James Finn
1 min readJun 8, 2023

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That's what the word lust used to mean in English too. The meaning of our word shifted over centuries, which has changed how people receive the meaning of translations. Shifting of meaning happens a lot, because living languages are dynamic, constantly changing.

That's just one reason to wary of English translations of ancient texts, but a good reason.

I was listening to a lecture by Bart Ehrman the other night, and he took a question. "Which translation of the New Testament do you recommend for Bible scholars. Which one can I use to ensure I'm not misunderstanding the text."

Ehrman laughed a little, but kindly. He explained that if a scholar of the New Testament wants to truly understand the text, they have to not only learn Greek but they have to immerse themselves in Greek literature of the New Testament era. He said no translation will give the reader an accurate understanding of what they're reading.

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James Finn
James Finn

Written by James Finn

James Finn is an LGBTQ columnist, a former Air Force intelligence analyst, an alumnus of Act Up NY, and an agented but unpublished novelist.

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