Tangents and Vectors

Monday, February 10, 2025

Spare Me the Paraphrase

Proverbs 10:2 (KJV) Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

One reason I like the word for word translation philosophy is because it allows the Holy Spirit to stimulate my mind to greater understanding.  I don’t like translators deciding how to interpret God‘s word for me.  I accept the fact that there are times when that may be necessary because of the multiple meanings of a word, but here we have a simple, literal phrase “treasures of wickedness” which the NASB has decided to paraphrase as “ill-gotten gains”.  While it’s true, that that is the meaning it is not what it says.

I like the turn of phrase in the KJV.  It makes me think more than the modern phrase in the NASB.

So?  Opinions may vary.  I’m sure they do.  I still have this belief that God said things the way He did because He wanted them to be said that way.  I don’t think He was confused.

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