Five points to the first person to note in the comments why this juxtaposition was counter to my expectations:
NIV 1Co 7:26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are.
TNIV 1Co 7:26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.
The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory by Abigail Rine Favale My rating: 4 of 5 stars Really excellent. Fascinating personal story: So-called “Christian feminism” is, too often, secular feminism with a light Jesus glaze on top, a cherry-picked biblical garnish....
Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age by Samuel JamesMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Insightful. My “review” this time will consist of the questions I wrote up for an interview I’m doing with the author: My guest today on Logos Live is the only...
The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory by Abigail Rine Favale My rating: 4 of 5 stars Well written, provocatively helpful—provocative because she was schooled in evangelicalism (which makes her like me) and in feminist theory (which makes her not like me)—and is...
The Comanche Empire by Pekka Hämäläinen This excellent book does what modern history is supposed to do nowadays: it gives a voice to the voiceless and the marginalized; it gives agency to the victims. And yet you can’t always predict what will happen when you go...
Leave a comment.
It’s a little out-of-step with the Greek. The Greek verb (nomizo) is first and the rest of the sentence is the content of Paul’s thinking. Therefore, “the present crisis” is the reason why it’s “good for a man to remain as he is.”
However, the (T)NIV places the “because” clause poorly, making it appear that “the present crisis” is the reason for Paul’s thinking.
Because the NIV translated ἀνθρώπῳ in a gender-neutral way and the TNIV translated it as “man.” Of course, the TNIV’s translation is obviously correct since the next verse says, Δέδεσαι γυναικί; Μὴ ζήτει λύσιν. Λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; Μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα.
On the other hand, in 7:29 the NIV translates Τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος ἐστίν• τὸ λοιπόν, ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν as, “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none,” and the TNIV translates it as, “What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who are married should live as if they were not.”
I think Brian won before I even got to play. 🙁 However, since the contest is to guess what you were thinking, I guess I could be wrong on that. 🙂
All I can really add, I suppose, is that it looks like the ESV and the NET bible follow the same thinking of the NIV.
1 Corinthians 7:26
26 I think that in view of the present [1] distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. (ESV)
Footnotes
[1] 7:26 Or impending
The TNIV is in the tradition of the KJV and the NASB on this one.
Assuming that Brian is right, it looks like we have an encouraging swing back to gender-specific language in translation with the TNIV here.
Totally off-topic question: Does anyone know if the TNIV is available in Bibleworks? I don’t seem to have it in mine.
Do I get any points for knowing the answer but getting beat by Brian? 🙂