[B-Greek] 1 Peter 3:21 - for real, finished, at last
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Wed Mar 4 01:10:04 EST 2009
Hi, Liz,
That is a very good question. As a (non-English) bible translator myself, I don't understand how the
English versions can all get it wrong. Already the KJV had it wrong, so there must be a long history
of questionable theology and tradition at play. The Vulgate has interrogatio, but I am not sure of
the range of meanings of this word.
The word EPERWTAW simply means to inquire, to ask a question, whether a real or rhetorical one.
Occasionally it can mean to ask someone to do something. In that respect it is similar to the
English word ask. It does not refer to a demand, appeal or request (which is a demand rather than a
question), and it certainly does not mean an answer or response or pledge.
The noun EPERWTHMA is simply the question that is being asked. In 1 Pet 3:21 the content of the
question is not given, but it seems fairly clear from context that the question Peter is answering
is "What is the meaning of baptism?" and probably also "How does one get a good conscience towards
God (before God/in the eyes of God)?"
He then says: OU SARKOS APOQESIS hRUPOU ALLA SUNEIDHSEWS AGAQHS EPERWTHMA EIS QEON
DI' ANASTASEWS IHSOU CRISTOU.
It (baptism) is not removal of dirt of/from the body, but it is a matter(question=point of issue) of
a good
conscience towards God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In my language, Danish, I can use the word "question" here and it makes perfect sense, but the same
word does not work so well in English, although my English dictionary does give "a point at issue"
as a sense of "question".
A proper translation is always a question of understanding the text properly in its context. I hope
it is only a question of time before English versions are improved.
In other words, baptism is connected to having a good conscience towards God, and that you get by
believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (and what his death signifies.) It is difficult to
say more without running into theological controversies.
Some more comments can be found in the archives for March 2002.
Iver Larsen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Liz Winter" <ebwinter at yahoo.com>
To: <B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: 3. marts 2009 22:34
Subject: [B-Greek] 1 Peter 3:21 - for real, finished, at last
> Hello, all.
>
> Please forgive my multiple messages. My computer and I are not getting along. Here is my question:
>
> I Peter 3:21 explains that baptism, prefigured by Noah and the flood, is "OU SARKOS APOQESIS
> hRUPOU ALLA SUNEIDHSEWS AGAQHS EPERWTHMA EIS QEON."
>
> I'm struggling with the best translation of SUNEIDHSEWS AGAQHS EPERWTHMA EIS QEON and confused by
> what I'm finding as I research. Sample translations - KJV: "the answer of a good conscience toward
> God." NIV: "the pledge of a good conscience towards God" (with a note offering "response" as an
> alternate translation of "pledge.") ESV: "the appeal to God for a good conscience."
>
> As I researched the definition of EPERWTHMA, everything I found was along the lines of questions,
> requests, appeals. My Liddell and Scott defines it as “a question.” I didn’t find the term
> anywhere else in the NT, so it’s hard to compare, but where EPERWTAW is used it seems to be
> consistently about asking, inquiring, demanding, NOT answering, responding, pledging.
>
> However, my NT Greek lexicon gave “promise” as one of the definitions of EPERWTHMA and multiple
> translations have taken this route.
>
> The ESV “appeal to God for a good conscience” makes most sense to me, but clearly not to many
> translators. What do you think?
>
> Best,
>
> Liz
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