Hastening the Day

[Dave G]

Therefore, to me there's nothing wrong with the way it was translated in the AV and several others,
including the Geneva, the Douai-Rheims of 1899, the Amplified, Young's Literal, RSV ( has note "B" in the text for this word, "earnestly desiring" ), Spanish Reina-Valera Antigua and more.

Thank you for pointing out the above, Van,
and for your efforts at arriving at the truth...

But I find that I simply cannot agree with your interpretation of the verse, nor with your translation of it.
My opinion is that it is mis-translated in many of the more modern English translations, while at the same time properly translated in others..

My observation is that some people base their belief on one translation...
that no amount of wishing on our part can move the Lord to change His appointed time,
while others base their belief on the other translation...
that the day of the Lord ( that no one but the Father knows and has been put in His hands to determine ), can actually be hastened, or sped up, by the actions of us as His creation.


However,
Given that Scripture teaches that God works all things according to the counsel of His own will ( Ephesians 1:11 ),
and that our will as men have nothing to do with His decisions ( Job 9:12, Job 42:2, Daniel 4:35, Psalms 33:11, Psalms 115:3, Psalms 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9 ),
then I find no reason to believe that the translation of this verse is anything except that we as believers urgently want the day of the Lord to come...

So that we may see Him.



Good afternoon to you, Van,
and to all who read this.

 

[Van]

However,
I see that the understanding of "unto" in the verse, is from the Greek word "σπεύδοντας"...
which in English can mean "hastening to" or "hastening unto".

It is as if JOJ's enlightening post (post #3) was never posted. Instead of responding, the post is ignored and the false claim repeated.

 

[Van]

Looking for and hurrying the presence of God's day through which the heavens are burned and will be disarranged and their elements melted to destruction.

 

[Van]

Sir, you often provide valuable information concerning the history of translations. I see our word (παρουσίαν) is often translated "coming" rather than presence, but YLT goes with presence. Can you enlighten us as to why the vast majority of English translations go with coming?

As no response, thus far, has been received, I did a little on-line search and found a possible answer. The Septuagint uses our word to translate a Hebrew word meaning coming.

In reviewing 2 Corinthians 7:6 in most English translations, the choice of came,coming was found 27 times, and presence only once (YLT). However "arrival" was found 24 times and appears to be the modern choice as NASB95 had "coming" but NASB2021 had arrival.

However, when Matthew 24:3 is studied, no translation (I saw) used arrival and nearly all used - your coming. A few had appear or return, but very few. Again YLT had the literal meaning - presence.

It appears once a poor choice is made in an early translation, that can lead to a whole passel of other translators following suit.

For example if I refer to second coming, everyone thinks the return of Christ. But if I say second presence or second arrival, folks wonder at my meaning...

 

[Van]

Of the approximately 18 times "parousia" is used to describe the return of Christ, the NASB2021 uses "coming" 16 times, with 5 of those being footnoted as "or presence." The other two times the NASB translators go with "arrival."

Five other verses have our word, but referring to someone other than Christ. Thus no need for using the inaccurate "coming" and could be translated as arrival or presence. (1 Corinthians 16:17, 2 Corinthians 10:10, Philippians 1:26, 2:12 and 2 Thessalonians 2:9)

 

[Van]

2 Corinthians 10:10 (interpreted translation) Seeing that, indeed, they say his letters are weighty and forceful, yet his physical presence is diminutive and his speech of no account."

Most translation ascribe Paul's physical presence as "weak" but when you consider the shipwreck, beatings, and other displays of physical courage, weak does not cut it. (Acts of the Apostles 21:13)