Mentally diseased translation in NWT.

newdawnfades

Perhaps this has been discussed before. 1 Tim 6:4

NWT

4 he is puffed up [with pride], not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words. From these things spring envy, strife, abusive speeches, wicked suspicions

Hee is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, and strifes of wordes, whereof commeth enuie, strife, railings, euill surmisings,
- King James Version (1611) - Compare to scan of original 1 Timothy chapter 6

he is conceited {and} understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,
- New American Standard Version (1995)

he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,- American Standard Version (1901)He has an over-high opinion of himself; being without knowledge, having only an unhealthy love of questionings and wars of words, from which come envy, fighting, cruel words, evil thoughts,- Basic English Biblehe is puffed up, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and disputes of words, out of which arise envy, strife, injurious words, evil suspicions,- Darby BibleHe is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and strifes of words; from which arise envies, contentions, blasphemies, evil suspicions, - Douay Rheims BibleHe is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, from which cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, - Webster's Biblehe is puffed up with pride and has no true knowledge, but is crazy over discussions and controversies about words which give rise to envy, quarrelling, revilings, ill-natured suspicions,- Weymouth Biblehe is conceited, knowing nothing, but obsessed with arguments, disputes, and word battles, from which come envy, strife, insulting, evil suspicions,- World English Biblehe is proud, and kan no thing, but langwischith aboute questiouns and stryuyng of wordis, of the whiche ben brouyt forth enuyes, stryues, blasfemyes, yuele suspiciouns, fiytingis of men,- Wycliffe Biblehe is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and word-striving, out of which doth come envy, strife, evil-speakings, evil-surmisings,
- Youngs Literal Bible The phrase mentally diseased seems a bit strong in comparison to other translations.

slimboyfat

What does the NWT say?

newdawnfades

Sorry it didn't copy correctly first time. I've corrected it.

slimboyfat

1 Tim 6:4 he is puffed up [with pride], not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words. From these things spring envy, strife, abusive speeches, wicked suspicions

Aha, so the phrase is what is translated as "doting", "morbid interest", "unhealthy love" and so on in other translations. It does seem way over the top in comparison. I wonder if Fred Franz had Olin Moyle in mind when he came up with the phrase.

slimboyfat

What does Rotherham's translation say I wonder? And the ASV and Young's translation and the Diglott, since those were the translations used most frequently by JWs before the NWT was published?

Phizzy

This was discussed at length on JWN when the WT first came out using the phrase against "Apostates".

If I remember , the real import of Pauls words had the real meaning of someone who was like a man overly devoted to his wife (just like me, I treat Mrs Phizzy as if she is a princess, honest).

Now, such an attitude is not really balanced, but doesn't have anywhere near the thought of "mentally diseased", it is simply saying, and this fits with the context, which is not talking of apostates anyway, that such a man would be distracted from what Paul thought was really important, i.e setting up his religion based on his Christology.

slimboyfat

Aha Rotherham has "diseased about questionings" so that's probably where Franz got the idea, and he simply "clarified" that is was a "mental disease" that was in view.

newdawnfades

ASV

he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

The Jerusalem Bible

4 is proud and has no understanding, but rather a weakness for questioning everything and arguing about words. All that can come of this is jealousy, contention, abuse and evil mistrust;

The Diaglott says " distracted about questions and verbal conntentions "

The mentally diseased version seems unique to NWT.

slimboyfat

No it seems it was derived from Rotherham to me, the Bible Students' favourite translation. The NWT shares many other peculiar renderings with that version, including Luke 23:43.

Splash

Youngs - 1Ti 6:4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and word-striving, out of which doth come envy, strife, evil-speakings, evil-surmisings,

Which makes me think, who today dotes on word strivings?

Who spends much time redefining specific words, terms and phrases, leading to 'strife' and 'evil surmisings'?

Let us not miss the point of 1 Tim 6:4, as in context we are hearing a description of those who do not teach the accurate doctrines of Christ but rather twist them, resisting attempts to be corrected.

These are the ones who 'lack piety' (ASV), like to 'wrangle' (Youngs), are 'corrupted' in mind (NWT).

Or as the English Standard Version says:

he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth.

Splash

Mentally diseased translation in NWT.

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