A paraphrase of Eph 1.1

[KUWN]

Just to give you an idea of what this paraphrase is doing. When it says "one who has received divine appointment as a top-ranking official," this is one of the ancient meanings of the word "apostle." This paraphrase is not meant to be taken as something to publish. It is just what I do in my spare time.

Eph 1.1

Paul,
one who has received divine appointment as a top-ranking official,
who has been given special instructions/message to deliver (to someone),
who has been personally commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself,
and therefore, who has the legal right/authority to represent Him in this unique, temporary appointment, (this Apostolic authority is confirmed by Messianic-Apostolic signs and wonders)
having been selected an Apostle by means of a sovereign and purposeful/strategic act of God
one who is owned by and related to Jesus Christ,

(I, Paul, am writing…) to all the saints residing in Ephesus and throughout Asia Minor,
(which is to say) to all the believers/faithful ones
who are in permanent union with Christ Jesus.

 

[marks]

When it says "one who has received divine appointment as a top-ranking official," this is one of the ancient meanings of the word "apostle."

I've never heard that.

I think "Paul, a "sent one" of Jesus Christ is the better understanding.

Like when Jesus breathed on them, saying, receive the Holy Spirit. As the Father sent Me, so I send you, like that.

Much love!

 

[KUWN]

I think "Paul, a "sent one" of Jesus Christ is the better understanding.

remember, this is a paraphrase, not a translation

 

[marks]

remember, this is a paraphrase, not a translation

Remember, it's God's word, if you change the meaning, that's what you are changing. "High ranking official"? Really? Apostle is a sent one. What is the context where you've seen it translated that way?

Much love!

 

[Bob]

Thank you for your post.

Your paraphrases are in fact useful in gaining understanding of terms and passages. Bravo! (And yes, the best translation is still required.)

So, here is a passage that speaks to me about the role of a community of faithful in maintaining that community:

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18: 15-17)

Challenge for you: short paraphrases that capture the essence of these verses.

Blessings.

 

[KUWN]

What is the context where you've seen it translated that way?

Remember, it's God's word, if you change the meaning, that's what you are changing. "High ranking official"? Really? Apostle is a sent one. What is the context where you've seen it translated that way?

Much love!

Etymology is the origin of words. The ancient Athenians had a problem with their navy that needed to be solved. At war time, the enemy would bribe the lead admiral of the fleet to throw the war. The Athenian senate came up with the solution, which was to give the war instructions to one admiral at the last minute so the enemy wouldn't know which admiral had the war instructions. This admiral was called an APOSTOLOS, which is where the word Apostle received part of its meaning/usage.

So the highest ranking Admiral, the one with the instruction and war plans was given at the last minute, he was identified as the APOSTOLOS, from which the word Apostle developed part of its meaning.

The bottom line is if you want to do independent research you will need to train yourself in Ancient Greek. Check out the first usage of APOSTOLOS in BADG, it mentions that the whole navy expedition was called the APOSTOLOS, and then mentions that it referred to the lead admiral. Greek lexica gives you good meanings/usages, but to flesh out the lexica's meanings, you will need to learn Greek. I am not belittling you, I am just saying I have seen the significant difference in understanding of words and phrases by knowing Ancient Greek, as well as Koine Greek.

 

[KUWN]

Thank you for your post.

Your paraphrases are in fact useful in gaining understanding of terms and passages. Bravo! (And yes, the best translation is still required.)

So, here is a passage that speaks to me about the role of a community of faithful in maintaining that community:

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18: 15-17)

Challenge for you: short paraphrases that capture the essence of these verses.

Blessings.

Bob,
If you see my reply to marks (post #6) you will see that it is rather time consuming to write a paraphrase for a passage. You just can't look at a Greek Lexicon and get a fuller feel of a word's nuances. You have to read the ancient passages cited, as well as read more than the Lexicon gives.

It is fairly easy to learn the Greek language. Get Mounces book Basics of Biblical Greek. Then take an online class of ancient Greek. Be sure to learn ancient greek of the golden age of Greece. The greek of Plato, Socrates, etc. After this, then learn biblical greek which will not take that long once you can read ancient greek. Now you are able to do independent studies.

Shortly after I accepted Christ I was going to read a commentary on a NT book by Arthur Pink. He said something to the effect that a particular English words actually meant something different in the Greek. I asked my Sunday School teacher what Pink meant by that. He said that the Bible was written in Greek. Within a few months I was off to a Bible College to learn Greek. I have the type of disposition where I can not take another person's word for something as important as the Bible, I have got to learn it and see it myself. That was the beginning of my journey to learning Greek.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

Just to give you an idea of what this paraphrase is doing. When it says "one who has received divine appointment as a top-ranking official," this is one of the ancient meanings of the word "apostle." This paraphrase is not meant to be taken as something to publish. It is just what I do in my spare time.

Eph 1.1

Paul,
one who has received divine appointment as a top-ranking official,
who has been given special instructions/message to deliver (to someone),
who has been personally commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself,
and therefore, who has the legal right/authority to represent Him in this unique, temporary appointment, (this Apostolic authority is confirmed by Messianic-Apostolic signs and wonders)
having been selected an Apostle by means of a sovereign and purposeful/strategic act of God
one who is owned by and related to Jesus Christ,

(I, Paul, am writing…) to all the saints residing in Ephesus and throughout Asia Minor,
(which is to say) to all the believers/faithful ones
who are in permanent union with Christ Jesus.

Should find a new hobby. Paraphrasing is very dangerous and that path is fraught with many pitfalls and dangers.

Paul said it better with a lot less verbage.

 

[marks]

The ancient Athenians had a problem with their navy that needed to be solved. At war time, the enemy would bribe the lead admiral of the fleet to throw the war.

How ancient? What circa are you referring to? Are you talking about Classical Greek?

Regardless, that he was an admiral qualified him to be sent, and he was sent by the senate, which is the meaning of apostle. Being sent didn't make him an admiral, he was that already. Being an admiral, he could be sent. In that context, you'd know by his being sent that he was an admiral.

In the very same way, the disciples were commissioned by Jesus to be sent, not as a designation of rank, but as a designation of purpose. What qualified them was that they had been with Jesus, witnessing His ministry, death, and resurrection. As the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sent these men. God sent His Only Begotten Son, and these men were not that, but they were likewise sent.

This all seems very consistent to me.

Much love!

 

[KUWN]

How ancient? What circa are you referring to? Are you talking about Classical Greek?

Yes

 

[KUWN]

Should find a new hobby. Paraphrasing is very dangerous and that path is fraught with many pitfalls and dangers.

Can you name one in my paraphrases so far?

 

[Wick Stick]

It reads a lot like the Amplified Bible... which unfortunately is a rather poor Bible.

 

[KUWN]

It reads a lot like the Amplified Bible... which unfortunately is a rather poor Bible.

May I ask what your qualifications are to say the Amplified Bible is a poor Bible?

 

[marks]

Yes

That's what I thought, thank you!

Much love!

 

[Ronald Nolette]

Can you name one in my paraphrases so far?

So far no. YOu have done a great job! but it is a dangerous path to walk on. Just look at the abominable bibles called "Living Bible, The way, Good news for modern man" et al and see that this path can cause great harm.

Many sincere believers down the centuries have been led astray by desiring to expand on the Scriptures

 

[Wick Stick]

May I ask what your qualifications are to say the Amplified Bible is a poor Bible?

I need qualifications to have an opinion?

Well, I have been ordained (twice, ha!) and I have a business degree geared towards church management... and you shouldn't care about those at all. I sure don't.

Of more use... I'm an old head at studying the Bible, and have sometimes endeavored to translate bits of it... sort of like what you're doing right now.

My quarrel with the Amplified Bible is simply that it is difficult to read. It's hard to have a single coherent line of thought when it is constantly interrupted with copious notes defining words. It obfuscates the main points in favor of minutia. The idea wasn't bad, but they probably should have added everything as margin notes or footnotes, to preserve clarity in the main body of the text.