Sunday, December 28, 2014

Translation of Acts 17:22-23 ... NIV & NASB

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

In Acts 17, Paul confronts the men of Athens.

In the KJV we read:  22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.  23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

In this, the NIV and the NASB provide a more likely view of Paul's approach based on our understanding of the English language today.  I believe the following is a more likely translation in this specific scripture although in the majority of cases I prefer the KJV translation of the Bible.

In the NIV, when Paul speaks to the men of Athens, he says:  People of Athens!  I see that in every way you are very religious.  For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:  TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.  So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship ---  and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.  NIV Acts 22-23

In the NASB, we read:  Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.  For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar wth this inscription, "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD."  What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.