Monday, August 18, 2008

#20: Mythological Translations


A comment on the 100 revs blog responds to a previous quote of 1 Corinthians 6:9 with this:

Natasha, have a read of different translations of that verse of 1 Corinthians, and the majority of them won't mention 'homosexuals' because most translators don't agree that's what the original Greek word means.

This is very very bad work. There are a very few modern dissenters who do not think the text refers to homosexuals. They all come from the gay lobby, or sympathise.

It doesn't matter what the majority of translators think, what matters is sound translation principles. Studying the word in it's context, it's root, its usage. Arriving at a reasonable and defensible translation.

Homosexual is the reasonable, defensible translation. In fact it is demanded by the usage of the word. It is well attested and clearly understood.

Trevor (who wrote the comment) is engaging in wishful thinking scholarship. It goes like this:
Step 1: An insignificant number of people with an agenda develop an alternative proposal through hand waving and blindfold exegesis.
Step 2: They promote this interpretation with friends with a sympathetic view.
Step 3: This unjustifiable translation circulates through the sympathetic community who do not check to see that it has been disproved and debunked by serious (independent) scholars.
Step 4: All of a sudden there is "debate among the scholars" and "most translators don't agree" etc etc etc.

For the sake of thoroughness, however, lets have a look at a few translations.

American Standard Version
1Co 6:9 Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,

Darby Bible
1Co 6:9 Do ye not know that unrighteous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who make women of themselves, nor who abuse themselves with men,

New Living Translation
1Co 6:9 Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals,

New American Standard Bible
1CO 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,

New Revised Standard Version
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites,

Amplified Bible
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality,

King James Version (Authorised)
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

New International Version
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders

Not a lot to that argument was there.
It's either homosexual, sodomite (a blunt and derogatory word for homosexual) or abuser of self with men (a more polite way of saying homosexual).

Different ways of putting homosexual does not indicate that there is dispute over whether it means homosexual.

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