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A CC0 licenced modern English translation of the Bible
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Matt 6:33 remove "that he requires" #223

Open Tchambrers opened 13 years ago

Tchambrers commented 13 years ago

Consider removing " that he requires" - the NIV, NET and ESV don't have that phrase, and I am not sure it is there in the Greek:

http://interlinearbible.org/matthew/6-33.htm

openenglishbible commented 13 years ago

The problem here appears to be the translation of δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ which is most commonly 'his righteousness' (after KJV), but also 'what he requires of you' (TEV), 'his justice' (REB), 'his approval' (GWORD) and so on. The 20CNT translators seemed to want to capture the ideas of doing what God requires, which is what is righteous, his righteousness.

Given that, I quite like saying 'the righteousness that he requires' rather than 'his righteousness'.

I'm wondering, though, about the word 'righteousness' itself. Is it a communicative word? I think it is certainly Biblish - I can't think of usage of it that isn't specifically religious or carrying religious connotations. Both REB and TEV avoid it. Maybe we should replace it throughout with words or phrases that carry more inherent meaning.

Tchambrers commented 13 years ago

really good question. I'd seen a number of places that suggest that perhaps the word "justice" is closer than the modern term "righteous" which either has a unclear or negative meaning (think "self-righteous") in modern english.

Tchambrers commented 13 years ago

http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/koinonia/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=398