Every Bible student must appreciate that an English translation is just that \u2013 a translation. Each translation carries its own nuances because there are not many words with a one-to-one correlation. Sometimes it is good to refer back to the original language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the Day 163 reading, Acts 23:11 stood out, and it reads in the ESV translation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n11<\/sup> The following night the Lord stood by him and said, \u201cTake courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The phrase that stood out read \u201cfor as you have testified to the facts about me\u201d and especially use of the phrase \u201cthe facts about me [Jesus].\u201d The reason it stood out was because the saving gospel of Jesus Christ comprises facts, historical facts that possess historicity. So I was encouraged to see Jesus advise Paul to testify to \u201cthe facts about\u201d Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the saving gospel is about facts, at a minimum, it is important that Christ-followers understand the facts. If possible, it is valuable for a Christ-follower to be able to establish the historicity of the facts of the gospel. Both goals are important and the phrase \u201cthe facts about\u201d Jesus in Acts 23:11 seems to intensify those goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I began to look into this verse in more detail, I found that other translations did not contain my phrase-of-interest. For example, the following English translations read:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nActs 23:11 (NASB95) – 11<\/sup> But on the night immediately<\/em> following, the Lord stood at his side and said, \u201cTake courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\nActs 23:11 (NET) – 11<\/sup> The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, \u201cHave courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Notice that the NASB95 and NET do not say a thing about \u201cthe facts\u201d and such absence caused me pause. When faced with kind of issue, it makes sense to return to the Greek, which reads (NA28):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n11<\/sup> \u03a4\u1fc7 \u03b4\u1f72 \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03bf\u03cd\u03c3\u1fc3 \u03bd\u03c5\u03ba\u03c4\u1f76 \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u1f70\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1ff7 \u1f41 \u03ba\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c2 \u03b5\u1f36\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u00b7 \u0398\u03ac\u03c1\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9\u00b7 \u1f61\u03c2 \u03b3\u1f70\u03c1 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03cd\u03c1\u03c9 \u03c4\u1f70 [the<\/u><\/strong> facts]<\/u><\/strong> \u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u1f76 \u1f10\u03bc\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b5\u1f30\u03c2 \u1f38\u03b5\u03c1\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b1\u03bb\u03ae\u03bc, \u03bf\u1f55\u03c4\u03c9\u03c2 \u03c3\u03b5 \u03b4\u03b5\u1fd6 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b5\u1f30\u03c2 \u1fec\u03ce\u03bc\u03b7\u03bd \u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c1\u1fc6\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Using the Exegetical Guide from Logos 8, I found that the ESV translated the article ho <\/em>(in the accusative case it is \u201cta<\/em>\u201d) to the phrase \u201cthe facts.\u201d One lexicon (Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 815). New York: United Bible Societies) defines this article means:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n92.24 \u1f41, \u1f21, \u03c4\u03cc (pl. \u03bf\u1f31, \u03b1\u1f31, \u03c4\u03ac): a reference to an entity, event, or state, clearly identified by the linguistic or non-linguistic context of the utterance\u2014\u2018the, he, she, it.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The ESV translates the verb diamartyromai<\/em> as \u201cyou have testified to\u201d and according to Louw et al., it means, \u201cto make a serious declaration on the basis of presumed personal knowledge\u2014\u2018to declare, to assert, to testify.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please understand what I know about NT Greek is very little and what I do not know is quite a lot. Keeping this in mind, it is my supposition that the ESV translated ho<\/em> as the phrase \u201cthe facts\u201d to elaborate on the meaning of the verb which has an inference of testifying based on personal knowledge, i.e., facts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What I take away from this exercise is when my Bible study places importance on a particular English word, I must make sure the English translation is close to the original language. It is important to check to see that the translation did not add or subtract something that is important to your study. In this case, before I looked into the text, I was going to stress the factual nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ by emphasizing that Jesus said that Paul \u201ctestified to the facts about me.\u201d But, since the phrase \u201cthe facts\u201d may be inferred from the verb-article combination, I chose not to place any emphasis on that phrase. This, of course, does not diminish the importance of proclaiming the facts of the gospel since they comprise historical facts which are provable as authentic and worthy to be relied on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are reading this post and are not a Christian, unless God intervenes, your eternal destination is hell. But, your destiny can change. Today can be the day of your salvation. Please see my blog (https:\/\/stevebelsheim.com\/2020\/04\/20\/for-god-so-loves-you-2\/<\/a>) for a description of how you can be saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n