*“Translation is the art of failure.” * - Umberto Eco
I'll be the first to admit it.
Translators have a hard row to hoe. Producing a competent and engaging translation of scripture is a very challenging proposition.
During my lifetime, I've learned just enough of the original bible languages (primarily Hebrew and Greek) to become really dangerous, so take this curmudgeon's viewpoint with a grain of salt.
Welcome to "The Curmudgeon's Bible."
In this second entry of my occasional series, "The Curmudgeon's Bible," I'm going to show you another "epic fail" in translation. This one is based on an underlying doctrinal predisposition.
Study to show yourself approved unto God.
Photo courtesy of Ben White and http://unsplash.com
My target today is II Thesalonians 1:9.
“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,”
- II Thesalonians 1:9, ESV (emphasis added)
Blinded by their doctrinal pre-dispostions, the translators of most modern renderings of the bible have inserted the word "away," which is not in the original language and which has no business being there.
If you visit http://biblegateway.com, you can see this egregious error in most of their long list of translations:
Amplified, CEB, CJB, CEV, ERV, ESV, EXB, GW, GNT, ICB, ISV, J.B. Philips, LEB, TLB, MSG, MEV, Mounce, NOG, NABRE, NASB, NCV, NET, NIRV, NIV, NIVUK, NLV, NLT, NRSV, NRSVA, NRSVACE, NRSVCE, OJB, RSV, RSVCE, TLV, VOICE, and the WE.
A sad state of affairs, indeed.
Despite the context, every one of the translations I've listed have superimposed their private theological vision on this passage. In doing so, they intentionally obscure the plain meaning.
Stated simply, the theological view these translations promote is that "hell" means "eternal separation from God." The plain sense of the passage, however, is that "hell," God's just judgment, is actually the very flaming presence of Jesus / God himself.
As translations go, the KJV and other older translations were at least honest about it. They typically use the simple word "from" rather than "away from."
There is, however, a clear winner:
The Jubilee Bible 2000 translation makes the text very plain, using the preposition "by" to convey the simple meaning of the passage.
Translating the verse honestly and in the context of Jesus' second advent in flaming fire, taking vengance, the Jubilee translation reads:
“who shall be punished with eternal destruction by the presence of the Lord and by the glory of his power,”
- Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) (emphasis added)
That's right, Dear Reader, it is the very presence of the Lord Jesus, and the flaming glory of his holiness that will consume his adversaries. Paul is simply describing the same event that is described frequently in the Psalms. Here is a partial list of Psalms that vividly describe this event:
"Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup."
- Psalm 11:6
"Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire."
- Psalm 18:8-13
"You will make them as a blazing oven
when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and fire will consume them."
- Psalm 21:9
"Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
before him is a devouring fire,
around him a mighty tempest."
- Psalm 50:3
"As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
so the wicked shall perish before God!"
- Psalm 68:2
"As fire consumes the forest,
as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
so may you pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your hurricane!"
- Psalm 83:14-15
"Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around."
- Psalm 97:3
The flaming judgement of Jesus' appearance.
Photo courtesy of anna marie and http://pixabay.com
What is my conclusion?
If you're going to let theology influence your translation one way or another, at least let it be informed by a preponderance of other scripture. Read your whole bible. Be sure your translation fits both local and global context.
More from the Curmudgeon:
Jesus and Nicodemus
Second Thessalonians Chapter 1
The Word "Church"
The Word "Angel"
FIN
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