My Book find of the week

[_evolving]

in 1826 Alexendar Campbell completed the editing process, and helped published a book entitled - The Sacred Writing of the Apostles and Evangelists of Jesus Christ, Commonly Styled The New Testament. Translated from the Original Greek, by George Campbell, James MacKnight, and Philip Doddridge, Doctors of the Church of Scotland. With Prefaces to the Historical and Epistolary Books -- rev v.4 is available online here:http://books.google.com/books?id=v_dJAAAAMAAJ&printsec=titlepage&dq=%22Alexander+Campbell%22+%22Original+Greek%22&lr=


the preface(written by A. Campbell) identifies some common examples of mistranslations in the King James Version (KJV). I found this book interesting for quite a few reasons: it provides insight on possible sources Sidney Rigdon & Joseph Smith may have used to help create their “inspired version” of the Bible, and exposes some the different approaches to theology that contributed to Campbell and Rigdon parting ways. At the very least it was an interesting exercise to read this translation of the New Testament, then contrast it to the changes Joseph & Sidney made to their work on the New Testament. In the past week, I have also read three or four papers from BYU Grad students that take on the Inspired version. And they come to basically the same conclusion as I did after a few hours of research – Joseph and Sidney made many changes to clarify obscure KJV passages – they also inserted unique theology to support “their view” into some passages without support from any ancient manuscripts. John 1:1 for example – the only thing that really bothered me was after reviewing all of the “revelations” I could find that command Joseph and Sidney to re-translate or fix the New Testament – there was attached a command from “GOD the Almighty – even ALPHA and OMEGA” to the slacker saints to “give of their possessions freely” to accomplish this task.. I do realize I use technology they never dreamed of..the internet with tabbed browser interface, searchable indexed cross referenced scriptures with original Greek MSS support, hundreds of thousands of pages of research that I can access with a few keystrokes.. I think it is pretty easy to paint a picture that reveals a repackage the New Testament for profit motive here.. I started a comparison chart.. I may have time over the weekend to finish it.. but I will paste in the preface changes below -----

In the second Epistle to Corinth, (viii. 1. common version,) Paul says, "We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia". This was, no doubt, a correct and intelligible rendering of the Greek words, gnorizomen de umin, to the people of that day; but to us it is unintelligible as the Greek original. How few are there who can translate "We do you to wit," by We cause you to know? which is the modern English of the above sentence. The same may be observed of the term "wot," in all places where it occurs.

Genesis 21
KJV -26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, ...
JST -24 And Abimelech said, Thou didst not tell me; and I know not who hath done this thing; neither yet have I heard ...

Exodus 32
KJV -1 ... we wot not what is become of him.
JST -1 ... we know not what is become of him.

2Corinth 8
KJV -1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
JST -1 Moreover, brethren, we would have you to know of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

The term "conversation" was a very exact rendering of the term anastrophe in that day, as the old statutes and laws of England attest; but it is now a very incorrect one. It then, signified what a person did; it now denotes what a person says. Then, it was equivalent to our word behaviour; but now it is confined to what proceeds from the lips: consequently all those passages are now mistranslated in which this term occurs--such as 1 Peter ii. 12. "Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles." Galatians i. 13. "You have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion." James iii. 13. "Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom." Excepting Phil. i. 27. iii. 20. and Heb. xiii. 5., in every other place where the word conversation occurs in the common version, it is anastrophe in Greek; and in our modern style it is always a mistranslation. In all those places substitute the word behaviour, and then we have an exact translation into the language which we speak.

1Peter 2
KJV-12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles:...
JST-12 Having your conduct honest among the Gentiles;...

1Peter 3
KJV -1 ...be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
JST -1 ...be won by the conduct of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conduct coupled with fear.

2Peter 3
KJV -11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and
godliness,
JST -11 If then all these things shall be destroyed, what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conduct and godliness,

Hebrews 13
KJV -5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee.
JST -5 Let your consecrations be without covetousness; and be content with giving such things as ye have; for he hath said, I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Eph. 4
KJV -22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
JST -22 And now I speak unto you concerning the former conversation, by exhortation, that ye put off the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

2Peter 3
KJV -11 ... what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
JST -11 ... what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conduct and godliness

" The word "prevent" did, in that day, exactly translate phthano, used transitively; but now it does not. For then "prevent" was used as synonymous with anticipate or outstrip; but now it is commonly used as equivalent to hinder. Hence, we have found many unable to understand this important declaration of Paul to the Thessalonians. They supposed that Paul was assuring them, that those who should be alive upon the earth, at the coming of the Lord to judge the world, would not hinder the resurrection and glorious change of the dead saints. But how different the ideas communicated by the Apostle, when a proper substitute for the term "prevent" is found; such as the word anticipate or outstrip! Then it reads, "We which are alive at the coming of the Lord will not anticipate the dead"--we will not be changed an instant sooner than they. The living and dead saints at the same moment shall be glorified together. In the common version the word "prevent" and its derivatives occur frequently, and are mistranslations, owing to the change in the use and meaning of the words which has since that time occurred.

Matt 17
KJV -25 ...And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying,...
JST -24 And when he was come into the house, Jesus rebuked him, saying,

1Thess 4
KJV -15 ... that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are sleep.
JST -15 ... that they who are alive at the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them who remain unto the coming of the Lord, who are asleep.

[_karl61]

for your next book can I recommend Robin Lane Fox - "The Unathorized Version" truth and fiction in the Bible. I place in up there with American Apocrypha - Dan Vogel - Brent Metcalfe editors - Robin Lane Fox is brilliant. You will look at the Bible completely different after you read this book.

[_GoodK]

Does Misquoting Jesus by Bart Ehrman deserve a plug here? I think so...

GoodK

[_asbestosman]

In the second Epistle to Corinth, (viii. 1. common version,) Paul says, "We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia". This was, no doubt, a correct and intelligible rendering of the Greek words, gnorizomen de umin, to the people of that day; but to us it is unintelligible as the Greek original. How few are there who can translate "We do you to wit," by We cause you to know? which is the modern English of the above sentence. The same may be observed of the term "wot," in all places where it occurs.

Huh, I learned this on my mission because the Dutch word for "know" is "weten" which I believe is related to the archaic words wot and wit. It's actually kinda funny, but knowing Dutch has helped me understand the KJV. I sometimes wonder if Joseph Smith didn't know some Dutch people.

[_evolving]

for your next book can I recommend Robin Lane Fox - "The Unathorized Version" truth and fiction in the Bible. I place in up there with American Apocrypha - Dan Vogel - Brent Metcalfe editors - Robin Lane Fox is brilliant. You will look at the Bible completely different after you read this book.

thanks for the references -
I loved American Apocrypha - I will pick up the others as time permits, they look great..

for me this was just an exercise in the Mormon history puzzle assembly - as I went through Appendix 11&12(i believe) verse for verse and contrasted with the Inspired version -- in nearly ever instance there were modifications that resembled each other -

I also loved appendix 13 which was a list of allegorical and symbolical interpretations of some key elements in the New Testament.. the authors did not toss the entire New Testament aside as pure aHistorical mythology - but it appears to me, they stood at the edge of that thought, and threw rocks at it..

[_LCD2YOU]

In the second Epistle to Corinth, (viii. 1. common version,) Paul says, "We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia". This was, no doubt, a correct and intelligible rendering of the Greek words, gnorizomen de umin, to the people of that day; but to us it is unintelligible as the Greek original. How few are there who can translate "We do you to wit," by We cause you to know? which is the modern English of the above sentence. The same may be observed of the term "wot," in all places where it occurs.

Huh, I learned this on my mission because the Dutch word for "know" is "weten" which I believe is related to the archaic words wot and wit. It's actually kinda funny, but knowing Dutch has helped me understand the KJV. I sometimes wonder if Joseph Smith didn't know some Dutch people.

Joseph Smith was from New York, right? That area was first settled by the Dutch and the name for New York City was New Amsterdam.