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Question:
Why do you translate Titus 1:2 before age times?
- Bob,
- I was rereading your article on foreknowledge/Greek philosophy. In the first or second paragraph you translate Titus 1:2 "before age times". Why wouldn't it be translated "before the times of ages"? Aren't the Greek words for time and age plural? Isn't "age" a noun in this sentence to be parsed as a gentive? Those questions are more for my curiosity, but my real question is what does "before age times" mean? What is the significance?
- I am a youth pastor at a traditional protestant church which believes that the future is knowable and settled in God's mind. My pastor and I recently had lunch at which he wanted know what I believe about God's foreknowledge. I really expected him to have a some verse or passage that (that I had missed) that would have won the day for his position. Naturally he didn't. I guess I am amazed as to how much worldly philosophy has crept into the church.
- Jeremy Clark
Answer:
(click here to see the answer)
1. Dear Jeremy,
2. This is the reason I translated Titus 1:2 age times. The Greek (w's are omegas) is pro cronwn aiwniwn. pro means before. cronwn is a genitive plural noun. aiwniwn is a genitive plural adjective. The adjective modifies the noun. Therefore, it should be translated, before age times. The genitive of the noun age is aiwnwn. If the phrase had been pro cronwn aiwnwn, it would have been a strange translation, before times of ages.
3. There was a time before the ages. In Heb 12:3, we find that Christ prepared the ages: "By faith we understand that the ages were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." The word framed (katartizw) means, "put in order, restore, put into proper condition, complete, make complete".
4. I believe age times has to do with man and the creation that man enjoys. The Bible doesn't tell us much about this concept, but our dispensation was ordained before the ages: 1 Cor 2:7,8: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
5. God had the body of Christ in mind before the foundation of the world. That also seems to be before age times according to Eph 1:4 and 2 Tim 1:9,10.
6. Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
7. 2 Tim 1:9,10 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before age times, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
8. Therefore, I believe we, and all who will be members of the body of Christ, were chosen to be holy and blameless before the foundation of the world, which I think is before age times.
9. In Christ,
10. Bob Hill
Question:
Rev. 13:8 translation
- Dear Bob,
- I know you are a busy man, but I really need your help and expertise. I've been discussing the Open View at www.theologyonline.com and specifically Rev. 13:8 and how "since the foundation of the world" should modify "names written in the Book of Life" and not "Lamb slain." You can read the thread (or at least the last page or two) here: http://www.theologyonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&postid=76302#post76302
- The user known as Jaltus has pointed out that "from the foundation of the world" should modify "Lamb slain" because of it's proximity to the phrase, as well as pointing out that a lot of text critical work shows that "names" does not appear in many of the older MSS, including the Aleph.
- I have read several essays on Rev. 13:8 and why it should be translated to support the OV, but I haven't read any that quote specific MSS or grammatical reasons.
- Again, I understand that you are a busy man, but you are also one of the most learned scholars that I've read thus far. I know that if anyone can help me with this argument, you can. If you, however, don't have time, I will completely understand.
- God bless,
- Ryan Berg
Answer:
(click here to see the answer)
1. Dear Ryan,
2. The 27th edition of the Nestle Aland text does not have names in the text. Neither does the 4th edition of the UBS. Neither does the Majority Text, the one I use. All three have the neuter singular, “to onoma autou” the name of him. The TR has “ta onomata”, the plural, and is supported by part of the MT. p47vid & Sinaiticus both support “ta onomata autwn”, the names of them.
3. These different texts would be translated as follows. The Nestle Aland, the UBS, and the Majority Text would be the name was not written in the book of life of the lamb slain, from the foundation of (the) world. The TR and part of the MT would be translated, the names were not written in the book of life of the lamb slain, from the foundation of (the) world.. The translation of p47vid & Sinaiticus would be the names of them were not written in the book of life of the lamb slain, from the foundation of (the) world.
4. The prepositional phrase could be referring to either the lamb slain or the name, names, names of them. It should be translated with it modifying name or names not written, instead of the lamb slain, because Rev 17:8 has this: of whom (plural) the name or names were not written on the book of the life from the foundation of (the) world.
5. In Christ,
6. Bob Hill
Question:
Why must katartizo be translated as a passive in Heb 11:3
- Dear Bob,
- I recently read Timothy McMahon's note on Proverbs 16:4 and found it very interesting. I am, however, confused about the Greek verb katartizo. Why can the participles found in Romans 9:22, Luke 6:40, 1 Co 1:10, and 2 Co 13:11 be translated as either middle or passive, but the participle found Hebrews 11:3 must be translated passively? What grammatical rule makes the translation of that particple more strict than the others?
- Thanks and God bless,
- Ryan
Answer:
(click here to see the answer)
1. Dear Ryan,
2. 2 Co 13:11 is a present mid/passive imperative. 1 Co 1:10 is a mid/pass participle. In my mind, Rom 9:22 is different. Rom 9:22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. When God desired “to make known what is possible with Him” (Weymouth), we find that He endures with the vessels of wrath which fitted themselves to destruction. The participle, fitted (kathrtismevna) can be either a middle or a passive. I believe we can translate it as a middle considering the middle concept in the material of Acts 13:46,48, “Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.’ 48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had disposed themselves (h\san tetagmevnoi) to eternal life believed.”
3. kathrtivsqai in Heb 11:3 is a perfect passive infinitive and must be translated as a passive because it is modified by rJhvmati which is in the dative case, of means. “By faith we understand that the ages were framed by the word of God.” Here is that phrase broken down: were framed (kathrtivsqai) by the word (rJhvmati) of God (qeou`). Although Daniel B. Wallace is a Calvinist and is usually not driven by his theology, he may make some dogmatic statements that we may not agree with. However, here is what he says about the middle/passive form of the perfect: “Second, in the perfect tense, the middle-passive form is always to be taken as a passive in the NT (Luke 6:40; 1 Cor 1:10; Heb 11:3) . . .”
4. In Christ,
5. Bob
Question: Which version correctly translates Gal 2:16?
- Dear Pastor Bob,
- I have a question on Gal 2:16, you stated that it is the "Faithfulness of Jesus Christ" But in all of my translations, except the AV, it says "Faith in Jesus Christ" Which version correctly translates this verse? And if it is the AV then how does that effect the doctrine in the other translations upon that verse? Thanks again for your time and help into these questions.
- In Christ,
- John Todd
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
1. Dear John,
2. I base my translation on this: [The font is Logos Greek font.] ei*dovte" o@ti ou* dikaiou'tai a!nqrwpo" e*x e!rgwn novmou [out of works of law] e*aVn mhV diaV pivstew" *Ihsou' Cristou' [through faithfulness of Jesus Christ], kaiV h&mei'" ei*" CristoVn *Ihsou'n e*pisteuvsamen, i@na dikaiwqw'men e*k pivstew" Cristou' [that we may be justified out of faithfulness of Christ] kaiV ou*k e*x e!rgwn novmou, o@ti e*x e!rgwn novmou diovti ou* dikaiwqhvsetai e*x e!rgwn novmou pa'sa savrx.
3. Gal 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified out of the works of the law but by faithfulness of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified out of faithfulness of Christ and not out of the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
4. There are a number of other places where the main translations have blown it on translating these genitives as indirect objective genitives. The verse wouldn’t make any sense if our belief provided the justification. But our faith does appropriate it.
5. In Christ,
6. Bob Hill
Question: Romans 4:12 - one group or two?
- From: Eric & Lisa Spencer [mailto:ellsrspencer@elknet.net]
- Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 11:41 AM
- To: Bob Hill
- Question re: Rom 4:12
- In Romans 4:12 are "...those who not only are of the circumcision, but who
- also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham..." one group or
- two?
- I thought it might be a little more obvious in the Greek than in English.
- Sincerely,
- Lisa Spencer
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
1. Answer:
2. Lisa,
3. The best thing to do is look at the context. Here’s my translation of the
4. context.
5. Rom 4:9-16 Is this blessing then come upon the circumcision, or upon the
6. uncircumcision also? For we say that the [his] faith was credited to
7. Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it credited? While he was
8. circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while
9. uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the
10. righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might
11. be the father of all those who believe, though uncircumcised, that
12. righteousness might be credited to them also, 12 and [the] father of
13. circumcision to those who are not of the circumcision only, but also walk in
14. the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while uncircumcised. 13
15. For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or
16. to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For
17. if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made empty and the promise
18. made of no effect, 15 for the law produces wrath; for where there is no law
19. neither [is there] transgression. 16 Therefore it [the promise] is of faith
20. that it might be according to grace, that the promise might be sure to all
21. the seed, not to the seed who are of the law only, but also to the seed who
22. are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
23. One group is here: 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of
24. the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he
25. might be the father of all those who believe, though uncircumcised, [These
26. are us.] that righteousness might be credited to them also.
27. Another group is here: 12 and [the] father of circumcision to those who are
28. not of the circumcision only, but also walk in the steps of the faith [These
29. are the circumcision believers. They had the circumcision gospel which
30. required their faith be shown by works.] which our father Abraham had while
31. uncircumcised.
32. This means that Abram/Abraham is the father of all who believe/have faith,
33. both circumcision and uncircumcision.
34. In Christ,
35. Bob
Question: How should Romans 8:28 be translated?
- Dear Jon,
- In answer to your question: “I was looking at the site and I could not find
- anything on Romans 8:28. I know that you have said that it is a bad
- translation. I was wondering how it is translated and why. I have been
- debating someone on Christian Teen Chat and this is the verse that was
- brought up. Thanks, Jon”
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
1. Rom 8:28 should be literally translated this way: [GraecaII font] Oi[damen
2. de; o{ti toi`" ajgapw`sin to;n qeo;n pavnta sunergei` eij" ajgaqovn, toi`"
3. kata; provqesin klhtoi`" ou. And we know that He [God] works with those
4. loving God, with those called according to [His] purpose all things for
5. good.
6. I would rather translate it like this: Rom 8:28-30, “And we know that God
7. works with those who love God, with those who are the called according to
8. His purpose all things for good. Oi[damen de; o{ti toi`" ajgapw`si to;n
9. qeo;n pavnta sunergei` eij" ajgaqovn, toi`" kata; provqesin klhtoi`" ou.
10. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of
11. His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover
12. whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also
13. justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
14. The corporate body of Christ was fitted for glory. As we believe and become
15. part of His body, we then become glorified. God not only works with Israel
16. but with us too. He did not foreknow individuals. He foreknew and elected
17. Christ, Israel, and the body of Christ. When we trust in Christ, the Holy
18. Spirit identifies us with Christ. We then become part of His predestined
19. purpose. Once we are saved we are predestined to be conformed to Christ’s
20. image. It does not say we are predestined to be saved. This verse is
21. excellent to show our security. Our security is predestined. Our salvation
22. is not. Eph 1:4-14 is similar to this passage.
23. The phrase “works with” is translated from sunergei`. This word is found 5
24. times in the NT. It is always translated works with except in Rom 8:28.
25. Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with
26. tou` kurivou sunergou`nto" them and confirming the word through the
27. accompanying signs. Amen.
28. 1 Co 16:16 submit to such, and to everyone who works sunergou`nti and labors
29. with us.
30. 2 Co 5:22-6:1 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we
31. might become the righteousness of God in Him. 1 We then, as workers together
32. sunergou`nte" with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God
33. in vain.
34. James 2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with sunhvrgei his
35. works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Question: Does the word “world” in John really mean “Israel”?
- Theresa Wilkinson
- Question #5: Does the word “world” in John really mean “Israel”?
- What do you think of the view that the word “world” in John really means “Israel”? I have big questions about it. Although there are two verses that might make more sense if it were to mean Israel (7:4 and 12:19), there are many more that make no sense if one were to try to insert the word Israel. There are others that could be read both ways but seem to make more sense read as written. With the two verses (7:4 and 12:19), I am not convinced that one would have to substitute the word Israel. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary by Zodhiates, the word kosmos can be used in idiomatic expressions meaning “the great majority of people in a particular place” or “the public.” With your knowledge of Greek, are those legitimate translations? I know that in English we can use the word “world” that way but didn’t know about Greek. I would be interested in any information you can give me about this view, either for or against it.
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
1. Terry,
2. I have checked every time world occurs in John. I do not understand how or why anyone would want to take this position even though I heard it presented as being the case. It seems that the word can be translated in many ways, but there is no way to be certain.
3. Here is the entry in BGD, Bauer, Walter, Gingrich, F. Wilbur, and Danker, Frederick W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.
4. kovsmo", ou, oJ (Hom.+; inscr., pap., LXX)—1. adornment, adorning (Hom.+; Diod. S. 20, 4, 5 tw`n gunaikw`n to;n kovsmon; Dit., Or. 531, 13; PEleph. 1, 4; PSI 240, 12 gunaikei`on kovsmon; LXX; Philo, Migr. Abr. 97 gunaikw`n k.; Jos., Ant. 1, 250; 15, 5; Test. Jud. 12:1) of women’s attire, etc. oJ e[xwqen. . . kovsmo" external adorning 1 Pt 3:3 (Vi. Hom. 4 of the inward adornment of a woman, beside swfrosuvnh; Crates, Ep. 9; Pythag., Ep. 11, 1; Plut., Mor. 141e).
5. 2. in philosoph. usage the world as the sum total of everything here and now, the (orderly) universe (so, acc. to Plut., Mor. 886b, as early as Pythagoras; certainly Heraclitus, fgm. 66; Pla., Gorg. 508a, Phaedr. 246c; Chrysipp., fgm. 527 v. Arnim kovsmo" suvsthma ejx oujranou` kai; gh`" kai; tw`n ejn touvtoi" periecomevnwn fuvsewn. Likew. Posidonius in Diog. L. 7, 138; Ps.-Aristot., De Mundo 2 p. 391b, 9ff; 2 and 4 Macc; Wsd; Ep. Arist. 254; Philo, Aet. M. 4; Jos., Ant. 1, 21; Test. 12 Patr.; Sib. Or. 7, 123.—The other philosoph. usage, in which k. denotes the heaven in contrast to the earth, is prob. without mng. for our lit. [unless perh. Phil 2:15 k.=‘sky’?]). hJ ajevnao" tou` k. suvstasi" the everlasting constitution of the universe 1 Cl 60:1 (cf. Dit., Or. 56, 48 eij" to;n ajevnaon k.). Sustained by four elements Hv 3, 13, 3. pro; tou` to;n k. ei\nai before the world existed J 17:5. ajpo; katabolh`" kovsmou from the beginning of the world Mt 13:35 v.l. (the text omits kovsmou); 25:34; Lk 11:50; Hb 4:3; 9:26; Rv 13:8; 17:8. Also ajpÆ ajrch`" k. Mt 24:21 or ktivsew" k. Ro 1:20.—B 5:5 ajpo; katab. k. evidently means at the foundation of the world (cf. Windisch, Hdb. ad loc.). pro; katabolh`" k. before the foundation of the world J 17:24; Eph 1:4; 1 Pt 1:20 (on the uses w. katabolhv s. that word, 1). oujde;n ei[dwlon ejn k. there is (really) no such thing as an idol in the world 1 Cor 8:4. Of the creation in its entirety 3:22. oJ kovsmo" o{lo"=pa`sa hJ ktivsi" (Sallust. 21 p. 36, 13) Hs 9, 14, 5. fwsth`re" ejn kovsmw/ stars in the universe Phil 2:15 (s. above). Esp. of the universe as created by God (Epict. 4, 7, 6 oJ qeo;" pavnta pepoivhken, ta; ejn tw`/ kovsmw/ kai; aujto;n to;n kovsmon o{lon; Wsd 9:9; 2 Macc 7:23 oJ tou` k. ktivsth"; 4 Macc 5:25) oJ poihvsa" to;n k. who has made the world Ac 17:24. oJ ktivsth" tou` suvmpanto" k. 1 Cl 19:2; oJ ktivsa" to;n k. Hv 1, 3, 4; cf. m 12, 4, 2. oJ tou` panto;" k. kurieuvwn B 21:5. Christ is called panto;" tou` k. kuvrio" 5:5. The world was created for the sake of the church Hv 2, 4, 1.—The universe, as the greatest space conceivable, is not able to contain someth. (Philo, Ebr. 32) J 21:25.
6. 3. the world as the sum total of all beings above the level of the animals qevatron ejgenhvqhmen (i.e. oiJ ajpovstoloi) tw`/ kovsmw/ kai; ajggevloi" kai; ajnqrwvpoi" 1 Cor 4:9. Here the world is divided into angels and men (cf. the Stoic definition of the kovsmo" in Stob., Ecl. I p. 184, 8 to; ejk qew`n kai; ajnqrwvpwn suvsthma; likew. Epict. 1, 9, 4.—Acc. to Ocellus Luc. c. 37, end, the k. consists of the sphere of the divine beyond the moon and the sphere of the earthly on this side of the moon).
7. 4. the world as the earth, the planet upon which we live (Dit., Syll.³ 814, 31 [67 ad] Nero, oJ tou` panto;" kovsmou kuvrio", Or. 458, 40 [=Inschr. v. Priene 105]; 2 Macc 3:12; Jos., Ant. 9, 241; 10, 205).
8. a. gener. Mk 16:15. ta;" basileiva" tou` k. Mt 4:8; ejn o{lw/ tw`/ k. 26:13. Cf. 13:38; Mk 14:9; Hs 9, 25, 2. to; fw`" tou` k. touvtou the light of this world (the sun) J 11:9. In rhetorical exaggeration hJ pivsti" uJmw`n kataggevlletai ejn o{lw/ t. kovsmw/ Ro 1:8 (cf. the Egypt. grave inscr. APF 5, ’13, 169 no. 24, 8 w|n hJ swfrosuvnh kata; to;n k. lelavlhtai). Abraham as klhronovmo" kovsmou heir of the world 4:13.—Cf. 1 Cor 14:10; Col 1:6. hJ ejn tw`/ k. ajdelfovth" the brotherhood in the (whole) world 1 Pt 5:9. ejgevneto hJ basileiva tou` k. tou` kurivou hJmw`n our Lord has assumed the sovereignty of the world Rv 11:15. tav e[qnh tou` k. (not LXX, but prob. rabbinic !l;/[h; t/Mai
9. =humankind apart fr. Israel; Billerb. II 191; Dalman, Worte 144f) the heathen in the world Lk 12:30. In this line of development, kovsmo" alone serves to designate the pagan world Ro 11:12, 15.—Other worlds (lands) beyond the ocean 1 Cl 20:8.—In several of these pass. the mng. was
10. b. the world as the habitation of mankind (as Sib. Or. 1, 160). So also Hs 9, 17, 1f. eijsevrcesqai eij" to;n k. of entrance into the world by being born 1 Cl 38:3. ejk tou` k. ejxelqei`n leave this present world (Philo, Leg. All. 3, 5 e[xw t. kovsmou feuvgein) 1 Cor 5:10b; 2 Cl 8:3. gennhqh`nai eij" to;n k. be born into the world J 16:21. e{w" ejsme;n ejn touvtw/ tw`/ k. 2 Cl 8:2. oujde;n eijsfevrein eij" to;n k. (Philo, Spec. Leg. 1, 294 to;n mhde;n eij" to;n kovsmon eijsenhnocovta) 1 Ti 6:7. polloi; plavnoi ejxh`lqan eij" to;n k. 2 J 7.—J 12:25.
11. c. earth, world in contrast to heaven (Dio Chrys. 19 [36], 59) ejn tw`/ kovsmw/ touvtw/ 2 Cl 19:3.—Esp. when mention is made of the preëxistent Christ, who came fr. the other world into the kovsmo". So, above all, in John (Bultmann, Reg. I kovsmo") e[rcesqai eij" to;n k. (tou`ton) J 6:14; 9:39; 11:27; 16:28a; 18:37; specif. also come into the world as light 12:46; 1:9; 3:19. Sending of Jesus into the world 3:17a; 10:36; 1J 4:9. His ei\nai ejn tw`/ kovsmw/ J 9:5a. Leaving the world and returning to the Father 13:1; 16:28b. His kingship is not ejk tou` k. touvtou of this world 18:36a, b.—Also Cr. jIhsou`" h\lqen eij" t. kovsmon 1 Ti 1:15; cf. ejpisteuvqh ejn kovsmw/ (opp. ajnelhvmfqh ejn dovxh/) 3:16.—eijsercovmeno" eij" to;n k. Hb 10:5.
12. d. the world outside in contrast to one’s home PK 3 p. 15, 13; 19.
13. 5. the world as mankind (Sib. Or. 1, 189)—a. gener. oujaiv tw`/ k. ajpo; tw`n skandavlwn woe to mankind because of vexations Mt 18:7; to; fw`" tou` k. the light for mankind 5:14; cf. J 8:12; 9:5. oJ swth;r tou` k. 4:42; 1J 4:14 (this designation is found in the inscrs., esp. oft. of Hadrian [WWeber, Untersuchungen z. Geschichte des Kaisers Hadrianus ’07, 225; 226; 229]).—J 1:29; 3:17b; 17:6.—krivnein to;n k. (Sib. Or. 4, 184) Ro 3:6; B 4:12; cf. Ro 3:19. hJ aJmartiva eij" to;n k. eijsh`lqen 5:12; likew. qavnato" eijsh`lqen eij" to;n k. 1 Cl 3:4 (Wsd 2:24; 14:14). Cf. Ro 5:13; 1 Cor 1:27f. perikaqavrmata tou` k. the refuse of mankind 4:13.—6:2a, b (Sallust. 21 p. 36, 13 the souls of the virtuous, together w. the gods, will rule the whole kovsmo"); 2 Cor 1:12; 5:19; Js 2:5; 1J 2:2; 4:1, 3. ajrcai`o" kovsmo" the men of the ancient world 2 Pt 2:5a; cf. b; 3:6.—o{lo" oJ k. all the world, everybody Ac 2:47 D. Likew. oJ kovsmo" (cf. Philo, De Prov. in Euseb., Pr. Ev. 8, 14, 58) oJ k. ojpivsw aujtou` ajph`lqen J 12:19. ejgw; parrhsiva/ lelavlhka tw`/ k. 18:20; cf. 7:4; 14:22.
14. b. of all mankind, but especially of believers, as the object of God’s love J 3:16, 17c; 6:33, 51; 12:47.
15. 6. the world as the scene of earthly joys, possessions, cares, sufferings (cf. 4 Macc 8:23) to;n k. o{lon kerdh`sai gain the whole world Mt 16:26; Mk 8:36; Lk 9:25; 2 Cl 6:2 (cf. Procop. Soph., Ep. 137 the whole oijkoumevnh is an unimportant possession compared to ajrethv). ta; terpna; tou` k. the delightful things in the world IRo 6:1. oiJ crwvmenoi to;n k. wJ" mh; katacrwvmenoi those who use the world as though they were not using it to the full 1 Cor 7:31a. e[cein to;n bivon tou` k. possess worldly goods 1J 3:17. ta; tou` kovsmou the affairs of the world 1 Cor 7:33f; cf. 1J 2:15f. The latter pass. forms an easy transition to the large number of exprs. (esp. in Paul and John) in which
16. 7. the world, and everything that belongs to it, appears as that which is hostile to God, i.e. lost in sin, wholly at odds w. anything divine, ruined and depraved (Herm. Wr. 6, 4 [the kovsmo" is to; plhvrwma th`" kakiva"]; 13, 1 [hJ tou` k. ajpavth], in Stob. p. 428, 24 Sc.; En. 48, 7; Test. Iss. 4:6; Hdb., exc. on J 1:10; Bultmann 33-5.—Cf. Sotades Maronita [III bc] 11 Diehl: the kovsmo" is unjust and hostile to great men) IMg 5:2; IRo 2:2. oJ kovsmo" ou|to" this world (in contrast to the other world) J 8:23; 12:25, 31a; 13:1; 16:11; 18:36; 1J 4:17; 1 Cor 3:19; 5:10a; 7:31b; Hv 4, 3, 2ff; D 10:6; 2 Cl 5:1, 5; (opp. oJ a{gio" aijwvn) B 10:11. ‘This world’ is ruled by the a[rcwn tou` k. touvtou the prince of this world, the devil J 12:31b; 16:11; without touvtou 14:30. Cf. also oJ k. o{lo" ejn tw`/ ponhrw`/ kei`tai the whole world lies in the power of the evil one 1J 5:19. Cf. 4:4; also oJ aijw;n tou` k. touvtou Eph 2:2 (s. aijwvn 4).—The Christian must have nothing to do with this world of sin and separation fr. God: instead of desiring it IRo 7:1, one is to a[spilon eJauto;n threi`n ajpo; tou` k. keep oneself unstained by the world Js 1:27. ajpofeuvgein ta; miavsmata tou` k. 2 Pt 2:20; cf. 1:4 (s. ajpofeuvgw).—Pol 5:3. hJ filiva tou` k. e[cqra t. qeou` ejstin Js 4:4a; cf. b. When he takes this attitude the Christian is naturally hated by the world IRo 3:3; J 15:18, 19a, d; 17:14a; 1J 3:13, as his Lord was hated J 7:7; 15:18. Cf. 1:10c; 14:17; 16:20.—Also in Paul: God and world in opposition to; pneu`ma tou` k. and to; pneu`ma to; ejk qeou` the spirit of the world and the Spirit that comes fr. God 1 Cor 2:12. hJ kata; qeo;n luvph and hJ tou` k. luvph godly grief and worldly grief 2 Cor 7:10. The world is condemned by God 1 Cor 11:32; but also the object of the divine plan of salvation 2 Cor 5:19; cf. 1 Cl 9:4. The Christian is dead as far as this world is concerned: diÆ ou| (i.e. jI. Cr.) ejmoi; k. ejstauvrwtai kajgw; kovsmw/ through Christ the world has been crucified for me, and I have been (crucified) to the world Gal 6:14. For stoicei`a tou` k. Col 2:8, 20 s. stoicei`on.—The use of k. in this sense is even further developed in John. The k. stands in opposition to God 1J 2:15f and hence is incapable of knowing God J 17:25; cf. 1J 4:5, and excluded fr. Christ’s intercession J 17:9. Neither Christ himself 17:14c, 16b; 14:27, nor his own 15:19b; 17:14b, 16a; 1J 3:1 belong in any way to the ‘world’. Rather Christ has chosen them ‘out of the world’ J 15:19c, even though for the present they must still live ‘in the world’ 17:11b; cf. vss. 15, 18b. All the trouble that they must undergo because of this, 16:33a, means nothing compared w. the victorious conviction that Christ (and the believers w. him) has overcome ‘the world’ vs. 33b; 1J 5:4f, and that it is doomed to pass away 2:17 (Kephal. I 154, 21: the kovsmo" th`" sarkov" will pass away).
17. 8. totality, sum total (Dit., Syll.³ 850, 10 to;n kovsmon tw`n e[rgwn; Pr 17:6a) oJ k. th`" ajdikiva" hJ glw`ssa kaqivstatai the tongue becomes (or proves to be) the sum total of iniquity Js 3:6 (so, approx., in recent times Meinertz; FHauck.—MDibelius, Windisch and ASchlatter find mng. 7 here, while ACarr, Exp. 7th Ser. VIII ’09, 318ff thinks of mng. 1). Cr. to;n uJpe;r th`" tou` panto;" kovsmou tw`n sw/zomevnwn swthriva" paqovnta Christ, who suffered or died (s. pavscw 3aa) for the salvation of the sum total of those who are saved MPol 17:2.—FBytomski, D. genet. Entwicklung des Begriffes kovsmo" in d. Hl. Schrift: Jahrb. für Philos. und spekul. Theol. 25, ’11, 180-201; 389-413 (only the OT); CSchneider, Pls u. d. Welt: Aggelo" IV ’32, 11-47; EvSchrenck, Der Kosmos-Begriff bei Joh.: Mitteilungen u. Nachrichten f. d. evang. Kirche in Russland 51, 1895, 1-29; RLöwe, Kosmos u. Aion ’35; RBultmann, D. Verständnis v. Welt u. Mensch im NT u. im Griechentum: ThBl 19, ’40, 1-14; GBornkamm, Christus u. die Welt in der urchr. Botschaft: ZThK 47, ’50, 212-26; RVölkl, Christ u. Welt nach dem NT ’61; GJohnston, oijkoumevnh and k. in the NT, NTS 10, ’64, 352-60; NHCassem, ibid. 19, ’72/’73, 81-91; HSasse, TW III 867-96. M-M. B.
Question: Is the NIV a work of satan, and what about Acts 8:37?
- Sun, 15 Oct 2000
- “Eric Meyer”
- Recently I have encountered I gentle man that is heartfully against the NIV bible translation. He has gone as far as calling it a work of Satan and that also any one who continues to read from it will be severely mislead. I am not an avid reader of the NIV but yet I am unable to support the fact that it drastically alters the truth and that any church who uses this bible is not of God. One verse in particular is Acts 8:37. This man that I have spoke with proclaims that we are being miss led due to the fact that it is taken out of the text in the NIV version? He claims that to truly read the bible for what it is worth we should be reading the NKJ? You see I can see that he is comparing NIV to KJV and by comparing the two, yes, there is verse 37 missing?
- If you could bring some light to this I would be grateful. I am not a master scholar, but I am always trying to learn more. I am a college student and over the summer I was involved in a Bible study the was put on by a Mr. Craig Fischer. He speaks highly of your church and he assured me that I would be able to seek answers to my questions at any time. I thank you for the services that you provide, the truly are a bless!
- Thank you
- Eric
Answer: (click here to view the answer)
1. Eric,
2. I don’t like the NIV because of its “dynamic equivalent” methodology of translation, but it is a translation by many godly men, not a work of satan.
3. Concerning Acts 8:37, the Majority Text and the Critical text both show that this verse is not in the original. The Textus Receptus stands alone in admitting it. I have studied textual criticism for 40 years. I agree with the MT that it is not in the Bible. The NKJ has this passage in its text because it is based on the TR, however, if you have a NKJ, you will see it has a marginal note showing it is not in MT or CT. I have used the NKJ for many years. I believe it is the best translation on the market. I do have to change it from the Greek text that I use, in places, but it is superior, in general, to the NIV.
4. Let me know if you have any more questions.
5. In Christ,
6. Bob