BayouParson said:
Word changes will always happen, but the original meaning is still intact. Society will always try to make words mean something different than the original meaning. The word of God does not change to meet the demands of people or society. People are to be changed to meet the demands of the scripture. Changing the words of scripture is a yeilding to the pressures of society to dumb down the Bible. Changing the words of the Bible does nothing to clarify the meaning, especially the matter we have been discussing. In fact removing the word "worship" does not clarify the meaning. No one has said anything about the reference of Matt. 27:29 where bowing the knee did not constitute worship but mockery.
You are equating the English translation as being the same as the manuscripts it was translated from in the first place. No big deal as we all do it, but we are all mistaken in doing this. Greek is very different from English in many different ways. I am nolinguist and so won't go into details (try Googling it), but I can show you why equating the translation with the underlying language will trip us all up.
When the KJV (or any other translation) was translated, the translators took the Greek and translated it into English. Sounds simple but it is not. Greek does not cross over directly into English (sentence structure, thoughts encompassed in single words, tenses, etc.). The translators have to take the whole of it and put it into the English structure, while preserving exactly (or as close as possible) what the Greek says. In doing so, the translators choose the English words that say what the Greek says. The translators can only use the English words and meanings
that are currently available to them. This means the KJV translators used the English words and meanings of the early 1600's...
many of which have changed in the 400 years hence.
Also, the KJV translators went with a higher form of English than what was commonly spoken by the common man in the early 1600's. This was done on purpose to acknowledge that God's words are not common, but it also served to use words that were not common (or even known) to the common man of the time. These words, too, have changed in meaning and usage in 400 years.
None of this means the KJV is no longer viable by no means. It does mean, however, that a common man has to have something to help him understand these words. Yes, yes, yes... I can hear the screams of, "The Holy Ghost will do it!", and He will with what can be read and understood, but the vast majority have no clue as to what a 'bishoprick' is, along with a lot of other archaic words.
Basically, the Greek remains unchanged, but the English it is/was translated into has not remained unchanged.
Harold said:
I'd be intewrested where you get the definition of a faggot to be a piece of wood? My faggots are made of metal and have feet to elevate the wood so it can get air underneath to allow it to burn effectively.
I don't recognize the slang term as proper English!
Yet another example of multiple meanings of English words, my friend. And, proper English or not, it is still in common use by common people. A "faggot" can also be a cigarette to those in the UK.
Harlod said:
So you think the word of God has to keep up with the depravity of man?
Nope. The
translating of the word of God needs to keep up with the common usage of the language it is translated into, pure and simple. Not all of the English language has slipped into depravity, but it has changed in usage and meaning. As I said above, the underlying Greek remains unchanged but the English has changed in usage and meaning.