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NASB | 2 Corinthians 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Corinthians 4:4 among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. |
Subject: 2 Cor 4:4 |
Bible Note: Greetings, Mike. Well, we have something in common, that's for sure: I don't understand Greek either. But somebody had to understand it well enough to be able to translate the New Testament Greek manuscripts into English. Otherwise, it would all be Greek to me :-) . I get along fairly well in Latin, German, and French, and that knowledge has helped me to appreciate to some degree the extreme difficulties the translator faces when he tries to convey into a receptor language all the shades of meaning and the subtle nuances contained in the original. It's virtually impossible. Even with the best of translations there is left something to be desired. I believe this is what Kalos had in mind when he alluded to levels of understanding, and he's right. Yes, any good translation will be sufficient enough to give us a satisfactory idea of the meaning of the original, but there is no translation that can capture all the shades of meaning and all the subtle nuances of the original with absolute precision in every respect. The finest artist alive can paint a copy of the Mona Lisa, but it will still be a copy and will lack a certain finesse that the original possesses. The makers of the Amplified Bible, being keenly aware of the limitations of straight word-for-word translation, have attempted to ameliorate these limitations as much as possible by the bracketed additions of synonymous words, alternate or variant readings, explanatory notes, etc. These aids do help. But there is nothing that can surpass being able to read with understanding the Bible or any other literary work in the languages in which these works were written. Lacking that ability, Mike, you and I and a host of other Christians can be grateful for at least two things: the diligent scholars who have given us good translations in our native tongue -- the technical aspect. And the Holy Spirit, Who illumines our hearts and minds to receive God's truth -- the spiritual aspect. --Hank |