What's up with the HEBREWS translation?

by TTWSYF 7 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • TTWSYF
    TTWSYF

    This book states in verse 8 chapter 1 that the Father calls Jesus God. The NWT is very different. I wonder which one is the MOST accurate?

    NWT Hebrews chapt 1 8 But about the Son, he says: “God is your throne+ forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.*



    New International Version
    But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

    New Living Translation
    But to the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule with a scepter of justice.

    English Standard Version
    But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

    Berean Study Bible
    But about the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of Your kingdom.

    Berean Literal Bible
    But unto the Son, "Your throne, O God, is to the age of the age, and the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

    New American Standard Bible
    But of the Son He says, "YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.

    King James Bible
    But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

    Holman Christian Standard Bible
    but to the Son: Your throne, God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of justice.

    International Standard Version
    But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of your kingdom is a righteous scepter.

    NET Bible
    but of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.

    Aramaic Bible in Plain English
    But concerning The Son, he said, “Your throne, oh God, is to the eternity of eternities. A straight scepter is the scepter of your Kingdom.”

    GOD'S WORD® Translation
    But God said about his Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.

    New American Standard 1977
    But of the Son He says,
    “THY THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER,
    AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.

    Jubilee Bible 2000
    But unto the Son he said, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a rod of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

    King James 2000 Bible
    But unto the Son he says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom.

    American King James Version
    But to the Son he said, Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom.

    American Standard Version
    but of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

    Douay-Rheims Bible
    But to the Son: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

    Darby Bible Translation
    but as to the Son, Thy throne, O God, [is] to the age of the age, and a sceptre of uprightness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom.

    English Revised Version
    but of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

    Webster's Bible Translation
    But to the Son, he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.

    Weymouth New Testament
    But of His Son, He says, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and for ever, and the sceptre of Thy Kingdom is a sceptre of absolute justice.

    World English Bible
    But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.

    Young's Literal Translation
    and unto the Son: 'Thy throne, O God, is to the age of the age; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy reign;

  • menrov
    menrov

    Interesting topic. See also here for feedback on G3588: http://studybible.info/strongs/G3588

    Other translations:

    JMNT(i) 8 Yet, on the other hand, to the Son, "God [is] Your throne, on into the age of the Age, and the scepter of straightness [is] a scepter of His kingdom and sovereign activity. (variant rendering, with other MSS: "Your throne, O God, and the staff of uprightness, [is the] staff of Your reign, unto the chief time period of the Age.)
    ALT(i) 8 on the other hand to the Son [He says], "Your throne, O God, [is] into the age of the age [fig., forever and ever]; a scepter of integrity [is] the scepter of Your kingdom.
    NSB(i) 8 But he says to the Son: »God is your throne forever and ever. (Your throne, Oh God-like one, is forever.) A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. (Psalm 45:6, 7)

    As you can see, not only NWT but also NSB and JMNT have GOD IS YOUR THRONE.
    Personally, the rendering in NWT and the other 2, read more difficult because the previous versus are all about how special or different the Son is. The rending in NWT is drawing suddenly the attention to God.

    But this is my personal view.
  • TTWSYF
    TTWSYF

    Jonathan Mitchells New Testament? Not very literal or scholarly is it?

    JMNT(i) 8 Yet, on the other hand, to the Son, "God [is] Your throne, on into the age of the Age, and the scepter of straightness [is] a scepter of His kingdom and sovereign activity. (variant rendering, with other MSS: "Your throne, O God, and the staff of uprightness, [is the] staff of Your reign, unto the chief time period of the Age.)

  • menrov
    menrov

    TTWSYF, not sure what you mean. It seems a rather acceptable translation. After all, all translations are somewhat biased.

    I have not read anything negative about this person or his translation so far.

  • Aroq
  • TTWSYF
    TTWSYF

    On Jonathan Mitchells website there are comments from several people saying how good the translation is. There's Tim from Toronto, Bill from Bellingham, Dan from Denver, etc, etc.

    What there isn't is any accolades from Professor so and so from Harvard or Princeton or Yale or any other scholarly source. Just [maybe] a bunch of positive comments from people who read what they wanted to read if that makes sense to you. Not considering the JMNT as a proven,scholarly translation, because it seems that no one else is either.

  • TheOldHippie
    TheOldHippie

    "What there isn't is any accolades from Professor so and so from Harvard or Princeton or Yale or any other scholarly source."

    Who, regretfully, can be quite as biased as Bill and Tim and Dan. Being a professor from Harvard and at the same time chairman of the board of the XXX Bible translation committee at times makes it plain where the mental attachment is.

  • kepler
    kepler

    Interlinear of the Word Study Greek English New Testament compiled by Paul McReynolds et al.

    "to but the son the throne of you the God into the age of the age, and the rod of the straightness rod of the kingdom of you"

    But then the next sentence/verse speaks of

    "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness, there God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions."

    Something for everyone, right? It would appear that NWT editors edited based on the following sentence and their own pre-disposition. But the disposition had to come from somewhere.

    When I was instructed in my house by JWs, the Elder wanted to make a point with Hebrews, but we never seemed to reach that point. But it would appear to me that these two lines are confusing in light of the centuries of debate about the Trinity, its existence or no.

    Reading elsewhere in Paul's epistles, I am not aware of anything so explicit in behalf of a Trinitarian view. And certainly nothing like the juxtaposition of a sentence so opposed. It seems most Trinitarian argument would rest on the Gospel of John. But like many, since Hebrews is not introduced as Paul's actual work, I would suspect it was written by someone else, including his views - along with someone else's.

    Which was which?

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