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NASB | Galatians 3:23 ¶ But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Galatians 3:23 ¶ Now before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, [perpetually] imprisoned [in preparation] for the faith that was destined to be revealed, |
Subject: God grant repentance? |
Bible Note: Regarding your note on "repentance": 1. Act 5:31. "grant repentance", again, speaks of God giving sinners the opportunity to repent. 2. Rom 2:4. "kindness of God leads to repentance," which again considers God giving sinners the opportunity to repent by not exacting punishment swiftly: "kindness...forbearance...patience". 3. 2 Tim 2:25. See (1) above and my previouse note. Again, what is granted here is not "repentance" itself but the opportunity to repent. As the NAS translates it, I had never understood it as God giving "repentance" itself as if it were a thing of some substance; but it was always understood as giving opportunity. To me that's the natural and obvious understanding of the text. It is like when someone says, "I grant you freedom," it is not giving "freedom" as if it were a thing of substance, but as allowing the person to go on his own. The problem is not so much translation but interpretion. Repentance is involved in the process of conversion but it is something God commands men to do; it is not some thing that he puts in them to do. It is an change of attitude and lifestyle in response to God's kindness that the sinner must make. Please do not take offense but, if I understand your response correctly, as far as I can tell from my reading of the Bible, the interpretation you suggest goes far beyond the meaning of the verses cited; at least that seems to be where the problem lies: in interpretation, not translation. |