{"id":1217,"date":"2023-11-04T15:52:39","date_gmt":"2023-11-04T22:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracebod\/?p=1217"},"modified":"2023-11-04T15:52:39","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T22:52:39","slug":"whatever-is-right-or-just-or-just-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/gracebod\/2023\/11\/whatever-is-right-or-just-or-just-right\/","title":{"rendered":"Whatever is Right, or Just, or… Just Right?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

When you happen to come across different word choices in different Bible translations, do you wonder, like I do, what\u2019s the difference? And does that make you wonder, like it does for me, which word choice is \u201cright\u201d? Is there a choice that\u2019s more \u201cjust\u201d?<\/p>\n

Hmmm, is there a choice that\u2019s \u201cjust right\u201d?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take the next step on our journey through Paul\u2019s list of favorite things to think about to release anxiety<\/a> \u2013 and think about these 2 very words.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s just lay it down, right?<\/h2>\n \u201cFinally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble<\/a>, whatever is right<\/strong>\u2026 think about such things.\u201d Philippians 4:8 (NIV) (bold mine)<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFinally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable<\/a>, whatever is just<\/strong>\u2026 think about such things.\u201d Philippians 4:8 (ESV) (bold mine)<\/a><\/p>\n First, for simplicity we\u2019ll focus on these 2 translations because they are the ones that I personally read from most often. Second, here are 2 more examples: the New Living Translation (NLT) uses the word \u201cright\u201d in this verse, and the New King James Version (NKJV) uses \u201cjust.\u201d<\/p>\n And, to get secular definitions under our belts, a\u00a0 scholarly article out of Princeton<\/a>\u00a0 states that, once we\u2019ve passed from Latin, through French and German, to English, \u201cright\u201d tends to refer to actions, and \u201cjust\u201d tends to refer to the do-er of said actions.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n

Now just dig right into your Bible(s)<\/h2>\n Because Philippians is a book of the New Testament, and much of the New Testament was originally written in Greek, we have to go back to the Greek. The original Greek word actually translates to \u201cjust\u2026 morally right, proper.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Hmph, we\u2019ve got both \u201cjust\u201d AND \u201cright\u201d in there \u2013 what to do?!<\/p>\n My favorite discussion of this question comes from one of my favorite platforms that I use in my own Bible studies: The Bible Project.<\/a> After a reassuring \u201cthat\u2019s okay!\u201d their writers encourage us that \u201cwe, like scholars, can learn to read and compare different versions in order to gain a deeper, fuller understanding of Scripture.\u201d<\/p>\n This same article continues:<\/p>\n " \u201cNo single English translation will ever represent the original biblical languages perfectly. Why? In part because the Bible\u2019s ancient languages do not function like English. A word in Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic might not have an exact English word to match. And each language constructs sentences differently, which means a variety of words or reconstructed sentences will always be necessary.<\/p>\n This is okay, even good. It keeps us in an inquisitive, learning mode alongside others who are also trying to understand the Bible. It helps us remember that our Bible is not an answer book or instruction manual\u2014it is a collection of sacred Scriptures we are to\u00a0meditate<\/a>\u00a0upon within community.<\/p>\n When translations differ, we can wonder:\u00a0Did English culture change? Or is something so fascinating and complex happening in the original languages that it can\u2019t be resolved with only one English word?\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n What I just<\/em> noticed, right<\/em> now<\/h2>\n**** ** First, thank you for playing along with my little play on words in the headings of this article.<\/p>\n ** Second, here\u2019s what I\u2019ve noticed over the past year of really digging into Bible study:<\/p>\n ** ****Different translations tend to jump out at me depending on what\u2019s happening in my life at the moment. For example, this exact part of this verse first made sense to me on an intellectual level when I read the NIV translation \u2013 which uses the word \u201cright\u201d \u2013 at a moment when my life was generally going smoothly. Everything was \u201cgoing right\u201d as that time.<\/p>\n However, when I read the ESV translation at a moment when a close friend hurt me deeply,<\/a> the ESV\u2019s word \u201cjust\u201d resonated with my emotions and truly helped to soothe them \u2013 more than the NIV\u2019s word \u201cright\u201d did. And I have to say, repeating this over time, my emotions were \u201cmade right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Reflective Response: Finding YOUR \u201cjust right\u201d translation<\/h2>\n******* ** *******Using Philippians 4:8 as an example (and then any other verse, as they come up for you), here are 3 questions you can ask yourself to find your \u201cjust right\u201d translation:<\/p>\n \nWhich translation did you see or hear in the moment? Whether you read it in a devotional or it was part of a sermon at church, God certainly has His ways of showing you exactly what you need.<\/li>\nWhat translation(s) do your trusted Christian mentors seem to lean into? While each of us is on our own path with God, we were also meant to study His Word both on our own and together. It\u2019s worth at least considering, pondering, the versions your mentors use the most.<\/li>\nDo you notice that a certain translation \u201csuddenly makes sense\u201d in a profound way when you\u2019re going through a challenging time? Or vice versa, does a certain translation actually \u201crub you the wrong way\u201d? This may be the Holy Spirit guiding you with His quiet \u2013 or loud \u2013 voice. Pay attention to it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Closing note: Try not to get too caught up in too many translations \u2013 since the 7th century, there have been about 100 in English<\/a> alone! To use myself as an example, I regularly use the NIV and ESV, and sometimes I explore the NKJV. Occasionally, I\u2019ll go into the CJB. Meanwhile, the NLT tends to feel to casual and clipped for me \u2013 but that\u2019s me!<\/p>\n Now go find your \u201cjust right.\u201d And feel free to shoot me an email \u2013 I\u2019d love to hear your short list!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When you happen to come across different word choices in different Bible translations, do you wonder, like I do, what\u2019s the difference? And does that make you wonder, like it does for me, which word choice is \u201cright\u201d? Is there a choice that\u2019s more \u201cjust\u201d? Hmmm, is there a choice that\u2019s \u201cjust right\u201d? Let\u2019s take […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5118,"featured_media":1364,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[125,24,22,122,128],"class_list":["post-1217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-just","tag-paul","tag-philippians","tag-right","tag-translations"],"yoast_head":"\nWhatever is Right, or Just, or... 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