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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Good-bye, NIV | 2 Tim 3:16 | Hank | 32997 | ||
Steve, your point is not without merit. It was fully recognized when I was studying English in school (many years ago) that, for all its richness and versatility, English has its fair share of Achilles' heals too. Not the least among its shortcomings is that there is no pronoun in English to express, in the third person singular, a gender neutral (or both sexes, male and female) meaning except the word "it," and we do not use "it" in reference to human beings. The words "man" and "mankind" have been used for centuries to mean the human race; they have never been accused of omitting females until this feminist business appeared on the scene a few years ago. No one can honestly read into the statement, "Man shall not live by bread alone" that Jesus (or the translators) was excluding women. Until such time as English-speaking peoples invent and inculcate into standard English usage new terms to bridge present gaps, it seems the prudent course to translate as accurately as possible into the standard English of our time and avoid changing the dynamics of meaning by rendering in the plural words that are singular in the biblical manuscripts merely in order to attempt to achieve gender neutrality. --Hank | ||||||
2 | Good-bye, NIV | 2 Tim 3:16 | stjones | 33062 | ||
Hi, Hank; I agree with most of what you say. Translating "as accurately as possible", however, is always a judgment call. If you've ever studied a foreign language, you know that word-for-word translation doesn't work. Sometimes there's no corresponding word; sometimes the author wrote idiomatically. Even if there's only one text to work from, intent, meaning, and context will always enter into the process. Add multiple texts and the problem grows. My points are these: (1) The TNIV is not the NIVI. (2) the editors and translators are not known to be agents of Satan - Zonderrvan does have a history of serving the Christian community. (3) It's easy to make up motives for other people - common courtesy and Christian charity demand that we carefully consider their own explanations before we manufacture our own. (4) Since transaltion is a matter of judgment, it's premature and short-sided to excoriate Zondervan if they have made an error in judgment. (5) I wouldn't consider anyone who has not personally read the TNIV qualified to comment on it. I believe the Bible calls for witnesses not second-hand witnesses and hearsay. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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