The NWT is almost readable now (some random thoughts)

by slimboyfat 32 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Anony Mous

  There is a change in punctuation:

  But if anyone thinks he is behaving improperly by remaining unmarried, and if he is past the bloom of youth, then this is what should take place: Let him do what he wants; he does not sin. Let them marry.

  But if anyone thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virginity, if that is past the bloom of youth, and this is the way it should take place, let him do what he wants; he does not sin. Let them marry.

  The first is a command "do this when he does that", the second means "well, if what I just said happens in that order he's free to do what he wants".

  Also behaving improperly towards your virginity means sex of some sort, flirting, that kind of stuff. Behaving improperly BY remaining unmarried puts the narrative on the act of being unmarried, not the act of behaving improperly towards your virginity.
• 

  slimboyfat

  Another incoherent verse 1 Cor 5:1:

  Actually fornication is reported among YOU, and such fornication as is not even among the nations, that a wife a certain [man] has of [his] father.

  Rendered comprehensible:

  Actually sexual immorality is reported among you, and such immorality as is not even found among the nations—of a man living with his father's wife.
• 

  Phizzy

  Translation is always fraught with problems, hence we get new translations of ancient texts, Tom Holland's new one of Herodotus' "The Histories" looks good, and translation of what some consider to be "holy" or inspired text is even more fraught.

  I think the idea of rendering the Bible in readable modern English is laudable, but I do think that anything claiming to be a Translation should do its utmost to render the thoughts of the Manuscripts that we do have as faithfully as possible.

  To that end, the Theological ideas and beliefs of the producers of the translation should not intrude to the point where the thoughts in the words in the M.S are really twisted and changed.

  Can that be said of the original NWT, and can it be said of the RevisedNWT ?

  Or are there not a multiplicity of examples where the beliefs of the "translators" overides any accurate and precise rendering of the M.S ?

  A truly good Translation would be readable, accurate, precise, and above all Honest, has the WT even come close with this new offering ? They certainly did not with the original NWT.