From: AgapeLove9@aol.com
Date: Tue Jul 07 1998 - 23:28:23 EDT
In a message dated 98-07-07 07:48:43 EDT, jonathan@texcel.no writes:
<<
At 12:53 AM 7/7/98 EDT, AgapeLove9@aol.com wrote:
>The literal translation is "In a beginning" at John 1:1. He explains...
I don't understand how this is *the* literal translation, since there is no
such thing as an indefinite article in Greek, and prepositional phrases are
often definite without the article. I'm afraid that the grammar itself is
ambiguous here, so you have to turn to the context. >>
I agree with you about context. My sentence was misunderstood, perhaps rightly
so due to the ambiguity of reference for "the". When I said that the literal
translation is "In a beginning," I intended a reference to the 21st Century
Translation's Literal Translation, not to a literal translation as if no other
literal translation could be made, as with Robert Young's Literal Translation
in 1862. The 21st Century Translation is actually two translations in one, a
literal and a free translation. I cited them both:
Literal Translation - In a beginning* was the [Marshal*] [Word] and the
[Marshal]* [Word] was with the God and the [Marshal]* [Word] was a god*.
Free Translation - At the beginning of Creation, there dwelt with God a mighty
spirit, the Marshal, who produced all things in their order.
As for prepositional phrases where the object noun lacks the article, I do not
understand the Translator's intent to insert the "a" merely because of the
lack of the article. Rather, it is the lack of the article coupled with his/
their understanding that there are MANY beginnings. Thus, the translation
footnote as I cited:
beginning - There were many beginnings: the begetting of the Logos; the
creation of the angelic hosts; the creation of the Universe; the preparation
of the earth for man; the creation of life on earthl and the creation of man.
So which beginning is here meant? As the Logos was used in the creation of
'all things' this seems to be the starting point referred to by John, -the
beginning of all creation. Hence it is so specified at John 1:1 in the Free
translation.
<< In this translation, how is John 3:21 translated? I'm particularly curious
about the phrase hINA FANERWQHi AUTOU TA ERGA hOTI EN QEWi ESTIN
EIRGASMENA, which I would translate as "that it may be apparent of his
works that they were performed in God". Is this translated "performed in
*a* God"? >>
Literal Translation: in God
Free Translation: by God
This is no doubt due to the understanding that there are not many Almighty
gods. However, the translation is fairly consistent in translating
prepositional phrases with "beginning" as "a beginning."
1 John 1:1 from a beginning
Acts 11:15
Literal: in a beginning
Free: at the start
1 John 3:8
Literal: from a beginning
Free: from the start
I hope that helps.
Mark Johnson
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