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NASB | Romans 11:30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 11:30 Just as you once were disobedient and failed to listen to God, but have now obtained mercy because of their disobedience, |
Subject: Translation of "apeitheo" in the NASB |
Bible Note: justme! Thanks again for the contact info with Pike! He came through with flying colors. Here I paste his response. "We note that it is actually the noun that is used for "disobedience" in Rom 11:30 and the verb for "disbelieved" in Acts 14:2, but of course they have the same stem or root and the same meanings, and the verb also is used on Rom 11:30. As for the meanings, these words (i.e. the noun and verb) can refer equally to disobedience or disbelief, depending entirely on the context. One could also say that the disobedience referred to is essentially a technical term for the refusal to believe in Christ. In Rom 11:30 Paul most likely means "disobedient/disobedience" because the verb is used earlier in 10:21 where it translates a Hebrew word for rebellion. Acts 14:2 is a more difficult decision because it is not clear whether Luke was using the word in the technical sense of disobedience, or the general sense of disbelief, which would fit a historical work. The NASB translators decided that disbelief was more likely, but since the other meaning is also possible, they decided to include it as an option in a note." The Romans 10 reference is especially important since Paul is quoting from the Septuagint, meaning that scholars saw that word as a Greek variant of "disobedience". When we have words used in the New Testament that correlate to something in the Old by way of the Septuagint, it should be very influential in how we understand the word, or in this case, words, both noun and verb. All that being said...I believe I can make a contextual case for "disbelieve" and "unbelief" in every case. Look earlier in Romans 10, for example, and you will find some of Paul's most extravagant statements on faith and belief. Romans 11:30 comes at the end of a long discussion on the Jews unwillingness to trust in Jesus, so to make it clear what disobedience they were participating in, we should translate it in a way that makes it clear. By the way...Paul had and used another word for "disobedience". Can you find it? |