{"id":3294,"date":"2018-01-06T16:54:17","date_gmt":"2018-01-06T16:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/?p=3294"},"modified":"2018-01-06T16:59:01","modified_gmt":"2018-01-06T16:59:01","slug":"1-peter-translating-chapter-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/2018\/01\/06\/1-peter-translating-chapter-1\/","title":{"rendered":"1 Peter: Translating Chapter 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"This is part of my series on 1 Peter<\/a>.\u00a0 As noted in my introductory post, I’m interested in the epistle’s language.\u00a0 After the introductory materials in Chapter 1:1-2<\/a>, the writer offers an encouragement to remain steadfast that is often the subject of sermons.\u00a0 (As they say, “that’ll preach!”)\u00a0 Like most such exhortations in the New Testament, the encouragement is based in the eschatological hope that God will vindicate the community of God’s people.\u00a0 \u00a0Verse 9<\/a>\u00a0tells the letter’s hearers that they should remain steadfast,\u00a0“for\u00a0you<\/em> are receiving the end result of your<\/em> faith, the salvation of your<\/em> souls” (NIV).\u00a0 \u00a0The multiple “you’s” here — you<\/em> are receiving, your<\/em> faith, the salvation of your<\/em> souls — appear in the NIV, NASB, and NRSV.<\/p>\n

Here is how David Bentley Hart<\/a> translates verse 9:\u00a0 “Obtaining the end of your faithfulness:\u00a0 salvation of souls.”\u00a0 Notice the shift in emphasis:\u00a0 the Church’s “faithfulness” — not “your faith” — results in the “salvation of souls” — not “your souls.”<\/p>\n

At first blush, I thought this might connect with a missional reading of this text.\u00a0 In Hart’s more “literal” translation, the emphasis seems to shift from the souls of the particular person or community the writer is addressing to “souls” generally, that is, to the broader human community.\u00a0 Perhaps there is a notion here that the Church’s prayers and practices spill over to benefit others who are not yet within the Church.\u00a0 But this instinct shows how tricky it can be to base conclusions on differing translations.\u00a0 It also shows that Hart’s effort to produce a “literal” translation can’t really result in a “literal” reading.\u00a0 A “translation,” after all, can’t ever be “literal.”\u00a0 (I’m not attacking Hart’s work here — I think it’s amazing — but just observing, as I’m sure Hart would agree, that translation always involves interpretation.)<\/p>\n

The Greek text here is:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u03ba\u03bf\u03bc\u03b9\u03b6\u1f79\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9 here has the sense of coming into possession of something, often as a reward. [1]<\/a>\u00a0The noun\u00a0\u03c4\u1f73\u03bb\u03bf\u03c2 (telos) refers to an end, conclusion, or goal.<\/p>\n

\u03c0\u1f77\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2 is the term translated “faith” in the NIV and NRSV and “faithfulness” by Hart.\u00a0 I think Hart’s translation invokes the debate over the translation of\u00a0\u03c0\u1f77\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2 \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 in the Pauline corpus (cf. Rom. 3:22, Gal. 2:16, Gal. 3:22, Phil. 3:9).[2]<\/a>\u00a0 My inclination is that “faithfulness” is the better translation, and Achtemeier’s commentary agrees.\u00a0 Perhaps this is a place where the author of 1 Peter is using a Pauline concept, or, more directly, the notion of “faithfulness” seems closer to the early Jewish-Christian thought world generally.<\/p>\n

The term “your” —\u00a0\u1f51\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd — appears only once in this clause.\u00a0 Hart reads \u1f51\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd to modify \u03c0\u1f77\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2 but not \u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u1f77\u03b1\u03bd \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u1ff6\u03bd.\u00a0 The word\u00a0\u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u1ff6\u03bd (from psuch\u00e9, “soul”) is in the genitive plural, while\u00a0\u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u1f77\u03b1\u03bd is singular, so that clause literally is “the salvation of souls.”<\/p>\n

Hart’s translation therefore seems grammatically correct or at least more “literal” than the other English translations.\u00a0 The problem is that it is equally<\/em> grammatically correct in Greek to read\u00a0\u1f51\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd as relating\u00a0both<\/em> to\u00a0\u03c0\u1f77\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2 and to \u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u1f77\u03b1\u03bd \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u1ff6\u03bd.\u00a0 In Greek, the tenses of words determine their relation to each other, not word order.\u00a0\u00a0This can be counterintuitive for English speakers, because word order is very important in English.\u00a0 Of course, Hart knows this, and I’m not suggesting there’s anything untoward in Hart’s translation.\u00a0 But, as is so often the case, as a translator Hart is not just rendering the text “literally,” but is necessarily making\u00a0choices<\/em> between different plausible possibilities.\u00a0 It’s wise, then, to read any translation with a modestly critical eye.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n

In his commentary, Achtemeier translates verse 9 “because you are receiving the culmination of your faith that is your salvation.”\u00a0 Hart’s translation gives some credence to how I’m reading the Greek, but the NSRV, NIV, and Achtemeier all read a “your” in connection with “salvation” or “souls.”\u00a0 At the same time, Achtemeier’s translation seems to be relatively dynamic:\u00a0 he does not even render the word \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u1ff6\u03bd (“souls”) into English because, he suggests in a footnote, the term\u00a0\u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u1ff6\u03bd refers to the whole person, not to a disembodied “soul.”<\/p>\n

How would you choose between these possible alternatives?\u00a0 I don’t think there’s any great doctrinal weight behind the question in this case, and as a theologian you should never build an entire case on one obscure verse in any event.\u00a0 But the first step would be to look at the verse or pericope in question in the context of the particular text under study.\u00a0 The authors of Biblical texts were not writing with “verses” in mind — verse divisions came much later.\u00a0 1 Peter is a letter, a practical, pastoral exhortation to a particular community or group of communities.\u00a0 How would one translation or another fit into the overall flow of the letter?\u00a0 What concerns is the writer addressing, are there any concepts that seem to recur, is there similar language used in other places?\u00a0 If this particular text is part of a corpus from one writer, how does the language relate to similar concepts and language in other texts by that writer?\u00a0 These are some basic considerations that show there is always an “art” to translation.<\/p>\n

So what do I think about this particular text?\u00a0 I think the “standard” English translations probably are the better reading over Hart’s, but to some extent I’m going to punt.\u00a0 The letter is addressed to a particular suffering community or group of communities, so undoubtedly the author wants to encourage\u00a0these<\/em> readers about\u00a0their<\/em> salvation from this struggle.\u00a0 Much in 1 Peter is oppositional — a “Christ against culture” stance in relation to the power of Rome — and that is what makes its political theology interesting, as Harink’s commentary notes.\u00a0 And yet, there is a “cosmic” eschatological framing in the letter.\u00a0 The author tells the community that they “are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pet. 1:5<\/a> NRS).\u00a0 This\u00a0 \u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u1f77\u03b1\u03bd (1 Pet. 1:5 GNT)\u00a0will be\u00a0\u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03c5\u03c6\u03b8\u1fc6\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f10\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9\u03c1\u1ff7 \u1f10\u03c3\u03c7\u1f71\u03c4\u1ff3.\u00a0 The apocalyptic — revealing — awaits the kairoi eschatoi<\/em> — the eschatological time.\u00a0 The eschatological time belongs to God and is known only to God.\u00a0 What the Church knows is that it is protected as it is called to bear witness through patient service, and suffering, to what God has yet to reveal.<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

[1]<\/p>\n

BDAG<\/a> Note 3 on\u00a0 \u03ba\u03bf\u03bc\u1f77\u03b6\u03c9\u00a0 reads as follows:<\/p>\n

“to come into possession of someth. or experience someth., carry off, get (for oneself), receive freq. as recompense, mid. (Diod. S. 17, 69, 1; 20, 28, 3; Appian, Bell. Civ. 5, 60, \u00a7252 \u03b3\u03c1\u1f71\u03bc\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1) \u03c4\u1f70 \u1f40\u03c8\u1f7d\u03bd\u03b9\u03b1 pay, wages IPol 6:2. \u03bc\u03b9\u03c3\u03b8\u1f79\u03bd (Polystrat. p. 22; Lucian, Phal. 2, 5; SIG 193, 9; 11; 1077, 4; 2 Macc 8:33; Ath., R. 18 p. 70, 30 \u03ba\u03bf\u03bc\u1f77\u03c3\u03b1\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c4\u1f70 \u1f10\u03c0\u1f77\u03c7\u03b5\u03b9\u03c1\u03b1) 2 Cl 11:5; cp. B 4:12, where \u03bc\u03b9\u03c3\u03b8\u1f79\u03bd is to be supplied (as En 100:7). \u03bc\u03b9\u03c3\u03b8\u1f78\u03bd \u1f00\u03b4\u03b9\u03ba\u1f77\u03b1\u03c2 reward for wrongdoing 2 Pt 2:13 v.l. (\u1f00\u03b4\u03b9\u03ba\u1f73\u03c9 2 end). Of special divine favor in recognition of piety (Diod. S. 3, 2, 4) \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b4\u1f79\u03be\u03b7\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c4\u1f73\u03c6\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd 1 Pt 5:4 (cp. Eur., Hipp. 432 codd. \u03ba. \u03b4\u1f79\u03be\u03b1\u03bd; 1 Macc 13:37). \u03ba. \u03c4\u1f70 \u03b4\u03b9\u1f70 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03c3\u1f7d\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c0\u03c1\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f03 \u1f14\u03c0\u03c1\u03b1\u03be\u03b5\u03bd receive a recompense for what (each one) has done during life in the body 2 Cor 5:10 (cp. the judgment scenes Pla., Phd. 113 and 114; s. also Diod. S. 8, 15); cp. Col 3:25. \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c4\u03bf \u03ba\u03bf\u03bc\u1f77\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u1f70 \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u1f77\u03bf\u03c5 Eph 6:8 (PSI 438, 11 [III BC] \u03ba\u03b5\u03ba\u1f79\u03bc\u03b9\u03c3\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u1f70 \u03a6\u03b1\u03bd\u1f77\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bb\u1f75\u03bd). \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b5\u03bb\u1f77\u03b1\u03bd the promise (i.e. what is promised) Hb 10:36; 11:13 v.l., 39. \u03c4\u1f78 \u03c4\u1f73\u03bb\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03c0\u1f77\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u03b7\u03c1\u1f77\u03b1\u03bd \u03c8\u03c5\u03c7\u1ff6\u03bd obtain as an outcome of faith the salvation of souls 1 Pt 1:9 (contrast 4:17).\u2014DELG s.v. \u03ba\u03bf\u03bc\u1f73\u03c9. M-M.”<\/p>\n

[2]<\/p>\n

For a summary of the debate, see Chris Kugler,\u00a0\u03a0\u0399\u03a3\u03a4\u0399\u03a3 \u03a7\u03a1\u0399\u03a3\u03a4\u039f\u03a5: The Current State of Play and the Key Arguments<\/a>, Currents in Biblical Research 14:2, 244-255 (2016).<\/p>\n

[3]<\/p>\n

I should note that the precise reasons why both readings are grammatically correct are beyond my very modest Greek skills. I did, however, consult other scholars, including my Greek professor from seminary, who confirmed that either reading could be correct.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is part of my series on 1 Peter.\u00a0 As noted in my introductory post, I’m interested in the epistle’s language.\u00a0 After the introductory materials in Chapter 1:1-2, the writer offers an encouragement to remain steadfast that is often the subject of sermons.\u00a0 (As they say, “that’ll preach!”)\u00a0 Like most such exhortations in the New […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[90],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1-peter"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p824rZ-R8","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3294"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3312,"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3294\/revisions\/3312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davidopderbeck.com\/tgdarkly\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}