Learning to Speak (and Translate) Human

Blogger and Bible translator Eddie Arthur blogged a few days ago on Learning to Speak Human. Eddie began:

Bible Translation is essentially about communicating the Gospel; finding ways to re-express the eternal truths of the Scriptures in a new languages. However, communicating the Gospel is not merely a task for the specialist, it is something that every Christian is called to be involved in.

I hope that you have been reading the series of posts by BBB contributor Rich Rhodes. Rich is emphasizing that good Bible translation requires understanding the differences among semantically related words in the original biblical language texts. Then Rich will end his series by emphasizing that those original meaning distinctions need to be expressed in natural English, as spoken and written naturally by humans.

And that brings us back to Eddie's post. Does the main Bible that you use sound like it was written in English that is actually spoken or written by humans? If not, why not? And does it matter? Did Jesus speak the language of humans when he was born and grew old enough to speak? Or did he speak in a special "religious dialect" so what he said might sound more "sacred"? Does "sacred language" communicate God's messages to humans any better than ordinary, good quality human languages (including English) do?

ἐπιτιμάω - Part IV

As we work our way through the words that are synonyms or near synonyms of ἐπιτιμάω, we have seen that there are many words in the NT for telling people what to do or what not to do. The common translations of all these words as “order” and “command” wipe out the subtleties of meaning that are in the Greek. Even Louw and Nida don’t do well in explaining the senses. Some of the words are fairly neutral in their implications, παραγγέλλω “tell someone to do something”, διαστέλλομαι “tell someone not to do something”. Some words are focused on the action or result more than on the speech act: διατάσσω “instruct someone”, τάσσω “arrange something with someone”. And some words carry implications about the person issuing the order as in the case of κελεύω “give/issue orders” which implies that the speaker is a person of authority.

Now we turn to a word that is like κελεύω in that it implies something about the speaker. The word is ἐντέλλομαι. The similarity with κελεύω is that it implies that the speaker has authority, but it differs from κελεύω, in that the authority is in the religious/spiritual realm. Thus it deserves its own post.

ἐντέλλομαι is used fifteen times in the NT. Thirteen times it is predicated of figures of religious authority, God (five times), e.g.,

Luke 4:10

10 γεγραπται γαρ οτι τοις αγγελοις αυτου εντελειται περι σου του διαφυλαξαι σε

10 For the scripture says, ‘God will order his angels to take good care of you.’[1]

Moses (four times), e.g.,

Mark 10:3

3 ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις τι υμιν ενετειλατο μωυσης

3 Jesus answered with a question, “What law did Moses give you?”

or Jesus (six times), e.g.,

Matt. 17:9

9 και καταβαινοντων αυτων εκ του ορους ενετειλατο αυτοις ο ιησους λεγων μηδενι ειπητε το οραμα εως ου ο υιος του ανθρωπου εκ νεκρων εγερθη

9 As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from death.”

Twice Jesus uses it of himself, both times in the same passage in John 15:

John 15:14

14 υμεις φιλοι μου εστε εαν ποιητε α εγω εντελλομαι υμιν

14 And you are my friends if you do what I command you.

John 15:17

17 ταυτα εντελλομαι υμιν ινα αγαπατε αλληλους

17 This, then, is what I command you: love one another.

Of the remaining two occurrences it is once predicated of the partiarch Joseph,

Heb. 11:22

22 πιστει ιωσηφ τελευτων περι της εξοδου των υιων ισραηλ εμνημονευσεν και περι των οστεων αυτου ενετειλατο

22 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body.

and once it is predicated of a rich man in a parable:

Mark 13:34

34 ως ανθρωπος αποδημος αφεις την οικιαν αυτου και δους τοις δουλοις αυτου την εξουσιαν εκαστω το εργον αυτου και τω θυρωρω ενετειλατο ινα γρηγορη

34 It will be like a man who goes away from home on a trip and leaves his servants in charge, after giving to each one his own work to do and after telling the doorkeeper to keep watch.

So how should we translate κελεύω and ἐντέλλομαι? Are there English expressions which bear implications of the authority of the the speaker?

The answer is yes there are.

Consider the two expressions, give an orderand the very churchy expression give a commandment. Only military personnel and officials can give orders. Only religious authorities of times past can give commandments. These expressions are pretty close to the senses of the Greek with the exception that English give a commandment is restricted to something that happened in the past. It’s hard to imagine even the Pope giving a commandment. The Greek doesn’t have that constraint, so in a few places such translations may sound awkward, but mostly they work, as in the following examples.

κελεύω – give orders

Matt. 27:58

58 ουτος προσελθων τω πιλατω ητησατο το σωμα του ιησου τοτε ο πιλατος εκελευσεν αποδοθηναι

58 He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate gave orders for the body to be given to Joseph.

ἐντέλλομαι – give a commandment

Matt. 19:7

7 λεγουσιν αυτω τι ουν μωυσης ενετειλατο δουναι βιβλιον αποστασιου και απολυσαι αυτην

7 The Pharisees asked him, “Why, then, did Moses give the law for a man to hand his wife a divorce notice and send her away?”

better: 7 The Pharisees asked him, “Why, then, did Moses give a commandment for a man to hand his wife a divorce notice and send her away?”

But once we start talking about orders and commandments, the line of inquiry brings us into the realm of words for laws and rules, which include: νόμος, δόγμα, and κανών, as well as some of the nouns derived from the verbs we have been looking at, παραγγελία, διαταγή and διάταγμα, ἐπιταγή, κέλευσμα, and ἐντολή and ἔνταλμα. But working out the distinctions in meaning for all these words is too far afield for a study of ἐπιτιμάω. We now know enough about NT Greek verbs for telling people what to do or not do.

Having exhausted this side of ἐπιτιμάω, we need to turn to the question of how speak sharply to people, i.e., the side of rebuke that English emphasizes. That will come in the next installment.

[1] All translations are GNB, unless I've proposed a revision. All the revisions are based on the GNB as well.

Appendix I

Since I promised to say something more about διατάσσω referring to laws and orders, I’m adding this appendix.

There are two places in the NT where διατάσσω, a legitimate near synonym of ἐπιτιμάω, refers to something we would call law rather than what we would call instructions. First in Acts 18:2 διατάσσω is used to mean ‘issue a decree’.

Acts 18:2

2 και ευρων τινα ιουδαιον ονοματι ακυλαν ποντικον τω γενει προσφατως εληλυθοτα απο της ιταλιας και πρισκιλλαν γυναικα αυτου δια το διατεταχεναι κλαυδιον χωριζεσθαι παντας τους ιουδαιους απο της ρωμης προσηλθεν αυτοις

2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, for Emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, [better: Claudius decreed that all the Jews had to leave Rome]

Of course, when the Emporer gives instructions, they have the force of law.

The second place is in Luke.

Luke 3:13

13 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε

13 “Don’t collect more than is legal,” he told them.

It's awkward to gloss παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν as ‘according what was instructed to you’. The phrase means ‘according to what you have been instructed [to collect]’. Of course, what tax collectors are asked to collect is the law, so the GNB translation isn't really wrong. But perhaps it would be better to render it in terms of instructions.

Luke 3:13

13 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε

Better: 13 “Don’t collect more than you have been instructed to,” he told them.

The syntactically parallel usages of participles (once middle and twice passive) more clearly mean ‘instructions’ or, because instructions given to soldiers are called orders, ‘orders’.

Luke 17:9-10

9 μη εχει χαριν τω δουλω οτι εποιησεν τα διαταχθεντα 10 ουτως και υμεις οταν ποιησητε παντα τα διαταχθεντα υμιν λεγετε οτι δουλοι αχρειοι εσμεν ο ωφειλομεν ποιησαι πεποιηκαμεν

9 The servant does not deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? 10 It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.’

Better: 9 The servant does not deserve thanks for following instructions, does he? 10 It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been instructed to do, say, ‘We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.’

Acts 23:31

31 οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον παυλον ηγαγον δια νυκτος εις την αντιπατριδα

31 The soldiers carried out their orders. They got Paul and took him that night as far as Antipatris.

Better: 31 Following their orders the soldiers took Paul that night and went as far as Antipatris.

Appendix II

The following are the verses containing the words ἐντέλλομαι and διατάσσω. In addition to the GNB translations, I have added suggested translations based on the GNB that more accurately reflect the sense of the words in question as we have worked it out in this series of posts.

ἐντέλλομαι – command, give a commandment (of a religious authority: of God, Moses, or Jesus 13/15 times)

Matt. 4:6

6 και λεγει αυτω ει υιος ει του θεου βαλε σεαυτον κατω γεγραπται γαρ οτι τοις αγγελοις αυτου εντελειται περι σου και επι χειρων αρουσιν σε μηποτε προσκοψης προς λιθον τον ποδα σου

6 and said to him, “If you are God’s Son, throw yourself down, for the scripture says, ‘God will give orders to his angels about you; they will hold you up with their hands, so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.’ “

Better: 6 and said to him, “If you are God’s Son, throw yourself down, for the scripture says, ‘God will command his angels about you; they will hold you up with their hands, so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.’ “

Matt. 17:9

9 και καταβαινοντων αυτων εκ του ορους ενετειλατο αυτοις ο ιησους λεγων μηδενι ειπητε το οραμα εως ου ο υιος του ανθρωπου εκ νεκρων εγερθη

9 As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from death.”

Better: 9 As they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from death.”

Matt. 19:7

7 λεγουσιν αυτω τι ουν μωυσης ενετειλατο δουναι βιβλιον αποστασιου και απολυσαι αυτην

7 The Pharisees asked him, “Why, then, did Moses give the law for a man to hand his wife a divorce notice and send her away?”

Better: 7 The Pharisees asked him, “Why, then, did Moses give a commandment allowing a man to hand his wife a divorce notice and send her away?”

Matt. 28:20

20 διδασκοντες αυτους τηρειν παντα οσα ενετειλαμην υμιν και ιδου εγω μεθ υμων ειμι πασας τας ημερας εως της συντελειας του αιωνος

20 and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”

Mark 10:3

3 ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις τι υμιν ενετειλατο μωυσης

3 Jesus answered with a question, “What law did Moses give you?”

Better: 3 Jesus answered with a question, “What commandment did Moses give you?”

Mark 13:34

34 ως ανθρωπος αποδημος αφεις την οικιαν αυτου και δους τοις δουλοις αυτου την εξουσιαν εκαστω το εργον αυτου και τω θυρωρω ενετειλατο ινα γρηγορη

34 It will be like a man who goes away from home on a trip and leaves his servants in charge, after giving to each one his own work to do and after telling the doorkeeper to keep watch.

Better: 34 It will be like a man who goes away from home on a trip and leaves his servants in charge, after giving to each one his own work to do and after commanding the doorkeeper to keep watch.

Luke 4:10

10 γεγραπται γαρ οτι τοις αγγελοις αυτου εντελειται περι σου του διαφυλαξαι σε

10 For the scripture says, ‘God will order his angels to take good care of you.’

Better: 10 For the scripture says, ‘God will command his angels to take good care of you.’

John 8:5

5 εν δε τω νομω ημιν μωυσης ενετειλατο τας τοιαυτας λιθαζειν συ ουν τι λεγεις

5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?”

Better: 5 In our Law Moses gave a commandment that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?”

John 14:31

31 αλλ ινα γνω ο κοσμος οτι αγαπω τον πατερα και καθως ενετειλατο μοι ο πατηρ ουτως ποιω εγειρεσθε αγωμεν εντευθεν

31 but the world must know that I love the Father; that is why I do everything as he commands me. “Come, let us go from this place.

John 15:14

14 υμεις φιλοι μου εστε εαν ποιητε α εγω εντελλομαι υμιν

14 And you are my friends if you do what I command you.

John 15:17

17 ταυτα εντελλομαι υμιν ινα αγαπατε αλληλους

17 This, then, is what I command you: love one another.

Better: 17 This, then, is the commandment I give you: love one another.

Acts 1:2

2 αχρι ης ημερας εντειλαμενος τοις αποστολοις δια πνευματος αγιου ους εξελεξατο ανελημφθη

2 until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before he was taken up, he gave instructions by the power of the Holy Spirit to the men he had chosen as his apostles.

Better: 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before he was taken up, he gave commandments by the power of the Holy Spirit to the men he had chosen as his apostles.

Acts 13:47

47 ουτως γαρ εντεταλται ημιν ο κυριος τεθεικα σε εις φως εθνων του ειναι σε εις σωτηριαν εως εσχατου της γης

47 For this is the commandment that the Lord has given us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, so that all the world may be saved.’ “

Heb. 9:20

20 λεγων τουτο το αιμα της διαθηκης ης ενετειλατο προς υμας ο θεος

20 He said, “This is the blood which seals the covenant that God has commanded you to obey.”

Heb. 11:22

22 πιστει ιωσηφ τελευτων περι της εξοδου των υιων ισραηλ εμνημονευσεν και περι των οστεων αυτου ενετειλατο

22 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and leave instructions about what should be done with his body.

Better: 22 It was faith that made Joseph, when he was about to die, speak of the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and gave a commandment about what should be done with his body.

διατάσσω

Matt. 11:1

1 και εγενετο οτε ετελεσεν ο ιησους διατασσων τοις δωδεκα μαθηταις αυτου μετεβη εκειθεν του διδασκειν και κηρυσσειν εν ταις πολεσιν αυτων

1 When Jesus finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he left that place and went off to teach and preach in the towns near there.

Luke 3:13

13 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε

13 “Don’t collect more than is legal,” he told them.

Better: 13 “Don’t collect more than you have been instructed to,” he told them.

Luke 8:55

55 και επεστρεψεν το πνευμα αυτης και ανεστη παραχρημα και διεταξεν αυτη δοθηναι φαγειν

55 Her life returned, and she got up at once, and Jesus ordered them to give her something to eat.

Better: 55 Her life returned, and she got up at once, and Jesus instructed them to give her something to eat.

Luke 17:9-10

9 μη εχει χαριν τω δουλω οτι εποιησεν τα διαταχθεντα 10 ουτως και υμεις οταν ποιησητε παντα τα διαταχθεντα υμιν λεγετε οτι δουλοι αχρειοι εσμεν ο ωφειλομεν ποιησαι πεποιηκαμεν

9 The servant does not deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? 10 It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been told to do, say, ‘We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.’

Better: 9 The servant does not deserve thanks for following instructions, does he? 10 It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been instructed to do, say, ‘We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.’

Acts 7:44

44 η σκηνη του μαρτυριου ην τοις πατρασιν ημων εν τη ερημω καθως διεταξατο ο λαλων τω μωυση ποιησαι αυτην κατα τον τυπον ον εωρακει

44 “Our ancestors had the Tent of God’s presence with them in the desert. It had been made as God had told Moses to make it, according to the pattern that Moses had been shown.

Better:44 “Our ancestors had the Tent of God’s presence with them in the desert. It had been made as God instructed Moses to make it, according to the pattern that Moses had been shown.

Acts 18:2

2 και ευρων τινα ιουδαιον ονοματι ακυλαν ποντικον τω γενει προσφατως εληλυθοτα απο της ιταλιας και πρισκιλλαν γυναικα αυτου δια το διατεταχεναι κλαυδιον χωριζεσθαι παντας τους ιουδαιους απο της ρωμης προσηλθεν αυτοις

2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, for Emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

Better:2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, for the Emperor Claudius had decreed that all the Jews had to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

Acts 20:13

13 ημεις δε προελθοντες επι το πλοιον ανηχθημεν επι την ασσον εκειθεν μελλοντες αναλαμβανειν τον παυλον ουτως γαρ διατεταγμενος ην μελλων αυτος πεζευειν

13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed off to Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had told us to do this, because he was going there by land.

Better:13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed off to Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had instructed us to do this, because he was going there by land.

Acts 23:31

31 οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον παυλον ηγαγον δια νυκτος εις την αντιπατριδα

31 The soldiers carried out their orders. They got Paul and took him that night as far as Antipatris.

Better: 31 Following their orders the soldiers took Paul that night and went as far as Antipatris.

Acts 24:23

23 διαταξαμενος τω εκατονταρχη τηρεισθαι αυτον εχειν τε ανεσιν και μηδενα κωλυειν των ιδιων αυτου υπηρετειν αυτω

23 He ordered the officer in charge of Paul to keep him under guard, but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to provide for his needs.

Better: 23 He instructed the officer in charge of Paul to keep him under guard, but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to provide for his needs.

1Cor. 7:17

17 ει μη εκαστω ως εμερισεν ο κυριος εκαστον ως κεκληκεν ο θεος ουτως περιπατειτω και ουτως εν ταις εκκλησιαις πασαις διατασσομαι

17 Each of you should go on living according to the Lord’s gift to you, and as you were when God called you. This is the rule I teach in all the churches.

Better: 17 Each of you should go on living according to the Lord’s gift to you, and as you were when God called you. This is what I teach in all the churches.

1Cor. 9:14

14 ουτως και ο κυριος διεταξεν τοις το ευαγγελιον καταγγελλουσιν εκ του ευαγγελιου ζην

14 In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who preach the gospel should get their living from it.

Better: 14 In the same way, the Lord has given instructions that those who preach the gospel should get their living from it.

1Cor. 11:34

34 ει τις πεινα εν οικω εσθιετω ινα μη εις κριμα συνερχησθε τα δε λοιπα ως αν ελθω διαταξομαι

34 And if any of you are hungry, you should eat at home, so that you will not come under God’s judgment as you meet together. As for the other matters, I will settle them when I come.

1Cor. 16:1

1 περι δε της λογειας της εις τους αγιους ωσπερ διεταξα ταις εκκλησιαις της γαλατιας ουτως και υμεις ποιησατε

1 Now, concerning what you wrote about the money to be raised to help God’s people in Judea. You must do what I told the churches in Galatia to do.

Better: 1 Now, concerning what you wrote about the money to be raised to help God’s people in Judea. You must do what I instructed the churches in Galatia to do.

Gal. 3:19

19 τι ουν ο νομος των παραβασεων χαριν προσετεθη αχρις ου ελθη το σπερμα ω επηγγελται διαταγεις δι αγγελων εν χειρι μεσιτου

19 What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added in order to show what wrongdoing is, and it was meant to last until the coming of Abraham’s descendant, to whom the promise was made. The Law was handed down by angels, with a man acting as a go-between.

Tit. 1:5

5 τουτου χαριν απελιπον σε εν κρητη ινα τα λειποντα επιδιορθωση και καταστησης κατα πολιν πρεσβυτερους ως εγω σοι διεταξαμην 6 ει τις εστιν ανεγκλητος μιας γυναικος ανηρ τεκνα εχων πιστα μη εν κατηγορια ασωτιας η ανυποτακτα

5 I left you in Crete, so that you could put in order the things that still needed doing and appoint church elders in every town. Remember my instructions: 6 an elder must be without fault; he must have only one wife, and his children must be believers and not have the reputation of being wild or disobedient.

Sacred speech

Stephen Smith blogged on the ESV Bible blog yesterday about Sacred speech found in liturgies. He refers to Bible translation in his conclusion:

Translating a liturgy does not precisely correspond to translating the Bible, since you often read the Bible outside of public worship settings. Nevertheless, this historical context helps explain how tradition has shaped the translation of the Bible into English.

Some churches with more formal liturgies (even Baptist and Pentecostal churches have a kind of "liturgy" with their own "sacred speech") like the language of the ESV precisely because it has the sound of a Bible within the long Tyndale-KJV tradition. English Bible versions such as the Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, and The Message sound too contemporary for most formal liturgies.

I wonder how liturgical and "traditional" the language of the original biblical texts sounded to their audience?

Bibles in NEU (Normal English Usage)

James comments on a recent post:

Perhaps we get too caught up with "...normal English usage..." sometimes. If normal English usage was a vocabulary of 300 words, would the Biblical texts and other Sacred texts thus be limited? If the richness of a language suffers over time, is there not some way to repair the damage, or at least stop the bleeding? "Normal English Usage" is starting to feel like a crutch, or even a walker. Eventually, it appears that NEU (normal english usage) will become a stretcher.

James raises an important point which needs to be clarified. That is the distinction between NEU (Normal English Usage) and LEP (Limited English Proficiency). Native speakers of any dialect of English have vocabularies far, far larger than 300 in number, which might be the number of words found in the BBE (Bible in Basic English), which was designed for LEP speakers.

I have no idea how many words a "normal" speaker of English knows but I would guess it would in the thousands, perhaps 10,000 or so.

My own opinion is that the level of English we use in translations to be used by millions of speakers of standard dialects of English should be equivalent to the levels of Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek found in the original biblical texts. There are thousands of different words found in the original biblical texts, but nearly all of them would have been easily understood by all fluent Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek speakers who lived during the time period that the authors of the individual books of the Bible lived. Those authors did not used a limited vocabulary. Nor did they use a specialist, technical vocabulary. They did not use colloquial "street language," for the most part, although there are a few examples of such language in the Bible. Nor did they, for the most part, use the elevated classical language of Socrates, Plato, and the other classical authors of ancient times.

I would think that it would be appropriate to use "normal English" in Bible translations, English which is grammatical and understood by millions of fluent speakers of English around the world. There are some speciality audiences, such as foreign students learning English as a second language or Native Americans (First Nations people) who can benefit from Bibles produced with limited vocabularies. Such Bibles have already been produced and have been used with such audiences, such as the New Life Bible for Native American (First Nations peoples). The Good News Bible was originally produced for speakers of English as a second language. But it opened up the meaning of the Bible to so many native speakers of English (including myself when I first read it in the late 1960s) that it was soon marketed for all speakers of English. The Good News Bible, by the way, is not written with a limited English vocabulary.

Good News for Everyone VIII: Sanctification

Today I am looking at Nida's discussion of the term "saints" and how to translate hagioi. The GNB usually translates it as the "people of God."

The term "saints" is another word which has lost much of its real significance as the result of popular usage and misconceptions as to its true biblical meaning. For many people, "saints" are only the patron saints of persons or institutions, and as heavenly beings they are supposed to intercede for their devotees.

For others, "saints" are only those specially devout and holy persons who are often more sanctimonious than sanctified. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the "sanctified" and indicates that they were called to be "saints," while in his second letter the apostle addresses them as "saints," but obviously he wants them to be far more consecrated to the work and worship of God than they as yet are.

In order to reproduce more faithfully the meaning of the Greek term traditionally translated "saints," it is much better to speak of "the people of God," even as Today's English Version does. They have not always been fully consecrated or sanctified, but they do belong to God, and as his people they are the objects of his constant concern and love. page 74 - 75

I asked Dr. Packer what he would use for the word hagioi ἁγίοι in the situation of translating the Bible for the first time into a new language. He suggested "committed", or "given to God."

With this in mind, I want to revisit the last two paragraphs of the Statement of Concern against the TNIV.

How do they know that changing "saints" to "those" in Acts 9:13 or to "believers" in Acts 9:32 or to God's people" in Romans 8:27 does not sacrifice precious connotations of holiness which the Greek word carries. To justify translating "saints" as "believers" because it refers to believers is like justifying translating "sweetheart" as "wife" because that is who it refers to.

Because of this we cannot endorse the TNIV as sufficiently trustworthy to commend to the church. We do not believe it is a translation suitable for use as a normal preaching and teaching text of the church or for common memorizing, study, and reading Bible of the Christian community.

This discussion of "saints", continues the series on Nida, but also rounds up the last of the points in the Statement of Concern and my interview with Dr. Packer.

I realize that by now, at least one of our readers has forgotten why God might be said to have "children" instead of only "sons". I do my best to be a faithful reminder, but nonetheless I have had a request to rerun this and start over again at the beginning. Maybe next year. Maybe not.

I will be taking a break for the rest of the summer but expect to be around and will drop back in once in a while. I just want to add that I have not been here on this blog to promote an egalitarian agenda, although others have given me that label, and I see no reason to deny it. But it seems utterly irrelevant to my position here. Authority resides in word and truth, not in man or woman.

Concerning my defense of the single woman Bible translator, I was rereading my sister's autobiography the other day and noticed where she talked about her first experience on the mission field working with another woman, a Bible translator. I have rephrased their experience here.

My sister went to live with a small community of missionaries in a faraway place and teach high school and evangelize. There were a few older missionaries and another young woman, a Bible translator, and later a couple of young men came too.

In all the meetings the women were silent. Even at the Friday evening prayer meeting only the men prayed. Later the Bible translator told my sister that, not only, had she never spoken during a meeting, but no one had ever even prayed for her work.

The younger missionaries finally started up a group with some of the local young people and in this group the women spoke. That went okay for a while until James arrived. He not only knew that women were to be silent but he also knew how to silence women.

If a woman speaks then you must not acknowledge it. You freeze and do not turn your head or move a muscle. Then when the woman stops you carry on as if not a sound had been made. If this happens, the woman has not spoken but she has only made a noise.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

New Living Bible Review

Rick at This Lamp has reviewed the New Living Translation as #4 in his series of Bible reviews. There is a short addendum to this review here.

Rick offers some indepth analysis of the difference between the earlier New Living Translation, 1996, and the recent one in 2004.

I have tried to choose an excerpt form this review but every time I do, the rest of the review beomes more interesting than the last. So I really can't pick out a piece!

Thanks, Rick, I certainly enjoy reading your reviews.

Good News for Everyone VII: Latinizations

On the topic of using Latin derived words which are technical terms for certain concepts in systematic theology, Nida writes,

When Good News for Modern Man was published, some readers said they were shocked not to find the word "propitiation" in 1 John 2:2. Was it possible that the translator did not believe in the "propitiation for sins"? What these persons did not sense waas their own misunderstanding of the meaning of "propitiation" which really refers to the process of "making someone favourably inclined toward another."

The English term "propitiation" might be described as a highbrow way of talking about arm-twisting, but there is no need for arm-twisting to get God on man's side. It was God who was in Christ reconciling the world to himself; Christ did not have to reconcile God to the world.

The Greek noun hilasmos and the related verb hilaskomai never occur in the New Tesament with God as the object, and in 1 John 2:2 it is not the propitiation of sin but the expiation of sin which is spoken of. For many readers, however, the term "expiation" would be even more difficult than "propitiation." In fact, both "expiation" and "propitiation" like "justification," "sanctification," and "predestination" are not much more than anglicized Latin. The words exist in dictionaries, but they are only very rarely heard in speech.

Hence, even if the phrase "expiation of sins" is to be understood, it is much better rendered in 1 John 2:2 as "An Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven." With this wording the vital message of this important verse becomes crystal clear.

Chapter 7, page 73

When I interveiwed the editor of the ESV, I asked him if the committee had considered the different ways that ἱλασμός hilasmos had been translated before the King James Version, for example, the way Tyndale translated it. He replied, "In Tyndale, it is propitiation, is it not?" Our time was short and we did not continue on this topic. However, it is one which fascinates me.

"Jhesu Crist, and he is the foryyuenes for oure synnes; and not oneli for oure synnes, but also for the synnes of al the world." Wycliffe 1395

"And he it is that obteyneth grace for oure synnes: not for oure synnes only: but also for the synnes of all the worlde." Tyndale 1525

"And he is ye attonement for our sinnes: not for our sinnes only, but also for the sinnes of all the worlde." Bishops Bible 1568

"And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes: and not for ours onely, but also for the sinnes of the whole world." Geneva Bible 1587

"And he is the propitiation for our sinnes: and not for ours onely, but also for the sinnes of the whole world." King James Version 1611

"He is the the victim that has expiated our sins: and not ours only, but likewise the sins of the whole world." Mace Bible 1729

"And He is an atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Weymouth 1903

"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." TNIV 2001

And yet, there are those that would argue that "propitiation" is the best word for communication. Even if these theologians disdain King James Onlyism in full, it seems to me that they support it in part.

If you are translating the Bible into a language that has never had the Bible before, you are going to need to find a way to communicate this thought without resorting to borrowings to create new technical terms. You actually have to come to grips with what a word means.

English is unusual, but not unique, in its ability to encorporate words from other languages into its lexicon. From 1066 to 1362, approximately, the French language occupied a dominant position in England. Later, in the 15th and 16th centuries, French became a major source of new vocabulary for English. Because of the constant influence of French, the English language developed strategies for encorporating words from Latin and other languages directly into its vocabulary.

This is not a universal characteristic of language. In many ways I have found that the German Bible presents the situation that is more likely to be found in Bible translation. One actually has to find a word that exists already in that language and make use of it. You simply are not allowed to borrow in a new Latin term whenever you feel like it. The early English Bibles also come closer to this than the King James.

Good News for Everyone VI: Redemption

Yesterday, in the comment section, the REB version of Ephesians 1:3 - 10 was proposed. I found verse 7 particularly rhythmic and meaningful. This version has translated ἀπολύτρωσις as 'release' instead of 'redemption.' This sounds closer to the Greek, and the later clarification that this release is indeed acquired through 'the shedding of his blood', assures that no meaning is lost.

In Christ our release is secured and our sins forgiven through the shedding of his blood. Eph. 1:3 - 10 REB

In the Good News Bible and the Bible in Worldwide English, the equally accurate expressions 'set free' or 'make free' are used. Some people may have been displeased to see a Bible without 'redemption' in it. On this theme, I am going to jump ahead in Good News for Everyone to chapter 7, page 74. After discussing latinizations, which I will mention later, Nida takes up the subject of 'redemption',

Even more disturbed was a man who issued a statement asserting that "redemption has been completely removed from Today's English Version." It is true that the noun "redemption" is not used, but the verb "redeem" does occur, as in Revelation 14:4, and the noun "redeemer" occurs in Psalm 19:14. Moreover, the real meaning of the biblical concept of "redeem" and "redeemer" is expressed by other terms which represent more faithfully the message of the Scripture.

The fact of the matter is that the terms "redeem" and "redeemer" have lost very much of their earlier significance in English. For many people "redeem" is associated more with trading stamps than with the biblical theme of deliverance and salvation. In those contexts in which there is specific reference to the ancient practice of redeeming a slave through a payment, the Good News Bible makes this clear by rendering "God bought you for a price" (1 Cor. 6:20 and 7:23). But where the reference is to the way in which God delivers his people - as reflecting the experience of Israel in being rescued from Egypt - such words as "deliver," "save," "rescue" are employed, for these terms express more clearly what God does in "setting free" his people.

There was a time in church history when theologians tried to insist that wherever the Greek term apolutrōsis occurs, it must be interpreted literally as "redemption," in the sense of making a payment. But then these theologians encountered major difficulties. To whom could God make such a payment? Driven by their own logic, these theologians could only conclude that God had to pay the devil in order to buy back people from his control. In pushing such an argument to its logical (or better, its illogical) extreme, they only succeeded in distorting the truth of God's intervention into history to deliver and save his people.

While I find this discussion by Nida very helpful, I would just like to add that Liddell Scott, 1871, provides two meaning for ἀπολύτρωσις - a releasing, redemption. It seems to me that 'release'as a translation for ἀπολύτρωσις is underrepresented. The German Erlösung is also closer to release than redemption, I think.

Good News for Everyone V: Worldwide English

Here are a few examples of language strategies in the Bible in Worldwide English.

1. Circumlocution

In this case 'who are not true' is used instead of 'false' creating an extremely awkward sentence.

My dear brothers, do not trust every spirit. But test the spirits to see if they belong to God. There are many prophets who are not true who have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

2. Addition of Implied Information

The words 'to pay for' are added make explicit what is clearly intended in the original.

This is love! We did not love God, but he loved us. And he sent his Son to be the sacrifice to pay for the wrong things we have done. 1 John 4:10

Here Jesus' name is added where the Greek has the Beloved. This seems to be a legitimate clarification.

Praise him! His kindness is great and wonderful. We have been accepted by God through Jesus Christ, whom he loves so much. Eph. 1:6

3. Avoidance of Latinization

The phrase 'to make us free' replaces redemption. Since redemption is not a frequently used word in English, and certainly not with this meaning, this seems an improvement.

Jesus Christ has given his blood [died] to make us free Eph. 1:7

4. Repetition

Verbal phrases are often repeated in order to create short sentences without subordinate clauses and fewer words per sentence.

God chose us in Christ. He chose us that we should be holy and good before him Eph.1:4

5. Omission

In this case the term 'mystery' is omitted altogether. 'Mystery of his will' is simply written as 'plan.'

He has shown us the plan he had. Eph. 1:9

Overall, these different strategies create a somewhat uneven language style. However, some make a significant difference and deserve to be emulated. Certainly # 2 and #3 seem like essential translation strategies.

I have below given the BWE, ESV and the GNB for Eph. 1:3 - 10. It is clear that the GNB makes use of many of the strategies of the BWE. The language of the original is notoriously compact and difficult to understand. The ESV more literally represents the Greek, but does not always create meaning in the mind of the English reader.

If, in fact, the words used in Greek were more familiar to a Greek reader than the corresponding words used in the ESV, which I use to represent a traditional and literal translation, then the changes made by the BWE and the GNB would be legitimate.

Ephesians 1:3 - 10

Bible in Worldwide English

3Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has blessed us in Christ with every blessing which is in heaven, such as the Spirit gives us.Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ. He chose us that we should be holy and good before him. 5Because he loved us, he planned that we should be his own children. It is through Jesus Christ that we are God's children. That is the way God wanted it to be. 6Praise him! His kindness is great and wonderful. We have been accepted by God through Jesus Christ, whom he loves so much. 7Jesus Christ has given his blood [died] to make us free. He has forgiven us for our wrong ways. We have been put right with God freely because of his great kindness. 8He has given us blessing after blessing in his wisdom and understanding. 9He has shown us the plan he had. This plan was what he wanted to do through Christ. 10When the right time came, God planned to bring together everything in heaven and on earth, and make Christ head of them all.

ESV

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5he predestined us[b] for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9making known[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth

Good News Bible

Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love God F2 had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children---this was his pleasure and purpose. Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! For by the blood of Christ F3 we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, which he gave to us in such large measure! In all his wisdom and insight God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.

Is a Paraphrase in the Eye of the Beholder?

The conversation on Bible translation continued a few days ago on Rick Mansfield's blog, with an excellent comment section. Here is the question, Is a Paraphrase in the Eye of the Beholder? Rick quotes from A User's Guide to Bible Translations by David Dewey.

So how does one designate a work as a paraphrase in distinction to "an extreme meaning-driven" paraphrase? On p. 42 of Dewey's book, he writes, "Strictly speaking, a paraphrase is not a translation from one language to another, but a rewording in the same language."

Of course, Dewey admits that this definition doesn't cover Phillips' NT or Peterson's The Message since they were both rendered from the original languages. To allow for this, Dewey then further defines a paraphrase as "any free rendering, regardless of whether it was made from another English version or from the Greek and Hebrew."

I suppose that such a broad definition would then allow one to include the CEV and GNB as a paraphrase, but then again, why not the NLT, too? The real question for Dewey would then have to be how he is defining "free" in the qualifying definition.

Interestingly, in his section about paraphrases on pp. 42-43, Dewey does not include the CEV and GNB in his discussion, but he does mention the Living Bible, The Message, and J. B. Phillips' New Testament. On p. 203, Dewey says that a paraphrase such as the Message should never be used as a principle Bible, but if he considers the CEV and the GNB to be paraphrases as well, would he say the same thing about these versions? Many people do, in fact, use these two "translations" (my designation) as their primary Bible.

So really is 'any free rendering' a paraphrase, regardless of whether the translator used the original languages or not? I would be interested in hearing from more people on this.

The traditional position would be that the Bible in Worldwide English is not a translation, since Annie Cressman was an educator, in this case, of students who used English as a second language, but there is no record of her knowing Greek. However, the Good News Bible is a translation, since the committee was well-versed in Greek and Hebrew.

Helen Barrett Montgomery

This is a bit of a diversion but it allows me to put to rest something that I had been thinking about since I first read Köstenberger's post "Saved by Childbearing."last March. Recently I came across a translation of the NT from the Greek by Helen Montgomery, 1924. Here is 1 Tim. 2:15 in her version.

Notwithstanding she will be saved by the Child-bearing; (so will they all), if they live in faith and love and holiness, with self- restraint. (From the Montgomery NT found in the The Bible Tool .)

(It is well worth looking at The Bible Tool site as it offers many Bible versions which I have not been able to find elsewhere.)

I also received an email from a commenter to this effect.

Do you think this verse might be placed over against God's pronouncement to Eve about bearing children in pain (or "sorrow")? That through Christ, faithful women will experience victory even in the painful processes of birthing and raising children?

In general, it seems to me that women do look at this passage differently. They read into it the actual act of child-bearing and interpret "saved by child-bearing" in several ways. This could be either preservation from mortality, victory over pain, or the positive consequences of a sacrificial act in order to give life. Child-bearing is still interpreted in diverse ways by women, either as the act of the individual, of the female sex as a whole, or of Mary in bearing Christ. However, it is still child-bearing.

What women do not think this means is being preserved from temptation by Satan through remaining within the domestic sphere. What could be more soul-destroying for a single woman than feeling she must, that is, be obliged to, remain within the child-rearing sphere even though she has no children of her own. What a delight it may be to choose to do this, but to regard it as an obligation could only cause grief, not preservation from Satan.

However, Köstenberger does apply this to the single woman,

Passages such as the present one appear to indicate that it is precisely by participating in her role pertaining to the family that women fulfill their central calling. Moreover, if the reference to “childbearing” should indeed be understood as synecdoche, even unmarried women are to retain a focus on the domestic sphere and all that it entails.

In summary, I would personally not be concerned about whether this verse was actually translated "saved by childbearing", but I do not find that the other translations offered by women, as well as Darby and Luther are out of the way. They do not represent to me any kind of exegetical gymnastics. They are, if anything far more literal than Köstenberger's hermeneutic, which is dependent on the synecdoche. He quotes some support for this, however, but all of it male as far as I can see.

In summary, I most certainly agree with Köstenberger that women should not seek liberation from all encumbrances of family responsibilities. The absence of any mention of my own family, husband and children, from this blog only indicates how carefully I guard their identity from public. However, they are my 'central calling'.

Regarding the single woman, she should not be bound by synecdoche.

Thank goodness, I don't have correspondingly strong opinions about some of the other 'woman passages' in the Bible. It has been instructive, however, to look at an example like this, where woman is not only the object, the pawn of the text, but also agent, the translator. Thanks to Helen Montgomery.

Jew or Judean?: Translating Ioudaiou

Loren Rosson has just blogged on Jew or Judean?: Translating Ioudaiou. This is an important issue for accurate translation.

HT: Carl Conrad on b-greek discussion list

Annie Cressman: Not "Saved by Childbearing"

While I want to address some issues brought up in the comment section of yesterday's post, I would like to look at another detail first. One of the first things I like to look at in a Bible is how 1 Tim. 2:15 has been translated. Here is this verse in Worldwide English.

But anyway, the women will come safely through the time of delivering a child, if they keep on believing and loving God, and if they live a clean life and keep humble.

I feel this shows the women's touch. She is preoccupied with the comfort needed in a time and place where childbearing threatened women's lives as a matter of routine. She has good company in Darby and Moffat. I don't mean to argue the correct interpetation of this verse - I do not know it, but I simply want to demonstrate a feature of this Bible.

Some other interpretations of this verse surprise me, since I see them put against a significant amount of Paul's teaching in other passages. For example, here is a post which I was shocked to read last March. Will Women be "Saved by Childbearing?"

My conclusion: In 1 Tim. 2:15, Paul says that women will be spiritually preserved (from Satan) by adhering to their God-ordained role related to family and the home. This is contrasted with Eve, who transgressed those boundaries and fell into temptation (v. 14).

The way I construe the logic of 1 Tim. 2:12–15 is as follows. In v. 12, Paul sets boundaries for women in the church. In vv. 13–14, Paul gives two reasons for this: (1) creation order: the man was created first, then the woman (v. 13); (2) the scenario at the Fall: rather than God-man-woman-Satan, a complete reversal had taken place: Satan-woman-man-God. [BTW, Does this make sense to anyone?] In v. 15, Paul addresses the question, “How can women today avoid the mistake made by Eve?” The answer: By adhering to their God-given boundaries and tending to their God-given responsibilities.

Köstenberger (PDF) elaborates here,

...the underlying norm of this passage is of permanent validity: women’s central domain, as established by creation and confirmed negatively by the fall, is to be found in her involvement in the domestic and procreative sphere, in the natural household. p. 34

We may therefore conclude that 1 Tim 2:15 may best be rendered in the following way: “She (i.e., the woman) escapes (or is preserved; gnomic future) [from Satan] by way of procreation (i.e., having a family).”83 Moreover, in line with 1 Tim 5:14, one should view procreation as merely the core of the woman’s responsibility that also entails, not merely the bearing, but also the raising of children, as well as managing the home (synecdoche; cf. also Titus 2:4–5).

The sense of the injunction in the present passage is thus that women can expect to escape Satan under the condition of adhering to their God-ordained role centering around the natural household. page 39

That would keep women out of hospitals and Bible schools, business and politics. That might even have kept Florence Nightingale home from war.

But what does the Bible say to this? 1 Corinthians 7:32 - 36.

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided.

And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

Astonishingly Köstenberger does not even refer to this passage in his full length paper (PDF).

What does Jesus himself say? Luke 11:27-28

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

Many years ago a women came to me with a serious question. She was the mother of 6 adult children, two of whom were single women. She asked me how it was that the women in my family who were not married demonstrated equal personal fulfillment to the ones who were married. My jaw dropped - this had never been an issue for us. Who were our models? Grace Irwin, Helen Roseveare, Catherine Booth and many others. What was this women thinking!

But now I see a teaching creeping into the church that would undermine women like Annie Cressman, a single woman Bible teacher, translator of God's word, writer of books like The Pastor. Didn't she know that if she could not marry that she would be preserved by remaining within domesticity? Had she not been taught her boundaries?

If women had been properly taught their 'boundaries' this would have depopulated history of women like Deborah, Huldah, Phoebe, Olympia, Paula, Hilda, Selina Hastings and every other woman on this page.

Don't people know that in God's economy to be married is nothing, to be single is nothing, to bear children or not to bear children, we derive our worth from our submission to God's will and calling.

Annie Cressman and other single women Bible translators - not saved by childbearing.

Good News for Everyone IV: Annie Cressman

After mentioning the influence of the Versión Popular on the Good News Bible, Nida writes,

A further stimulus for doing something similar in English came from the creative work of a missionary in Liberia, Miss Annie Cressman, whose translation of the New Testament into the form of English used in West Africa showed how significant and important it would be to have a translation in a more broadly based form of common English. (page 46)

I had not heard of Annie Cressman before so it was with delight that I discovered that she was a Mennonite farm girl, born in Elmira, Ontario, Canada. In 1935 she was reading a copy of The Pentcostal Testimony when she noticed a report by Sophie Nygaard, a Liberian missionary. Annie realized that this was God calling her to Liberia, West Africa.

As a missionary of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, she devoted her life to Liberia studying the Tchien dialect, translating scripture, and teaching the Bible. While teaching in an English language Bible School in Liberia in the 1950's, she realized that she was having to spend too much time explaining the basic meaning of the text.

Cressman then started preparing passages in an easier form of English. The gospel of Mark was first published by Full Gospel Publishing in Toronto, Canada in 1959 and the whole New Testament was published in 1969 as the New Testment in Worldwide English.

Amazingly the vocabulary is made up of only 1,500 words plus names - much fewer than any other simple English edition. "Each word and phrase has been carefully checked to give true understanding in different countries and regions." The Worldwide English New Testament is now available as a Palm Bible or Pocket PC

Cressman is also the author of The Pastor, "meant to help pastors understand their calling and responsibility in a better way."

While Cressman's Bible in Worldwide English BWE, is not a translation but a paraphrase, it represents a paradigm shift in Bible versions. I will write more about this Bible version next.

ἐπιτιμάω - Part III

So far in this series on figuring out the meaning of ἐπιτιμάω, I’ve talked about two words in Koine for telling someone not to do something, ἐπιτιμάω and διαστέλλομαι. There are, of course, also words for telling someone to act. In this post I’ll look at some of them.

The relevance of this apparent digression is that it is always the case that part of the meaning of any word, ἐπιτιμάω included, is provided by the contrast with the meanings of other words the speaker could have chosen to use but didn’t.

It should come as no surprise that in addition to words specialized for telling people not to act, there are plenty of words for telling people to act. They include: παραγγέλλω, κελεύω, τάσσω, διατάσσω, ἐπιτάσσω, προστάσσω, συντάσσω, and ἐντέλλομαι. And let us not forget just plain λέγω. Because there are so many, I’m not going to fully analyze all of them. But I will focus on the important ones, the ones that occur a lot.

Let me start with the most general word παραγγέλλω. It is clear from the thirty times it is used in the NT that it is a general word. It can be used to tell someone to act in neutral situations, as in Matt. 15:35 or 2Thess. 3:10. (Again, all translations are GNB)

Matt. 15:35

35 και παραγγειλας τω οχλω αναπεσειν επι την γην

35 So Jesus ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.

2Thess. 3:10

10 και γαρ οτε ημεν προς υμας τουτο παρηγγελλομεν υμιν οτι ει τις ου θελει εργαζεσθαι μηδε εσθιετω

10 While we were with you, we used to tell you, "Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat."

It can be used to forbid action, as in Luke 8:56.

Luke 8:56

56 και εξεστησαν οι γονεις αυτης ο δε παρηγγειλεν αυτοις μηδενι ειπειν το γεγονος

56 Her parents were astounded, but Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened.

And it can be used of officials issuing orders, as in Acts 23:22.

Acts 23:22

22 ο μεν ουν χιλιαρχος απελυσεν τον νεανισκον παραγγειλας μηδενι εκλαλησαι οτι ταυτα ενεφανισας προς με

22 The commander said, "Don't tell anyone that you have reported this to me." And he sent the young man away.

Since παραγγέλλω can be used to forbid an action, it overlaps with ἐπιτιμάω and διαστέλλομαι. The fact that one has a rather free choice between the general word or one of these specific words is shown by the verse in Mark parallel to Luke 8:56.

Mark 5:43

43 και διεστειλατο αυτοις πολλα ινα μηδεις γνοι τουτο και ειπεν δοθηναι αυτη φαγειν

43 But Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone, and he said, “Give her something to eat.”

Luke 8:56

56 και εξεστησαν οι γονεις αυτης ο δε παρηγγειλεν αυτοις μηδενι ειπειν το γεγονος

56 Her parents were astounded, but Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened.

What this means is that if you use ἐπιτιμάω or διαστέλλομαι, you are emphasizing the fact that the order is negative. If you use the general word παραγγέλλω, then you are simply stating that someone told someone to do (or not do) something.

Linguists have a whole theory about this. It’s called markedness, but it’s a long explanation and would be too much of a tangent to discuss at this point. And we’ll see another instance of markedness with the next word.

After παραγγέλλω, the next most common word in the NT for telling people to do things is κελεύω. It appears 25 times. κελεύω differs from παραγγέλλω in one significant way. The person doing the ordering is either a government official or a military officer, i.e., an authority, for example Matt. 27:58.

Matt. 27:58

58 ουτος προσελθων τω πιλατω ητησατο το σωμα του ιησου τοτε ο πιλατος εκελευσεν αποδοθηναι

58 He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate gave orders for the body to be given to Joseph.

In other words, if you want to emphasize that the order has official authority, then you use κελεύω. You can describe an order given by an official using παραγγέλλω, as in Acts 23:22 above, but κελεύω highlights the aspect of authority. That is to say, παραγγέλλω is unmarked for the “rank” of its subject, but κελεύω implies that its subject has authority. We can see these words side by side in Acts 16:22-23. The order to whip Paul and Silas is reported using κελεύω, but the the order to throw them in jail is reported with παραγγέλλω, the marked word first, emphasizing the authority, and the unmarked word second, simply reporting that the order was given.

Acts 16:22-23

22 και συνεπεστη ο οχλος κατ αυτων και οι στρατηγοι περιρηξαντες αυτων τα ιματια εκελευον ραβδιζειν 23 πολλας τε επιθεντες αυτοις πληγας εβαλον εις φυλακην παραγγειλαντες τω δεσμοφυλακι ασφαλως τηρειν αυτους

22 And the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be whipped. 23 After a severe beating, they were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to lock them up tight.

The word κελεύω is particularly interesting because twenty-one times its subject is a government official or a military officer, but four times its subject is Jesus (see the appendix). Clearly the writers of the Gospels are conveying that Jesus spoke as “one with authority” (Mark 1:22).

In a side note, this usage is different from Classical usage where παραγγέλλω used in the sense of giving orders is not a general word, but means what κελεύω means in the NT. See LSJ sense II., pg. 1306.

Now let us briefly consider the five remaining words derived from τάσσω. τάσσω basically means something like ‘put in a place (relative to other things), arrange’, or it did in Classical times. But even from Classical times it had the meaning of acting with words to set things in a certain order, for example, ‘to post [s.o. somewhere]’, and metaphorically ‘to appoint [s.o. to a position]’. This sense is also found in the NT.

Rom. 13:1

1 πασα ψυχη εξουσιαις υπερεχουσαις υποτασσεσθω ου γαρ εστιν εξουσια ει μη υπο θεου αι δε ουσαι υπο θεου τεταγμεναι εισιν

1 Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God.

But where τάσσω has been translated ‘order’, it might better be rendered, ‘arrange’, as in Matt. 28:16. (I’ve marked in square brackets the words filled in from context.)

Matt. 28:16

16 οι δε ενδεκα μαθηται επορευθησαν εις την γαλιλαιαν εις το ορος ου εταξατο αυτοις ο ιησους

GNB: 16 The eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them [to go].

Better: 16 The eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had arranged [to meet] them.

All of the derived forms of τάσσω share, to some degree or other, this sense of arranging, setting things up, albeit metaphorically. Since setting things up (like meeting on certain hill), involves telling people to do things, the difference between παραγγέλλω and forms of τάσσω is more one of emphasis. If you use a τάσσω word, you are focusing more on making arrangements or giving instructions. If you use παραγγέλλω you are focusing on the fact that it is an order. All of the τάσσω words are slightly different in sense.

διατάσσω is the general word for giving instructions.

Luke 8:55

55 και επεστρεψεν το πνευμα αυτης και ανεστη παραχρημα και διεταξεν αυτη δοθηναι φαγειν

55 Her life returned, and she got up at once, and Jesus ordered [better: instructed] them to give her something to eat.

1Cor. 16:1

1 περι δε της λογειας της εις τους αγιους ωσπερ διεταξα ταις εκκλησιαις της γαλατιας ουτως και υμεις ποιησατε

1 Now, concerning what you wrote about the money to be raised to help God's people in Judea. You must do what I told the churches in Galatia to do.

διατάσσω can also have a sense of a law, military order, or religious commandment, particularly as a participle used as a noun referring to the law, order, or commandment.

Luke 3:13

13 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε

13 "Don't collect more than is legal," he told them.

Acts 23:31

31 οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον παυλον ηγαγον δια νυκτος εις την αντιπατριδα

31 The soldiers carried out their orders. They got Paul and took him that night as far as Antipatris.

I’ll have more to say about this sense of this word in the next post.

ἐπιτάσσω is more like just plain telling someone to do something. It is almost as general as παραγγέλλω.

Mark 6:39

39 και επεταξεν αυτοις ανακλιναι παντας συμποσια συμποσια επι τω χλωρω χορτω

39 Jesus then told his disciples to make all the people divide into groups and sit down on the green grass.

προστάσσω is always refers to instructions or orders that are to be carried out at a later time. (This is a common enough distinction crosslinguistically. There are some languages, like the Native American languages Wayne and I work on, which have special verb forms for giving orders to be carried out in the future.)

Matt. 1:24

24 εγερθεις δε ο ιωσηφ απο του υπνου εποιησεν ως προσεταξεν αυτω ο αγγελος κυριου και παρελαβεν την γυναικα αυτου

24 So when Joseph woke up, he married Mary, as the angel of the Lord had told him to.

Acts 10:48

48 προσεταξεν δε αυτους εν τω ονοματι ιησου χριστου βαπτισθηναι τοτε ηρωτησαν αυτον επιμειναι ημερας τινας

48 So he ordered [better: arranged for]them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay with them for a few days.

And lastly, συντάσσω has the sense of more cooperation in the instructions, more like ‘arrange with s.o. [to do something]’.

Matt. 26:19

19 και εποιησαν οι μαθηται ως συνεταξεν αυτοις ο ιησους και ητοιμασαν το πασχα

19 The disciples did as Jesus had told them and prepared the Passover meal.

Now you may have noticed that I’ve omitted talking about ἐντέλλομαι. That’s because it deserves its own post. As a preview of things to come, I’ll point out that ἐντέλλομαι has to do with religious commandments.

Appendix I

You can sometimes tell a lot about the meanings of words by looking at the wording in parallel passages. For example, we can compare the accounts of the feeding of the five thousand. The key verse in each passage is the one that describes Jesus getting the people to sit down. In Matt. 14:19 this is described with κελεύω ‘give an order’.

Matt. 14:19

19 και κελευσας τους οχλους ανακλιθηναι επι του χορτου λαβων τους πεντε αρτους και τους δυο ιχθυας αναβλεψας εις τον ουρανον ευλογησεν και κλασας εδωκεν τοις μαθηταις τους αρτους οι δε μαθηται τοις οχλοις

19 He ordered the people to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

If we put the parallel verses next to it, we see something interesting. In each case the report is that the command was indirect, Jesus told his disciplines to get the people to sit down. Twice it’s simply the report of Jesus speaking to the disciples using λέγω. None of the words for order or command are used, and yet Matthew can describe the event with a word that highlights Jesus authority.

Mark 6:39

39 και επεταξεν αυτοις ανακλιναι παντας συμποσια συμποσια επι τω χλωρω χορτω

39 Jesus then told his disciples to make all the people divide into groups and sit down on the green grass.

Luke 9:14

14 ησαν γαρ ωσει ανδρες πεντακισχιλιοι ειπεν δε προς τους μαθητας αυτου κατακλινατε αυτους κλισιας ωσει ανα πεντηκοντα

14 (There were about five thousand men there.) Jesus said to his disciples, "Make the people sit down in groups of about fifty each."

John 6:10

10 ειπεν ο ιησους ποιησατε τους ανθρωπους αναπεσειν ην δε χορτος πολυς εν τω τοπω ανεπεσαν ουν οι ανδρες τον αριθμον ως πεντακισχιλιοι

10 "Make the people sit down," Jesus told them. (There was a lot of grass there.) So all the people sat down; there were about five thousand men.

Appendix II

A complete list of verses for each of the words discussed follows, so you can check my homework without having to look everything up for yourself.

παραγγέλλω – general word for telling someone to do something

Matt. 10:5

5 τουτους τους δωδεκα απεστειλεν ο ιησους παραγγειλας αυτοις λεγων εις οδον εθνων μη απελθητε και εις πολιν σαμαρειτων μη εισελθητε

5 These twelve men were sent out by Jesus with the following instructions: "Do not go to any Gentile territory or any Samaritan towns.

Matt. 15:35

35 και παραγγειλας τω οχλω αναπεσειν επι την γην

35 So Jesus ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Mark 6:8

7 και προσκαλειται τους δωδεκα και ηρξατο αυτους αποστελλειν δυο δυο και εδιδου αυτοις εξουσιαν των πνευματων των ακαθαρτων 8 και παρηγγειλεν αυτοις ινα μηδεν αιρωσιν εις οδον ει μη ραβδον μονον μη αρτον μη πηραν μη εις την ζωνην χαλκον

7 He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits 8 and ordered them, "Don't take anything with you on the trip except a walking stick---no bread, no beggar's bag, no money in your pockets.

Mark 8:6

6 και παραγγελλει τω οχλω αναπεσειν επι της γης και λαβων τους επτα αρτους ευχαριστησας εκλασεν και εδιδου τοις μαθηταις αυτου ινα παρατιθωσιν και παρεθηκαν τω οχλω

6 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, gave thanks to God, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the crowd; and the disciples did so.

Luke 5:14

14 και αυτος παρηγγειλεν αυτω μηδενι ειπειν αλλα απελθων δειξον σεαυτον τω ιερει και προσενεγκε περι του καθαρισμου σου καθως προσεταξεν μωυσης εις μαρτυριον αυτοις

14 Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice as Moses ordered."

Luke 8:29

29 παρηγγειλεν γαρ τω πνευματι τω ακαθαρτω εξελθειν απο του ανθρωπου πολλοις γαρ χρονοις συνηρπακει αυτον και εδεσμευετο αλυσεσιν και πεδαις φυλασσομενος και διαρρησσων τα δεσμα ηλαυνετο υπο του δαιμονιου εις τας ερημους

29 He said this because Jesus had ordered the evil spirit to go out of him. Many times it had seized him, and even though he was kept a prisoner, his hands and feet tied with chains, he would break the chains and be driven by the demon out into the desert.

Luke 8:56

56 και εξεστησαν οι γονεις αυτης ο δε παρηγγειλεν αυτοις μηδενι ειπειν το γεγονος

56 Her parents were astounded, but Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Luke 9:21

21 ο δε επιτιμησας αυτοις παρηγγειλεν μηδενι λεγειν τουτο

21 Then Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell this to anyone.

Acts 1:4

4 και συναλιζομενος παρηγγειλεν αυτοις απο ιεροσολυμων μη χωριζεσθαι αλλα περιμενειν την επαγγελιαν του πατρος ην ηκουσατε μου

4 And when they came together, he gave them this order: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift I told you about, the gift my Father promised.

Acts 4:18

18 και καλεσαντες αυτους παρηγγειλαν το καθολου μη φθεγγεσθαι μηδε διδασκειν επι τω ονοματι του ιησου

18 So they called them back in and told them that under no condition were they to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus.

Acts 5:28

28 λεγων παραγγελια παρηγγειλαμεν υμιν μη διδασκειν επι τω ονοματι τουτω και ιδου πεπληρωκατε την ιερουσαλημ της διδαχης υμων και βουλεσθε επαγαγειν εφ ημας το αιμα του ανθρωπου τουτου

28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in the name of this man," he said; "but see what you have done! You have spread your teaching all over Jerusalem, and you want to make us responsible for his death!"

Acts 5:40

40 επεισθησαν δε αυτω και προσκαλεσαμενοι τους αποστολους δειραντες παρηγγειλαν μη λαλειν επι τω ονοματι του ιησου και απελυσαν

40 They called the apostles in, had them whipped, and ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus; and then they set them free.

Acts 10:42

42 και παρηγγειλεν ημιν κηρυξαι τω λαω και διαμαρτυρασθαι οτι ουτος εστιν ο ωρισμενος υπο του θεου κριτης ζωντων και νεκρων

42 And he commanded us to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead.

Acts 15:5

5 εξανεστησαν δε τινες των απο της αιρεσεως των φαρισαιων πεπιστευκοτες λεγοντες οτι δει περιτεμνειν αυτους παραγγελλειν τε τηρειν τον νομον μωυσεως

5 But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and told to obey the Law of Moses."

Acts 16:18

18 τουτο δε εποιει επι πολλας ημερας διαπονηθεις δε παυλος και επιστρεψας τω πνευματι ειπεν παραγγελλω σοι εν ονοματι ιησου χριστου εξελθειν απ αυτης και εξηλθεν αυτη τη ωρα

18 She did this for many days, until Paul became so upset that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her!" The spirit went out of her that very moment.

Acts 16:22-23

22 και συνεπεστη ο οχλος κατ αυτων και οι στρατηγοι περιρηξαντες αυτων τα ιματια εκελευον ραβδιζειν 23 πολλας | δε | τε | επιθεντες αυτοις πληγας εβαλον εις φυλακην παραγγειλαντες τω δεσμοφυλακι ασφαλως τηρειν αυτους

22 And the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be whipped. 23 After a severe beating, they were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to lock them up tight.

Acts 17:30

30 τους μεν ουν χρονους της αγνοιας υπεριδων ο θεος τα νυν παραγγελλει τοις ανθρωποις παντας πανταχου μετανοειν

30 God has overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways.

Acts 23:22

22 ο μεν ουν χιλιαρχος απελυσεν τον νεανισκον παραγγειλας μηδενι εκλαλησαι οτι ταυτα ενεφανισας προς | εμε | με |

22 The commander said, "Don't tell anyone that you have reported this to me." And he sent the young man away.

Acts 23:30

30 μηνυθεισης δε μοι επιβουλης εις τον ανδρα εσεσθαι εξαυτης επεμψα προς σε παραγγειλας και τοις κατηγοροις λεγειν | | [τα] | προς αυτον επι σου

30 And when I was informed that there was a plot against him, at once I decided to send him to you. I have told his accusers to make their charges against him before you."

1Cor. 7:10

10 τοις δε γεγαμηκοσιν παραγγελλω ουκ εγω αλλα ο κυριος γυναικα απο ανδρος μη χωρισθηναι

10 For married people I have a command which is not my own but the Lord's: a wife must not leave her husband;

1Cor. 11:17

17 τουτο δε παραγγελλων ουκ επαινω οτι ουκ εις το κρεισσον αλλα εις το ησσον συνερχεσθε

17 In the following instructions, however, I do not praise you, because your meetings for worship actually do more harm than good.

1Thess. 4:11

11 και φιλοτιμεισθαι ησυχαζειν και πρασσειν τα ιδια και εργαζεσθαι ταις χερσιν υμων καθως υμιν παρηγγειλαμεν

11 Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living, just as we told you before.

2Thess. 3:4

4 πεποιθαμεν δε εν κυριω εφ υμας οτι α παραγγελλομεν [και] ποιειτε και ποιησετε

4 And the Lord gives us confidence in you, and we are sure that you are doing and will continue to do what we tell you.

2Thess. 3:6

6 παραγγελλομεν δε υμιν αδελφοι εν ονοματι του κυριου | | [ημων] | ιησου χριστου στελλεσθαι υμας απο παντος αδελφου ατακτως περιπατουντος και μη κατα την παραδοσιν ην | παρελαβετε | παρελαβοσαν | παρ ημων

6 Our friends, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to keep away from all believers who are living a lazy life and who do not follow the instructions that we gave them.

2Thess. 3:10

10 και γαρ οτε ημεν προς υμας τουτο παρηγγελλομεν υμιν οτι ει τις ου θελει εργαζεσθαι μηδε εσθιετω

10 While we were with you, we used to tell you, "Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat."

2Thess. 3:12

12 τοις δε τοιουτοις παραγγελλομεν και παρακαλουμεν εν κυριω ιησου χριστω ινα μετα ησυχιας εργαζομενοι τον εαυτων αρτον εσθιωσιν

12 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command these people and warn them to lead orderly lives and work to earn their own living

1Tim. 1:3

3 καθως παρεκαλεσα σε προσμειναι εν εφεσω πορευομενος εις μακεδονιαν ινα παραγγειλης τισιν μη ετεροδιδασκαλειν

3 I want you to stay in Ephesus, just as I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia. Some people there are teaching false doctrines, and you must order them to stop.

1Tim. 4:11

11 παραγγελλε ταυτα και διδασκε

11 Give them these instructions and these teachings.

1Tim. 5:7

7 και ταυτα παραγγελλε ινα ανεπιλημπτοι ωσιν

7 Give them these instructions, so that no one will find fault with them.

1Tim. 6:13

13 παραγγελλω | σοι | [σοι] | ενωπιον του θεου του ζωογονουντος τα παντα και χριστου ιησου του μαρτυρησαντος επι ποντιου πιλατου την καλην ομολογιαν

13 Before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who firmly professed his faith before Pontius Pilate, I command you

1Tim. 6:17

17 τοις πλουσιοις εν τω νυν αιωνι παραγγελλε μη υψηλοφρονειν μηδε ηλπικεναι επι πλουτου αδηλοτητι αλλ επι θεω τω παρεχοντι ημιν παντα πλουσιως εις απολαυσιν

17 Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.

κελεύω – give an order (what officials and military officiers do: 21/25, Jesus: 4/25, marked with asterisks)

*Matt. 8:18

18 ιδων δε ο ιησους οχλον περι αυτον εκελευσεν απελθειν εις το περαν

18 When Jesus noticed the crowd around him, he ordered his disciples to go to the other side of the lake.

Matt. 14:9

9 και λυπηθεις ο βασιλευς δια τους ορκους και τους συνανακειμενους εκελευσεν δοθηναι

9 The king was sad, but because of the promise he had made in front of all his guests he gave orders that her wish be granted.

*Matt. 14:19

19 και κελευσας τους οχλους ανακλιθηναι επι του χορτου λαβων τους πεντε αρτους και τους δυο ιχθυας αναβλεψας εις τον ουρανον ευλογησεν και κλασας εδωκεν τοις μαθηταις τους αρτους οι δε μαθηται τοις οχλοις

19 He ordered the people to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

*Matt. 14:28

28 αποκριθεις δε | ο πετρος ειπεν αυτω | αυτω ο πετρος ειπεν | κυριε ει συ ει κελευσον με ελθειν προς σε επι τα υδατα

28 Then Peter spoke up. "Lord, if it is really you, order me to come out on the water to you."

Matt. 18:25

25 μη εχοντος δε αυτου αποδουναι εκελευσεν αυτον ο κυριος πραθηναι και την γυναικα και τα τεκνα και παντα οσα εχει και αποδοθηναι

25 The servant did not have enough to pay his debt, so the king ordered him to be sold as a slave, with his wife and his children and all that he had, in order to pay the debt.

Matt. 27:58

58 ουτος προσελθων τω πιλατω ητησατο το σωμα του ιησου τοτε ο πιλατος εκελευσεν αποδοθηναι

58 He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate gave orders for the body to be given to Joseph.

Matt. 27:64

64 κελευσον ουν ασφαλισθηναι τον ταφον εως της τριτης ημερας μηποτε ελθοντες οι μαθηται | | αυτου | κλεψωσιν αυτον και ειπωσιν τω λαω ηγερθη απο των νεκρων και εσται η εσχατη πλανη χειρων της πρωτης

64 Give orders, then, for his tomb to be carefully guarded until the third day, so that his disciples will not be able to go and steal the body, and then tell the people that he was raised from death. This last lie would be even worse than the first one."

*Luke 18:40

40 σταθεις δε ο ιησους εκελευσεν αυτον αχθηναι προς αυτον εγγισαντος δε αυτου επηρωτησεν αυτον

40 So Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,

Acts 4:15

15 κελευσαντες δε αυτους εξω του συνεδριου απελθειν συνεβαλλον προς αλληλους

15 So they told them to leave the Council room, and then they started discussing among themselves.

Acts 5:34

34 αναστας δε τις εν τω συνεδριω φαρισαιος ονοματι γαμαλιηλ νομοδιδασκαλος τιμιος παντι τω λαω εκελευσεν εξω βραχυ τους ανθρωπους ποιησαι

34 But one of them, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the Law and was highly respected by all the people, stood up in the Council. He ordered the apostles to be taken out for a while

Acts 8:38

38 και εκελευσεν στηναι το αρμα και κατεβησαν αμφοτεροι εις το υδωρ ο τε φιλιππος και ο ευνουχος και εβαπτισεν αυτον

38 The official ordered the carriage to stop, and both Philip and the official went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

Acts 12:19

19 ηρωδης δε επιζητησας αυτον και μη ευρων ανακρινας τους φυλακας εκελευσεν απαχθηναι και κατελθων απο της ιουδαιας εις καισαρειαν διετριβεν

19 Herod gave orders to search for him, but they could not find him. So he had the guards questioned and ordered them put to death. After this, Herod left Judea and spent some time in Caesarea.

Acts 16:22

22 και συνεπεστη ο οχλος κατ αυτων και οι στρατηγοι περιρηξαντες αυτων τα ιματια εκελευον ραβδιζειν

22 And the crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be whipped.

Acts 21:33-34

33 τοτε εγγισας ο χιλιαρχος επελαβετο αυτου και εκελευσεν δεθηναι αλυσεσιν δυσιν και επυνθανετο τις ειη και τι εστιν πεποιηκως , 34 αλλοι δε αλλο τι επεφωνουν εν τω οχλω μη δυναμενου δε αυτου γνωναι το ασφαλες δια τον θορυβον εκελευσεν αγεσθαι αυτον εις την παρεμβολην

33 The commander went over to Paul, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked, "Who is this man, and what has he done?" 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, others something else. There was such confusion that the commander could not find out exactly what had happened, so he ordered his men to take Paul up into the fort.

Acts 22:24

24 εκελευσεν ο χιλιαρχος εισαγεσθαι αυτον εις την παρεμβολην ειπας μαστιξιν ανεταζεσθαι αυτον ινα επιγνω δι ην αιτιαν ουτως επεφωνουν αυτω

24 The Roman commander ordered his men to take Paul into the fort, and he told them to whip him in order to find out why the Jews were screaming like this against him.

Acts 22:30

30 τη δε επαυριον βουλομενος γνωναι το ασφαλες το τι κατηγορειται υπο των ιουδαιων ελυσεν αυτον και εκελευσεν συνελθειν τους αρχιερεις και παν το συνεδριον και καταγαγων τον παυλον εστησεν εις αυτους

30 The commander wanted to find out for sure what the Jews were accusing Paul of; so the next day he had Paul's chains taken off and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council to meet. Then he took Paul and made him stand before them.

Acts 23:3

3 τοτε ο παυλος προς αυτον ειπεν τυπτειν σε μελλει ο θεος τοιχε κεκονιαμενε και συ καθη κρινων με κατα τον νομον και παρανομων κελευεις με τυπτεσθαι

3 Paul said to him, "God will certainly strike you---you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the Law, yet you break the Law by ordering them to strike me!"

Acts 23:10

10 πολλης δε γινομενης στασεως φοβηθεις ο χιλιαρχος μη διασπασθη ο παυλος υπ αυτων εκελευσεν το στρατευμα καταβαν αρπασαι αυτον εκ μεσου αυτων αγειν | | τε | εις την παρεμβολην

10 The argument became so violent that the commander was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces. So he ordered his soldiers to go down into the group, get Paul away from them, and take him into the fort.

Acts 23:35

35 διακουσομαι σου εφη οταν και οι κατηγοροι σου παραγενωνται κελευσας εν τω πραιτωριω του ηρωδου φυλασσεσθαι αυτον

35 he said, "I will hear you when your accusers arrive." Then he gave orders for Paul to be kept under guard in the governor's headquarters.

Acts 25:6

6 διατριψας δε εν αυτοις ημερας ου πλειους οκτω η δεκα καταβας εις καισαρειαν τη επαυριον καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσεν τον παυλον αχθηναι

6 Festus spent another eight or ten days with them and then went to Caesarea. On the next day he sat down in the judgment court and ordered Paul to be brought in.

Acts 25:17

17 συνελθοντων ουν ενθαδε αναβολην μηδεμιαν ποιησαμενος τη εξης καθισας επι του βηματος εκελευσα αχθηναι τον ανδρα

17 When they came here, then, I lost no time, but on the very next day I sat in the judgment court and ordered the man to be brought in.

Acts 25:21

21 του δε παυλου επικαλεσαμενου τηρηθηναι αυτον εις την του σεβαστου διαγνωσιν εκελευσα τηρεισθαι αυτον εως ου αναπεμψω αυτον προς καισαρα

21 But Paul appealed; he asked to be kept under guard and to let the Emperor decide his case. So I gave orders for him to be kept under guard until I could send him to the Emperor."

Acts 25:23

23 τη ουν επαυριον ελθοντος του αγριππα και της βερνικης μετα πολλης φαντασιας και εισελθοντων εις το ακροατηριον συν τε χιλιαρχοις και ανδρασιν τοις κατ εξοχην της πολεως και κελευσαντος του φηστου ηχθη ο παυλος

23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and ceremony and entered the audience hall with the military chiefs and the leading men of the city. Festus gave the order, and Paul was brought in.

Acts 27:43

43 ο δε εκατονταρχης βουλομενος διασωσαι τον παυλον εκωλυσεν αυτους του βουληματος εκελευσεν τε τους δυναμενους κολυμβαν αποριψαντας πρωτους επι την γην εξιεναι

43 But the army officer wanted to save Paul, so he stopped them from doing this. Instead, he ordered everyone who could swim to jump overboard first and swim ashore;

τάσσω – make arrangements, also determine, set up, appoint

Matt. 28:16

16 οι δε ενδεκα μαθηται επορευθησαν εις την γαλιλαιαν εις το ορος ου εταξατο αυτοις ο ιησους

16 The eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go.

Acts 22:10

10 ειπον δε τι ποιησω κυριε ο δε κυριος ειπεν προς με αναστας πορευου εις δαμασκον κακει σοι λαληθησεται περι παντων ων τετακται σοι ποιησαι

10 I asked, 'What shall I do, Lord?' and the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that God has determined for you to do.'

Acts 28:23

23 ταξαμενοι δε αυτω ημεραν ηλθον προς αυτον εις την ξενιαν πλειονες οις εξετιθετο διαμαρτυρομενος την βασιλειαν του θεου πειθων τε αυτους περι του ιησου απο τε του νομου μωυσεως και των προφητων απο πρωι εως εσπερας

23 So they set a date with Paul, and a large number of them came that day to the place where Paul was staying. From morning till night he explained to them his message about the Kingdom of God, and he tried to convince them about Jesus by quoting from the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets.

Acts 13:48

48 ακουοντα δε τα εθνη εχαιρον και εδοξαζον τον λογον του | θεου | κυριου | και επιστευσαν οσοι ησαν τεταγμενοι εις ζωην αιωνιον

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the Lord's message; and those who had been chosen for eternal life became believers.

Rom. 13:1

1 πασα ψυχη εξουσιαις υπερεχουσαις υποτασσεσθω ου γαρ εστιν εξουσια ει μη υπο θεου αι δε ουσαι υπο θεου τεταγμεναι εισιν

1 Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God.

1Cor 16:15

15 παρακαλω δε υμας αδελφοι οιδατε την οικιαν στεφανα οτι εστιν απαρχη της αχαιας και εις διακονιαν τοις αγιοις εταξαν εαυτους

15 You know about Stephanas and his family; they are the first Christian converts in Achaia and have given themselves to the service of God's people. I beg you, my friends

Acts 15:2

2 γενομενης δε στασεως και ζητησεως ουκ ολιγης τω παυλω και τω βαρναβα προς αυτους εταξαν αναβαινειν παυλον και βαρναβαν και τινας αλλους εξ αυτων προς τους αποστολους και πρεσβυτερους εις ιερουσαλημ περι του ζητηματος τουτου

2 Paul and Barnabas got into a fierce argument with them about this, so it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others in Antioch should go to Jerusalem and see the apostles and elders about this matter.

Luke 7:8

8 και γαρ εγω ανθρωπος ειμι υπο εξουσιαν τασσομενος εχων υπ εμαυτον στρατιωτας και λεγω τουτω πορευθητι και πορευεται και αλλω ερχου και ερχεται και τω δουλω μου ποιησον τουτο και ποιει

8 I, too, am a man placed under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, 'Go!' and he goes; I order that one, 'Come!' and he comes; and I order my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."

διατάσσω – general word for giving instructions

Matt. 11:1

1 και εγενετο οτε ετελεσεν ο ιησους διατασσων τοις δωδεκα μαθηταις αυτου μετεβη εκειθεν του διδασκειν και κηρυσσειν εν ταις πολεσιν αυτων

1 When Jesus finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he left that place and went off to teach and preach in the towns near there.

Luke 3:13

13 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε

13 "Don't collect more than is legal," he told them.

Luke 8:55

55 και επεστρεψεν το πνευμα αυτης και ανεστη παραχρημα και διεταξεν αυτη δοθηναι φαγειν

55 Her life returned, and she got up at once, and Jesus ordered them to give her something to eat.

Luke 17:9-10

9 μη εχει χαριν τω δουλω οτι εποιησεν τα διαταχθεντα 10 ουτως και υμεις οταν ποιησητε παντα τα διαταχθεντα υμιν λεγετε οτι δουλοι αχρειοι εσμεν ο ωφειλομεν ποιησαι πεποιηκαμεν

9 The servant does not deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? 10 It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been told to do, say, 'We are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.' "

Acts 7:44

44 η σκηνη του μαρτυριου ην τοις πατρασιν ημων εν τη ερημω καθως διεταξατο ο λαλων τω μωυση ποιησαι αυτην κατα τον τυπον ον εωρακει

44 "Our ancestors had the Tent of God's presence with them in the desert. It had been made as God had told Moses to make it, according to the pattern that Moses had been shown.

Acts 18:2

2 και ευρων τινα ιουδαιον ονοματι ακυλαν ποντικον τω γενει προσφατως εληλυθοτα απο της ιταλιας και πρισκιλλαν γυναικα αυτου δια το διατεταχεναι κλαυδιον χωριζεσθαι παντας τους ιουδαιους απο της ρωμης προσηλθεν αυτοις

2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, for Emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

Acts 20:13

13 ημεις δε προελθοντες επι το πλοιον ανηχθημεν επι την ασσον εκειθεν μελλοντες αναλαμβανειν τον παυλον ουτως γαρ διατεταγμενος ην μελλων αυτος πεζευειν

13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed off to Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had told us to do this, because he was going there by land.

Acts 23:31

31 οι μεν ουν στρατιωται κατα το διατεταγμενον αυτοις αναλαβοντες τον παυλον ηγαγον δια νυκτος εις την αντιπατριδα

31 The soldiers carried out their orders. They got Paul and took him that night as far as Antipatris.

Acts 24:23

23 διαταξαμενος τω εκατονταρχη τηρεισθαι αυτον εχειν τε ανεσιν και μηδενα κωλυειν των ιδιων αυτου υπηρετειν αυτω

23 He ordered the officer in charge of Paul to keep him under guard, but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to provide for his needs.

1Cor. 7:17

17 ει μη εκαστω ως | μεμερικεν | εμερισεν | ο κυριος εκαστον ως κεκληκεν ο θεος ουτως περιπατειτω και ουτως εν ταις εκκλησιαις πασαις διατασσομαι

17 Each of you should go on living according to the Lord's gift to you, and as you were when God called you. This is the rule I teach in all the churches.

1Cor. 9:14

14 ουτως και ο κυριος διεταξεν τοις το ευαγγελιον καταγγελλουσιν εκ του ευαγγελιου ζην

14 In the same way, the Lord has ordered that those who preach the gospel should get their living from it.

1Cor. 11:34

34 ει τις πεινα εν οικω εσθιετω ινα μη εις κριμα συνερχησθε τα δε λοιπα ως αν ελθω διαταξομαι

34 And if any of you are hungry, you should eat at home, so that you will not come under God's judgment as you meet together. As for the other matters, I will settle them when I come.

1Cor. 16:1

1 περι δε της λογειας της εις τους αγιους ωσπερ διεταξα ταις εκκλησιαις της γαλατιας ουτως και υμεις ποιησατε

1 Now, concerning what you wrote about the money to be raised to help God's people in Judea. You must do what I told the churches in Galatia to do.

Gal. 3:19

19 τι ουν ο νομος των παραβασεων χαριν προσετεθη αχρις | αν | ου | ελθη το σπερμα ω επηγγελται διαταγεις δι αγγελων εν χειρι μεσιτου

19 What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added in order to show what wrongdoing is, and it was meant to last until the coming of Abraham's descendant, to whom the promise was made. The Law was handed down by angels, with a man acting as a go-between.

Tit. 1:5

5 τουτου χαριν | απελειπον | απελιπον | σε εν κρητη ινα τα λειποντα επιδιορθωση και καταστησης κατα πολιν πρεσβυτερους ως εγω σοι διεταξαμην 6 ει τις εστιν ανεγκλητος μιας γυναικος ανηρ τεκνα εχων πιστα μη εν κατηγορια ασωτιας η ανυποτακτα

5 I left you in Crete, so that you could put in order the things that still needed doing and appoint church elders in every town. Remember my instructions: 6 an elder must be without fault; he must have only one wife, and his children must be believers and not have the reputation of being wild or disobedient.

ἐπιτάσσω – general word for telling someone to do something

Mark 6:27

27 και ευθυς αποστειλας ο βασιλευς σπεκουλατορα επεταξεν ενεγκαι την κεφαλην αυτου

27 So he sent off a guard at once with orders to bring John's head. The guard left, went to the prison, and cut John's head off;

Mark 6:39

39 και επεταξεν αυτοις ανακλιναι παντας συμποσια συμποσια επι τω χλωρω χορτω

39 Jesus then told his disciples to make all the people divide into groups and sit down on the green grass.

Luke 14:22

22 και ειπεν ο δουλος κυριε γεγονεν ο επεταξας και ετι τοπος εστιν

22 Soon the servant said, 'Your order has been carried out, sir, but there is room for more.'

Acts 23:2

2 ο δε αρχιερευς ανανιας επεταξεν τοις παρεστωσιν αυτω τυπτειν αυτου το στομα

2 The High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing close to Paul to strike him on the mouth.

Mark 1:27

27 και εθαμβηθησαν απαντες ωστε συζητειν | αυτους | προς εαυτους | λεγοντας τι εστιν τουτο διδαχη καινη κατ εξουσιαν και τοις πνευμασιν τοις ακαθαρτοις επιτασσει και υπακουουσιν αυτω

27 The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, "What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!"

Luke 4:36

36 και εγενετο θαμβος επι παντας και συνελαλουν προς αλληλους λεγοντες τις ο λογος ουτος οτι εν εξουσια και δυναμει επιτασσει τοις ακαθαρτοις πνευμασιν και εξερχονται

36 The people were all amazed and said to one another, "What kind of words are these? With authority and power this man gives orders to the evil spirits, and they come out!"

Luke 8:25

25 ειπεν δε αυτοις που η πιστις υμων φοβηθεντες δε εθαυμασαν λεγοντες προς αλληλους τις αρα ουτος εστιν οτι και τοις ανεμοις επιτασσει και τω υδατι και υπακουουσιν αυτω

25 Then he said to the disciples, "Where is your faith?" But they were amazed and afraid, and said to one another, "Who is this man? He gives orders to the winds and waves, and they obey him!"

Mark 9:25

25 ιδων δε ο ιησους οτι επισυντρεχει οχλος επετιμησεν τω πνευματι τω ακαθαρτω λεγων αυτω το αλαλον και κωφον πνευμα εγω επιτασσω σοι εξελθε εξ αυτου και μηκετι εισελθης εις αυτον

25 Jesus noticed that the crowd was closing in on them, so he gave a command to the evil spirit. "Deaf and dumb spirit," he said, "I order you to come out of the boy and never go into him again!"

Luke 8:31

31 και παρεκαλουν αυτον ινα μη επιταξη αυτοις εις την αβυσσον απελθειν

31 The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss.

Phm. 1:8

8 διο πολλην εν χριστω παρρησιαν εχων επιτασσειν σοι το ανηκον

8 For this reason I could be bold enough, as your brother in Christ, to order you to do what should be done.

προστάσσω – tell somebody to do something at a later time

Matt. 1:24

24 εγερθεις δε | [ο] | ο | ιωσηφ απο του υπνου εποιησεν ως προσεταξεν αυτω ο αγγελος κυριου και παρελαβεν την γυναικα αυτου

24 So when Joseph woke up, he married Mary, as the angel of the Lord had told him to.

Matt. 8:4

4 και λεγει αυτω ο ιησους ορα μηδενι ειπης αλλα υπαγε σεαυτον δειξον τω ιερει και προσενεγκον το δωρον ο προσεταξεν μωυσης εις μαρτυριον αυτοις

4 Then Jesus said to him, "Listen! Don't tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered."

Mark 1:44

44 και λεγει αυτω ορα μηδενι μηδεν ειπης αλλα υπαγε σεαυτον δειξον τω ιερει και προσενεγκε περι του καθαρισμου σου α προσεταξεν μωυσης εις μαρτυριον αυτοις

44 after saying to him, "Listen, don't tell anyone about this. But go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered."

Luke 5:14

14 και αυτος παρηγγειλεν αυτω μηδενι ειπειν αλλα απελθων δειξον σεαυτον τω ιερει και προσενεγκε περι του καθαρισμου σου καθως προσεταξεν μωυσης εις μαρτυριον αυτοις

14 Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice as Moses ordered."

Acts 10:33

33 εξαυτης ουν επεμψα προς σε συ τε καλως εποιησας παραγενομενος νυν ουν παντες ημεις ενωπιον του θεου παρεσμεν ακουσαι παντα τα προστεταγμενα σοι υπο του κυριου

33 And so I sent for you at once, and you have been good enough to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hear anything that the Lord has instructed you to say."

Acts 10:48

48 προσεταξεν δε αυτους εν τω ονοματι ιησου χριστου βαπτισθηναι τοτε ηρωτησαν αυτον επιμειναι ημερας τινας

48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay with them for a few days.

συντάσσω – make arrangements with someone

Matt. 21:6

6 πορευθεντες δε οι μαθηται και ποιησαντες καθως συνεταξεν αυτοις ο ιησους

6 So the disciples went and did what Jesus had told them to do:

Matt. 26:19

19 και εποιησαν οι μαθηται ως συνεταξεν αυτοις ο ιησους και ητοιμασαν το πασχα

19 The disciples did as Jesus had told them and prepared the Passover meal.

Matt. 27:10

9 τοτε επληρωθη το ρηθεν δια ιερεμιου του προφητου λεγοντος και ελαβον τα τριακοντα αργυρια την τιμην του τετιμημενου ον ετιμησαντο απο υιων ισραηλ 10 και εδωκαν αυτα εις τον αγρον του κεραμεως καθα συνεταξεν μοι κυριος

9 Then what the prophet Jeremiah had said came true: "They took the thirty silver coins, the amount the people of Israel had agreed to pay for him, 10 and used the money to buy the potter's field, as the Lord had commanded me."