doulos

Charles Skallerud karolus at wf.net
Sun Apr 9 14:05:44 EDT 2000


I was reading the NET Bible version of Colossians this morning.   I was
generally impressed with the careful notes beloved of all bookworms.  Still
this confounded doulos got in the way.  Why translate sundoulos as
fellow-servant in chapter 1 and doulos as slave in chapters 3 and 4?  This
will not do.  Most translations go this route, but I consider it a major,
intolerable linguistic error.  We miss the whole drift of Paul's thought if
we pretty it up this way.  To my mind it must be slave throughout.  I know
this is an old debate but it is still timely.  It astounds me that new
translations persist in this genteel double-talk.  Paul was not afraid of
his words.  Why should we be afraid of translating them?

Charles Skallerud




More information about the B-Greek mailing list