2 Cor 5:10 whether good or evil - NET

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Alan Patterson
Posts: 158
Joined: September 3rd, 2011, 7:21 pm
Location: Emory University

2 Cor 5:10 whether good or evil - NET

Post by Alan Patterson »

I have the following question regarding this verse and the last word particularly, φαυλον

τους γαρ παντας ημας φανερωθηναι δει εμπροσθεν του βηματος του χριστου ινα κομισηται εκαστος τα δια του σωματος προς α επραξεν ειτε αγαθον ειτε φαυλον

I noticed that the now famous NET Bible "translates" φαυλον to mean 'evil.' But it does say in the foot note the whole expression ειτε αγαθον ειτε φαυλον could mean "good or bad."

I searched BDAG and can not find where φαυλον is ever translated 'evil.' It seems to suggest something that is useless or of low grade. I believe I have seen other English translations translate this as "evil." Where are the editors of these versions coming up with the translation 'evil'?
χαρις υμιν και ειρηνη,
Alan Patterson
Barry Hofstetter
Posts: 2159
Joined: May 6th, 2011, 1:48 pm

Re: 2 Cor 5:10 whether good or evil - NET

Post by Barry Hofstetter »

Alan Patterson wrote:I have the following question regarding this verse and the last word particularly, φαυλον

τους γαρ παντας ημας φανερωθηναι δει εμπροσθεν του βηματος του χριστου ινα κομισηται εκαστος τα δια του σωματος προς α επραξεν ειτε αγαθον ειτε φαυλον

I noticed that the now famous NET Bible "translates" φαυλον to mean 'evil.' But it does say in the foot note the whole expression ειτε αγαθον ειτε φαυλον could mean "good or bad."

I searched BDAG and can not find where φαυλον is ever translated 'evil.' It seems to suggest something that is useless or of low grade. I believe I have seen other English translations translate this as "evil." Where are the editors of these versions coming up with the translation 'evil'?
Context. They are appearing before the judgment seat -- for what are they being judged? Producing a poor product at work? Speaking with sub-standard grammar? My sense is that the word can be used for what we mean by evil just like our word "bad." The police were describing the man who had that woman chained up in a shipping container and murdered her boyfriend as "a very bad man." They don't mean he just steals cookies occasionally.
N.E. Barry Hofstetter, M.A., Th.M.
Ph.D. Student U of FL
Instructor of Latin
Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
καὶ σὺ τὸ σὸν ποιήσεις κἀγὼ τὸ ἐμόν. ἆρον τὸ σὸν καὶ ὕπαγε.
Shirley Rollinson
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Joined: June 4th, 2011, 6:19 pm
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Re: 2 Cor 5:10 whether good or evil - NET

Post by Shirley Rollinson »

Barry Hofstetter wrote:
Alan Patterson wrote:I have the following question regarding this verse and the last word particularly, φαυλον

τους γαρ παντας ημας φανερωθηναι δει εμπροσθεν του βηματος του χριστου ινα κομισηται εκαστος τα δια του σωματος προς α επραξεν ειτε αγαθον ειτε φαυλον

I noticed that the now famous NET Bible "translates" φαυλον to mean 'evil.' But it does say in the foot note the whole expression ειτε αγαθον ειτε φαυλον could mean "good or bad."

I searched BDAG and can not find where φαυλον is ever translated 'evil.' It seems to suggest something that is useless or of low grade. I believe I have seen other English translations translate this as "evil." Where are the editors of these versions coming up with the translation 'evil'?
Context. They are appearing before the judgment seat -- for what are they being judged? Producing a poor product at work? Speaking with sub-standard grammar? My sense is that the word can be used for what we mean by evil just like our word "bad." The police were describing the man who had that woman chained up in a shipping container and murdered her boyfriend as "a very bad man." They don't mean he just steals cookies occasionally.
Also to note is that the meanings of the English words "evil" and "naughty" have changed over the past 400-500 years - they have reversed places. "Evil" used to be just "bad" - as in "the figs were too evil to eat", and "naughty" is used in one of Shakespeare's plays when the villain is finally revealed and brought to justice, the Duke declares "Thou naughty man!" - same period as the roots of the KJV.
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