[B-Greek] NWT: Is it an accurate translation of the Greek?
Iver Larsen
iver at larsen.dk
Fri Feb 24 04:03:14 EST 2006
> In The New World Translation, John 1:1 is rendered as follows:
> Joh 1:1 In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.
...
> I would like to hear the opinions of the forum as to the accuracy of this rendering.
> Thanks
> Gene Gardner
Well, neither "the Word was God" or "the Word was a god" are accurate translations into modern English for the average
reader.
However, "accuracy" is a huge and complex topic, and it involves much more than Greek and English grammar. It is
primarily a question of successful communication. Does a particular rendering communicate as faithfully as possible the
intended meaning of the original text in its context to a new audience in a new context with different suppositions and
using a different language?
To get a reasonable rendering of the intended qualitative and descriptive rather than the identificational sense of
QEOS, I would suggest:
"the Word was with God and was like (or equal to) God", but I am not expecting consensus. The NET rendering (the Word
was fully God) is also possible, and they have an excellent, brief comment on exegetical and translation options. Of
course, a key question is what the intended audience understand by the words "God" and "god" in English.
Iver Larsen
SIL Translation Consultant
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list