One's own interpretation

The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.


DV

 

Yeah I looked this up and I can't figure out why the KJV translators used the term "conversation." Maybe its a textual issue in the transmission of the KJV since...but I can't figure it out.

Even the ole Textus Receptus has the proper word which means "citizenship." I read over my textual appartatus and there aren't any variants here and Kittle's gave a great definition that means citizenship.

Of course this is a hapx legomenon but even contemporary literature has it as citizenship.:thumbsup:

 

I'm not sure why that was the translation choice for Phil 3:20 although the word conversation has undergone some semantic shifting in the last few hundred years. Interestingly the Bishop's bible, Geneva, Tyndale and Coverdale all use conversation...

 

Here's a coupla' or three passages that touch on this.

1.) Ac. 17:11 - They searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so.

2.) I Cor. 10: 1-11 - The record of what happened to Israel during the Exodus are examples and is written for our admonition.

3.) Neh. 8 - The people were all gathered in front of the Water Gate, and Ezra and other Scribes and Levites read from the "book of the Law of Moses" explaining it viz.

Ed

 

also, here is an etymological dictionary entry on the word conversation

1340, from O.Fr. conversation, from L. conversationem (nom. conversatio) "act of living with," prp. of conversari "to live with, keep company with," lit. "turn about with," from L. com- intens. prefix + vertare, freq. of vertere (see versus). Originally "having dealings with others," also "manner of conducting oneself in the world;" specific sense of "talk" is 1580.

with this knowledge the older sense of the word fits with the translation especially in the context. That is, conversation meaning "to live with, keep company with" ie. citizenship, but keeping a sense of conduct which the passage is talking about...

as a verb politeumai speaks of the conduct of citizenship or even conduct as befitting citizenship and is translated conversation in Phil 1:27

not sure if that sheds any light on the translation choice...

 

This is nothing but so much sanctified hogwash! If such were true, then the OT writers, the NT writers, the Apostles, and many of the Reformation fathers, such as Erasmus, Calvin and Luther were never saved, for they did not speak English, and the English language did even yet exist in Bible times.

Ed