Comparing NIV with Second Testament
Drew Maust gave me permission to post his listing of the 2dT followed by the NIV. First line is 2dT and the line under it is the NIV. This enables an easy, clear comparison of the two. If I may: this comparison allows readers to see what the NIV does to a much more literal, formal text.
As I have said hundreds of times since I began this translation, it is not that I think modern translations get it wrong and need to be more rigorously formal. No, they are ver good at what they do — and they really are (look at NT Wright’s translation) — but their skill, so I think, can be supplemented by a more rigorously formal approach, or what is sometimes called (inelegantly, inaccurately) a word-for-word approach. I hope my translation will slow readers down, encourage them to wonder aloud, and to compare it to their favorite translation.
I’m happy to attempt to answer your questions in the Comment box. But I will not be hovering over the Comments but I will get to them. And, if you find errors (and errors there will be), please send them to me privately (DM, Messenger, or email: smcknight@faculty.seminary.edu).
and, coming, he resided in a city called Nazara [Nazareth] so that what was said through the prophets would be filled out: He will be called a “Nazōraios [Nazarene].”
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Pursue first God’s Empire and his rightness, and all these things will be added for you.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Therefore, don’t disturb yourselves about tomorrow, for tomorrow will disturb itself. The evil of that day is enough for the day.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Come to me—all the laboring and loaded—and I will [provide] rest [for] you.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
So I say to you, that you are the Rock [Petros] and on this rock [petra] I will form my assembly, and the gates of Hadēs will not prevail over it.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Therefore, journeying, make all the ethnic groups into Apprentices, dipping them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
He said to them, “I desired with desire to eat this Pascha with you before my suffering,
And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
For God loved the Kosmos in such a way that he gave his only Son so everyone trusting in him may not be destroyed but have Era Life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Yēsous says to him, “I am the Path and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I will request the Father and he will give another Illuminator [Paraklētos] to you, so he may be with you to the Era,
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
I release peace for you, my peace I give to you, not as the Kosmos gives I give to you. May your [pl.] heart not be agitated nor frightened.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
I have spoken these things to you so in me you may have peace. You have trouble in the Kosmos, but be courageous! I have conquered the Kosmos.”
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Therefore, convert and turn back so your sins are wiped off,
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
As a time of forty years was filled out for him, it ascended in his heart to care for his brothers, Yisraēl’s [Israel’s] sons.
“When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites.
While Petros is speaking these utterances … the Holy Spirit fell on all hearing the word.
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
which I also did in Yierosoluma, and also many of the devoted ones I confined in prisons, receiving the authority of the Senior Priests … doing away with them … and I brought the pebble [vote] against [them].
And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
After three months, we, having wintered on the island, were led in a boat, an Alexandrinos [Alexandrian] [boat], its sign being Dioskoroi [twin gods, sons of Zeus].
After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux.
Similarly also the Spirit assists in our weakness: For we don’t know what is necessary for us to pray for? But the Spirit itself—super-aiding with wordless groanings.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
We know that [God] coworks all things for good with those who love God, with those called consistent with the intention:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Therefore, what are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
If some of the branches have been snapped off, you—being a wild olive shoot—were grafted into them and share a common life in the sap of the olive tree’s root,
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
and don’t become a model of this Era, but become remodeled by a revival of the mind so you can judge suitable what God wants—what is good, judged exceptional, and complete.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
So if someone is in Christos—new creation. The ancient matters pass away. Look! New matters have come.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
And he has said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for the power is completed in weakness.” Therefore, instead I will boast with pleasure in my weaknesses so Christos’s power might camp on me.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
This [is the] third time I am coming to you: Every utterance will be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses.
This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Paulos [Paul] and Timotheos [Timothy], Christos Yēsous’ slaves, to all the devoted ones in Christos Yēsous who are in Philippoi [Philippi], with mentors and deacons.
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
Don’t be disturbed but, in everything in prayer and in requests—with thanks—let your asks be made known to God.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
God’s peace, which is superior to all perception, will guard your hearts and your mentalities in Christos Yēsous.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I am strong in all [these] matters in the one who empowers me.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
My God will fill out all your need consistent with his wealth in splendor in Christos Yēsous.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
We don’t want you to be uninformed, siblings, about those who are “sleeping” so you may not be pained as are the remaining not having hope.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
for God did not give to us the cowardice-spirit but power and love and moderation.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Every scripture is God-spirited and useful for teaching, for convicting, for straightening out, for education that is in rightness,
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
For God’s word [is] living, and energetic, and sharper than any two-edged long knife, and piercing until a parting of self and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and judge of a heart’s musings and notions;
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Without allegiance one is powerless to delight [God] for it’s necessary for the one who approaches God to be allegiant to the God that is and the payer-back for those who pursue him.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
but devote the Christos as Lord in your hearts, always prepared for a defense to everyone who asks you a word about the hope in you,
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
throwing all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
The God of all grace who called you into his Era-splendor in Christos Yēsous, suffering a little while, will himself prepare, support, strengthen, found [you].
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
For if God did not spare the envoys who sinned but gave them over, tossing them into Tartaros in chains of gloom, being kept for judgment,
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
I heard a voice from heaven as a voice of many waters and as a voice great thunder, and the voice that I heard as of kitharists kitharing on their kitharas.
And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
I wrote a short Amazon review of The Second Testament which for some reason they have not posted yet. I received my copy Friday evening and it's about all I've read since then. I am really enjoying it. I've been working through the James commentary in the Everyday Bible Study series and I've gone back and read James in The Second Testament. I mentioned in my review that I may reread The Jesus Creed using the2dT.
Thank you .