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NASB | John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name-- [Is 56:5] |
Subject: Why include "even" in John 1:12 |
Bible Note: Good comment, Nolan. The lack of clarity in this pasticular case makes me question the wisdom of their other choices. I also feel that false ideas can arise from this kind of inclusion. A lot of people rely on the accuracy of the NASB, so a choice like this raises doubts. Doubt is not always a bad thing, however; it has led me to this discussion. It also occurs to me that "even" could emphasize "become", in this case. A previous coment on another string in this forum points out that even Satan believed in His name; believing, therefore, is not the same as receiving but is a prerequisite. "Even" would amplify "become": He has given the right to "become" children of God "even" to those who believe in His name. This would make the exclusion of "even" weaken the verse by implying that becoming Christian is a matter, simply, of "Oh, yeah, of course He's the son of God, what's new? John 1:12 says all I gotta do is believe, dude." I admit that my reading pushes the envelope a bit, but this particular translation invites this. Colin. |