Deacon said:
Part of the problem is that people don't even know what words mean today.
Rufus you've been watching too many movies. :laugh:
I don't watch entertainment movies anymore but I'm not that far removed from them to remember the lessons they taught and I do live in the reality that television and movies are affecting the world views of most of the American populace.
For example, in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, their guide was a dude named "Rufus" (how about that coincidence?). Bill & Ted referred to him as an "
awesome dude". I don't think they feared Rufus.
In Wayne's World, the illustrious Wayne Campbell says the following: "But I have this
awesome cable access show, and I still know how to party." I don't think anyone was to fear his cable access show.
When Bart Simpson says "
Awesome man!". Is there something about fear in that use?
If you look at the definitions on Urban dictionary, none have definitions that include an element of fear or terror.
If you Google the word "awesome" you will find things like "100 Awesome Music Videos", the "Awesome band".
I contend that today, the most common meaning of the word "awesome", is remarkable, outstanding or "very cool".
Here's some samples of the words the modern versions use instead of "terrible" in Psalm 47:2:
- Awesome - NIV
- To be feared - NASB
- Stunning - Message
- Excites Terror - Amplified
- Awesome - NLT
- To be feared - ESV
- Fearsome - CEV
- Awesome - NRSV
- Awesome - NKJV
- Wonderful - NCV
Thus, this isn't even an across the board problem with the MVs as some of them include the element of fear. The Amplified "excites terror" gets the point across pretty well and even the "To be feared" renderings work, in a sense, as well.
As defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, "Awesome" fits quite well.
Awe
1. Immediate and active fear; terror, dread
2. From its use in reference to the Divine Being this passes gradually into: Dread mingled with veneration, reverencial or respectful fear; the attitude of mind subdued to profound reverence in the presence of supreme authority, moral greatness or sublimity, or mysterious sacredness.
3. The feeling of solemn and reverencial wonder, tinged with latent fear, inspired by what is terribly sublime and majestic in nature, e.g. thunder, a storm at sea.
OED, A-595
Rob
Well that's true. However, the premise that we need modern versions is much predicated on the belief they need to be easy to understand for folks. If they need to go to a dictionary to figure out that "awesome" includes "terror, dread", then why can't they pick up a dictionary to determine what "terrible" means? Further, if "awesome" means what Bill & Ted, Wayne & Garth, Bart Simpson etc. say, then doesn't this mean that the NIV, and NKJV are now outdated and need to be updated so that it's easy for the common person to understand it?