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2 Peter 3:10

Discussion in 'Bible Versions & Translations' started by Van, Apr 27, 2021.

  1. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    2Peter 3:10 (NASB95)
    But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be [fn] burned up.
    [The footnote says two early mss read "discovered.]

    2Peter 3:10
    (NASB20)
    But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and ts works will be [fn] discovered.
    [The footnote says "as worthless, late mss burned up."]

    Here the Greek grammar (I am told) lends itself to alternate interpretation. The earth will be destroyed based on Revelation 21:1. But what is the inspired message concerning the "works" of the earth, i.e. the thoughts and acts of humankind? Humankind will stand in judgement (reward bestowal for the saved, and eternal punishment for the lost).

    In order to consider whether the Greek word translated "earth" should be better translated "humankind" we must consider that "the elements" refers not only to the Sun, Moon and stars, but also possibly the old earth.

    Next, we find that many modern translations go with discovered, or disclosed, or laid bare, or exposed, and the like.

    So to paraphrase a possible interpretation, we get "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the old earth, sun, moon and visible stars will be destroyed with intense heat, and humankind and her works will be exposed.


     
  2. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Did you see the interpretation error in the above paraphrase? Considering the planet earth as part of the celestial bodies reflects today's world view, not the cosmology of the biblical writer.
     
  3. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    So rather than trying to jam the old earth into the "elements" our planet simply drops out of the verse.
    "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the sun, moon and visible stars will be destroyed with intense heat, and humankind and her works will be exposed.

    The Greek word (ge-G1093) translated as earth or world is used as a personification of humankind in Revelation 13:3.



     
  4. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Matthew 9:6, “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.”

    Here is another example where "ge" may actually refer to humankind, i.e. authority over humankind to forgive sins. Certainly if an astronaut sins on the ISS, the Son of Man has authority to forgive those sins.
     
  5. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Matthew 10:15
    “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land G1093 of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

    Here again we see where "ge" seems to refer to humans rather than land or the actual planet. Translations vary with omission (tolerable for Sodom...) and substitution (region, towns, cities and people).
     
  6. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    See also Matthew 11:24, "ge" seems to refer to people rather than land, ground, or our planet.
     
  7. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Two more uses of "ge" referring to people - Mark 2:10 and Luke 5:22.

    Thus the case is solid, the Greek word translated "earth" in 2 Peter 3:10 probably should be rendered people or humans or the like, given that the actual last word in the verse means exposed.

    Note that exposing the earth seems without meaning, but exposing the people and their works makes sense.
     
    #7 Van, Apr 30, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2021
  8. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    When "ge" is used to refer the people, the meaning should be clearly translated, rather than asking the reader to infer.
     
  9. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    If we consider Revelation 13:3, the better translation choice would be "the people of the whole land" rather than all the people of the world. This narrows the extent to those who marveled, and leaves room for some who did not.
     
  10. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Revelations 13:3
    I saw one of his heads as if it had been fatally wounded, and his fatal wound was healed. And the citizenship of the whole land was amazed and followed after the beast;
     
  11. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    ...lol, Van, you ever get the feeling that you're talking to yourself? :D
     
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  12. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Well I have developed rather low expectations of useful responses from those who do not study God's word verse by verse, word by word.

    Note that the quoted post did not address the usage of "ge" to refer to the people of the region. Nor whether 2 Peter 3:10 makes sense as typically translated. Nope, all I get is silence or twaddle.
     
  13. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    ...still haven't 'developed' a sense of humor though...
     
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  14. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    I think Jesus had a sense of humor. I seem to recall where Jesus asked a scoffer about the Law, "how does it read to you?"
     
  15. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    2 Peter 3:10:
    "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the sun, moon and visible stars will be destroyed with intense heat, and humanity and her works will be exposed."

    Note this edited version chooses to translate the Greek "ge" as humanity rather than "earth" because it is humanity that will be judged, and in a similar vein, the last word reflects the variant that means exposed, rather than the one meaning burned up.
     
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