbf{philia-love} me? And he said to him: You know everything, you know
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that I \textbf{philia-love} you. Jesus says to him: Be feeding my sheep.
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(John 21: 15-17)
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\end{verse}
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The first two times Jesus asks Peter if he \textbf{agape-loves} Him, Peter
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replies that he \textbf{philia-loves} Him; the third time when Jesus asks
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Peter if \textbf{philia-loves} Him (which Peter had already said twice that
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he does), Peter is upset. It's interesting that Jesus questions Peter three
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times --- the same number of times that Peter had denied Him.
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\textbf{Example 2 }
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To a surprising degree, translators sometimes pass over details of the
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meaning of the Original unnecessarily (in our view). For example, the phrase
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``the kingdom of heaven,'' which appears so frequently in Matthew's gospel, is
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not singular, it's \textbf{plural}:
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Matt.5:3:
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\begin{verse}
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Blessed are the poor in the spirit
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For theirs is the \textbf{kingdom of the heavens}. \textit{Faithful New Testament}
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Blessed are the poor in the spirit
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for theirs is the \textbf{kingdom of heaven}. \textit{King James}
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Blessed are the poor in the spirit
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For theirs is the \textbf{kingdom of heaven}. \textit{RSV}
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Blessed are the poor in the spirit
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For theirs is the \textbf{kingdom of heaven}. \textit{NASB}
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\end{verse}
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But in other passages, the New Testament uses ``heaven'' singular, such as in
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the Lord's Prayer:
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\begin{verse}
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Your kingdom come, your will come to pass, as in [heaven], so also on
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[the] earth. (Matt.6:10)
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\end{verse}
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The Faithful New Testament takes the position that details in the Original
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like singular and plural should be translated literally as much as possible --- especially when they can be translated by perfectly normal English --- so English readers can assess the significance for themselves.
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\textbf{Example 3}
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Greek makes its negatives more emphatic by doubling and sometimes tripling
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them. The \textit{Faithful New Testament} indicates a double negative by underlining the word ``not,'' a triple negative by underlining the word ``NOT'' (all capital letters):
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Heb.13:5
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\begin{verse}
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I will \negd{not} abandon you, and I will \negt{NOT} forsake you.
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\textit{Faithful New Testament}
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I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. \textit{King James}
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Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. \textit{RSV}
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I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you. \textit{NASB}
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\end{verse}
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Although double negatives are fairly common, triple negatives are quite
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rare, only occurring a half dozen times in the entire New Testament. To have
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both a double and a triple negative in the same sentence is
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\textbf{extremely unusual}. With the \textit{Faithful New Testament}, English readers can see for
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themselves the powerful emphasis in the Original: ``I will \negd{not}
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abandon you, and I will \negt{NOT} forsake you''. This powerful
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emphasis is completely lost in other translations.
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Or consider (Mark 14):
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\begin{verse}
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\VS{22} And while they were eating, taking bread [and] having blessed [it] he
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broke and gave [it] to them and said: Take, this is my body.
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\VS{23} And taking
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the cup [and] having given thanks he gave [it] to them, and they were all drinking of it.
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\VS{24} And he said to them: This is my blood of the \footnote{insert
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``new'' \koine{} \vulgate{} many; text: \sinaiticus{}BD} contract being poured out in behalf of
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many.
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\VS{25} Truly I say to you that I will \negt{NO LONGER} drink of
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the produce of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of
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God.
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\end{verse}
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In this passage, ``\negt{NO LONGER}'' is a rare triple-negative --- the
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strongest negative that can be expressed in Greek.
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\textbf{Example 4}
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In various passages, the New Testament is much more forceful than would
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appear in other translations:
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\begin{verse}
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And behold a leper, having come, prostrated himself before him saying: Lord,
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if you wish it, you are able to cleanse me. And stretching out his hand he
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\textbf{grasped} him saying: I wish it, be cleansed. (Matt.8:2-3)
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\end{verse}
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Generally verse 3 is translated ``{\ldots} he \textbf{touched }him{\ldots}'',
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which suggests that perhaps Jesus just barely touched the leper. But the
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Original makes clear that he grasped the leper - a truly shocking and
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fearless act. (Imagine confidently grasping someone with a horrifying
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disease that is transmitted by touch.)
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Matt.8:3
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\begin{verse}
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And stretching out his hand he \textbf{grasped} him... \textit{Faithful New Testament}
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And Jesus put forth His hand, and he \textbf{touched} him... \textit{King James}
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And Jesus put forth His hand, and he \textbf{touched} him... \textit{RSV}
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And Jesus put forth His hand, and he \textbf{touched} him... \textit{NASB}
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\end{verse}
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\textbf{Example 5 }
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Matt.13:35
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\begin{verse}
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I will open my mouth in parables, \\
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I will \textbf{shout} things secret \\
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From the foundation of the world. \textit{Faithful New Testament}
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I will open my mouth in parables, \\
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I will \textbf{utter} things which have been kept secret \\
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From the foundation of the world. \textit{King James}
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I will open my mouth in parables, \\
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I will \textbf{utter} what has been hidden \\
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since the foundation of the world. \textit{RSV}
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I will open my mouth in parables; \\
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I will \textbf{utter} things hidden \\
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since the foundation of the world. \textit{NASB}
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\end{verse}
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The verb translated as ``shout'' in the \textit{Faithful New Testament }(and ``utter'' in the others) is used in
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the Greek to describe the eruption of volcanoes and other forceful
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discharges --- hardly a mild-mannered ``utter''!
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\textbf{Example 6}
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Greek verbs can express ``continual action'' - action that takes place over a period of time, versus ``point'' or ``matter-of-fact'' action - action that takes place essentially at one point in time. For example:
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\begin{verse}
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``Now Krispus, the chief of the synagogue, believed [``point action'' or ``matter of fact''] in the Lord with his whole house, and many of the Corinthians, having heard [''point action'' or ''matter of fact''], were believing [``continual action''] and were being baptized [''continual action''].
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\end{verse}
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In the case of imperatives especially, the type of action can deepen the meaning considerably. Matt.7:7 is usually translated ``Ask ... Seek ... Knock ... '', implying that one need only ask, seek or knock once, whereas the Original makes it clear that a continual course of action is required: ``Be [continually] asking ...'' (that is, don't stop!) English is perfectly capable of expressing these kinds of distinctions:
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\begin{verse}
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Be asking, and it will be given to you;be seeking and you will find; be knocking, and it will be opened to you. Faithful New Testament Matt. 7:7
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Ask, and it shall be given to you;Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened unto you. King James
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Ask, and it will be given you;seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. RSV
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Ask, and it will be given to you;seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. NASB
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\end{verse}
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\textbf{Example 7}
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The \textit{Faithful New Testament }also translates ``technical terms'' of the New Testament, such as ``sin,''
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``justice,'' ``soul,'' by the same English word throughout. The intent is to
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enable the reader to identify the same important Greek word in its various
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contexts, which is the only real basis for understanding its meaning as the
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New Testament uses it. Each Greek ``technical'' term is translated by one
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English word, e.g. DIKE (``DIH-kay'') as noun, verb, and adjective is
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translated ``Justice,'' ``Justify,'' and ``Just.'' ``Justice'' is never used to
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translate any other Greek word. In those cases when it is impossible to
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translate a Greek ``technical term'' by its usual English word, a reference in
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the footnote will indicate what would have been the usual English ``technical
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term:''
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\begin{verse}
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{\ldots} they have been entrusted$^{a}$ the words of God.
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\end{verse}
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(footnote:) $^{a}$ from ``BELIEF''
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meaning that ``entrusted'' corresponds to the same Greek word which is usually
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translated ``believe.''
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\textbf{Example 8}
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There are two principle words for ``love'' used in the New Testament:
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``agape'' (``ah-GAH-pay'') and ``philia'' (``phi-LEE-ah''). Since English
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uses the same word ``love'' for so many kinds of love that are distinguished
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in the Greek, the \textit{Faithful New Testament} translates them as ``agape-love'' and ``philia-love''
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respectively.
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Some Bible expositers teach that agape-love is ``God's Love'' and
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philia-love is ``Man's Love''. But consider:
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\begin{verse}
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Men agape-loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were
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pernicious. (John 3:19)
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\end{verse}
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How can you have ``God's love'' for the darkness? And Paul says
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\begin{verse}
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If anyone does not philia-love the Lord, let him be accursed. (I Cor. 16:22)
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\end{verse}
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This would seem to indicate that philia-love is as important as agape-love.
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\textit{The Faithful New Testament} enables the English reader to know immediately which of these two words for
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``love'' is used in any passage. (The very few cases where other Greek words
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for ``love'' are used are indicated in footnotes.)
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(In our opinion, the difference between agape-love and philia-love is along
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the lines that agape-love is ``love as commitment'', where philia-love is
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``love as emotional connection''. Thus, when an infant is inconsolable at
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3am, her parents may unquestioningly agape-love their child, but they may
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not philia-love her very much in that moment!)
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Making clear the different Greek words for ``love'' in the English sometimes
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dramatically clarifies otherwise confusing passages. In the following
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passage, the resurrected Jesus is talking to Peter, who only days previous
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had denied Jesus three times:
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\begin{verse}
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When therefore they ate breakfast, Jesus says to Simon Peter: Simon Peter,
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do you \textbf{agape-love} me more than these? He says to them: Yes, Lord,
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you know that I \textbf{philia-love} you. He says to him: Be feeding my
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lambs.
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\VS{16} He says to him again a second time: Simon son of John, do you
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\textbf{agape-love} me? He says to him: Yes Lord, you know that I
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\textbf{philia-love} you. He says to him: Be shepherding my sheep.
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\VS{17}
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He says to him the third time: Simon Peter, do you \textbf{philia-love} me?
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Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time: Do you
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\textbf{philia-love} me? And he said to him: You know everything, you know
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that I \textbf{philia-love you}. Jesus says to him: Be feeding my sheep.
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(John 21: 15-17)
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\end{verse}
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\textbf{Example 9}
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Words which are implied by Greek grammar but are not, strictly speaking,
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found in the original are in square brackets:
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\begin{verse}
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But the sting of death [is] sin, and the power of sin [is] law. (I Cor. 15:56)
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\end{verse}
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Idioms are translated literally when they are comprehensible:
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\begin{verse}
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And \textbf{boiling} in the spirit, he was speaking and teaching carefully
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concerning Jesus . . (Acts 18:25)
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\end{verse}
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\begin{verse}
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Mary ... was found \textbf{having }\textbf{[life]}\textbf{ in the
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belly} (Matt 1:18)
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\end{verse}
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