Comments on: R.T. France On Translating Gender In Matthew

By: Gary Simmons

Gary Simmons — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:49:57 +0000

Perhaps “angler,” although then you lose the paradoxical nature of fishing (which one naturally does for fish).

I would have to agree that the TNIV is “the least unsatisfactory.” That’s the best way to put it.

By: Scripture Zealot

Scripture Zealot — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:00:58 +0000

Just wait, someday I’m going to write a post on complementarianism. Hopefully you won’t have anything negative to say about it. It’s going to take a long time to write though.
Jeff

By: Fr. Robert

Fr. Robert — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:48:44 +0000

Sadly, much of this stuff has to do with the money and the promotion of the book and bible companies. The English people have plenty of Bible translations. So much of this boils down to carnal behaviour. Which again sadly is almost the norm is the Church today.Everybody thinks they know the Hebrew and Greek. This takes a lifetime!
Question, how many read “their” Greek NT daily? And to translate is much deeper than reading it.
And Adelphos can be fem, with adelphe.
Fr. R.

By: Scripture Zealot

Scripture Zealot — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:14:07 +0000

I remember R.T. France saying that it would be impossible in English to translate the wordplay in Greek so he didn’t try on that count. But you seem to have been able to do a good job of preserving some of it. KJV is a translation that would get something like that right I would think. Unless he was thinking of something else.

Thanks for the comment. Very interesting.
Jeff

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:54:06 +0000

I think the TNIV translation “…fishermen.” / “…fishers of men.” misses the word play of the Greek, which has alieis to end 4:18 and then alieis anthropon to end 4:19. The word play comes in *adding* the word anthropos, not in repeating it.

I would suggest something like, “…for they were fishing.” / “…to fish for humans.” (Or “…to fish for people.”)

The KJV gets the word play right with “…fishers.” and “…fishers of men.” But “fishers” isn’t a word any more, and “men” no longer means anthropos in most people’s dialect.

-Joel