Luke 2:14 - is the Vulgate incorrect?

Ever wonder why there are such different translations of this verse?  

Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace - 

good will to men (King James and others)

to men of good will (Douay-Rheims etc.)

to those on whom God's favor rests (very interpretive, if you ask me!) (New International Version and others similar)

(et cetera!:  Luke 2:14 - Bible Gateway)

!!!  What???  How can they be so different?  Let's just go back to the original version, right?  But there is no ONE original version, there are many, and sometimes they don't agree.

Believe it or not, it all comes down to a single letter (sigma).  εὐδοκία is good will (good pleasure, good desire, honest intentions (per Hickie)), εὐδοκίας is 'of good will'!

(Want to dig into the word more?  Try here:  Concordancia Griego de Strong: 2107. εὐδοκία (eudokia) -- voluntad, agradó, afecto, buena voluntad. (bibliaparalela.com))

δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῷ, 

καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη

ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία(ς)

And it is a big controversy!  St. Jerome used the version(s) with the sigma:  

gloria in altissimis Deo

et in terra pax 

in hominibus bonae voluntatis.

The Greek new testament I think most widely used (Nestle-Aland), and a widely used commentary (Bruce M. Metzger), both favor the sigma.  And the Catholic translations seem to favor the Vulgate.  But I think a very good case can be made for the no sigma version - antiquity included.  What do you think?

Here's a very pro-sigma study:  Glory to God, Peace on Earth, And A Textual Variant? - Text and Translation

And here's one that favors the no sigma versions:  The Text of the Gospels: Luke 2:14 - Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

Why does it matter?  Is peace on Earth for everybody, or only certain people?  Jesus said he did not come to bring peace upon the earth (Mathew 10:34)...  But isn't the kingdom of God a kingdom of peace?  Lots to ponder...  Maybe there's a reason both versions exist?



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gaudete! Semper gaudete!

Pink candle Sunday in Advent is also called Gaudete Sunday. This is the (plural) command to rejoice in Latin. This was one of the readings this past week. It's a tough one when things are as crazy as they are. Semper (like in Semper Fidelis) means always (Fidelis is faithful, also in this passage). As in, always! Not so easy sometimes, but it's important to try. There are many reasons to rejoice, but the coming of Jesus (and Christmas) is the best one!  There are lots of words in the Latin here which are recognizable to English speakers.  Intermissione - a break, respite.  omnibus -  everything (like an omnibus bill).  Gratias - giving thanks.  Voluntas - will, as in when you volunteer to do something of your own will.  Spiritum (spiritus) - the Spirit.  Prophetias - prophetic.  Abstinete (plural command - this passage is full of them) as in abstinence.  Specie - type, kind, as in species.  Pacis - peace.  Santificet - sanctify.  Omnia - entirely.  Anima et corpus - soul
Read more

Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

  English: New American Standard Bible                          Greek OT: LXX Isaiah 7 14.  "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. δια τουτο δωσει κυριος αυτος υμιν σημειον ιδου η παρθενος εν γαστρι εξει και τεξεται υιον και καλεσεις το ονομα αυτου εμμανουηλ Ever hear of the Parthenon? It was a temple to Athena, the Virgin (parthenos) - hence the name (appartments of the virgin/unmarried woman)! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenon#Etymology Some Jews (and others) dispute that the Hebrew word here was virgin, rather than young girl. But clearly the 70 elders who translated the Septuagint agreed that it was virgin. And although the Hebrew came first, we really have no older versions of the Hebrew than the Greek (except for the Dead Sea Scrolls - and this passage is the same there ). The Septuagint is the Bible quot
Read more