Fresh Perspective I
Sometimes when I'm reading a passage in NIV and it is sounding so familiar that I can't really listen to it, I pull out another translation of the Bible. As I read the passage and find words I don't expect, it causes me to stop and consider what is being said and hopefully hear a fresh perspective.
Currently, the translation that I pull out when I'm looking for a fresh perspective is Eugene Peterson's "The Message". When I read Galatians 5 in it, I thought, "this is my next blog". So, here is a comparison between the NIV and The Message on the acts of the sinful nature with a little commentary from me.
Galatians 5:19-21: the obvious acts of the sinful nature/of trying to get your own way all the time
and the like, I could go on...
Okay, so Peterson is not succinct! But what I liked about his list is that it got me thinking about more aspects and angles of the manifestation of the sinful nature. Even his translation of that is interesting: "trying to get your own way all the time". As with the NIV list, the actions of this kind of life are unappealing and terrible. But in his wordiness, he invites us to not just quickly scan through the list to make sure these aren't a part of our lives. He challenges us to consider things we may never have - the depersonalization involved in envy; the lack of satisfaction in jealousy; the loneliness in hatred, and the inability to love in selfish ambition - and to open ourselves us to the Holy Spirit's conviction that we may be freed from whatever residue of the sinful nature still inhabits our lives. That's my take on it, anyway. Comments?
Currently, the translation that I pull out when I'm looking for a fresh perspective is Eugene Peterson's "The Message". When I read Galatians 5 in it, I thought, "this is my next blog". So, here is a comparison between the NIV and The Message on the acts of the sinful nature with a little commentary from me.
Galatians 5:19-21: the obvious acts of the sinful nature/of trying to get your own way all the time
| NIV | The Message |
| Sexual immorality | Repetitive, loveless, cheap sex |
| Impurity | A stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage |
| Debauchery | Frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness |
| Idolatry | Trinket Gods |
| Witchcraft | Magic-show religion |
| Hatred | Paranoid loneliness |
| Discord | Cut throat competition |
| Jealousy | All-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants |
| Fits of Rage | A brutal temper |
| Selfish Ambition | An impotence to love or be loved |
| Dissensions | Divided homes and divided lives |
| Factions | Small-minded lopsided pursuits |
| Envy | The vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival |
| Drunkenness | Uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions |
| Orgies | Ugly parodies of community |
and the like, I could go on...
Okay, so Peterson is not succinct! But what I liked about his list is that it got me thinking about more aspects and angles of the manifestation of the sinful nature. Even his translation of that is interesting: "trying to get your own way all the time". As with the NIV list, the actions of this kind of life are unappealing and terrible. But in his wordiness, he invites us to not just quickly scan through the list to make sure these aren't a part of our lives. He challenges us to consider things we may never have - the depersonalization involved in envy; the lack of satisfaction in jealousy; the loneliness in hatred, and the inability to love in selfish ambition - and to open ourselves us to the Holy Spirit's conviction that we may be freed from whatever residue of the sinful nature still inhabits our lives. That's my take on it, anyway. Comments?
Thanks for this, Tracy ... I'm always looking for fresh ways to view the things in my life that separate me from God. I know they're there, I've just gotten better at sweeping them under the rug (in part because the language of the Bible - especially the same translation read over and over again - allows me to become numb to the truth). One thing ... the far right side of the Message column has been cut off so some of the words are incomplete or missing altogether. Anything we can do about this?
ReplyDeleteHi all...really enjoyed this one. (enjoy in the sense of "it hit the spot") particularly the part about "always wanting to get your own way" That one seems to creep in on me when I am not looking. So sneeky and subtle an attitude that can work its way in. I am thinking of purchasing a copy of the Messenger. I think I may enjoy that version.
ReplyDeleteThat's my thoughts for now.
Love you all,
Elvira
Hurrah for Jess! She fixed the formatting problem!
ReplyDeletewell...
ReplyDeleteI would change residue to resevoir in my case - I know the loneliness of hatred and the depersonalization of envy and the divided homes and hearts, and even 'depersonalized - instead of cheap and loveless' sex. But thanks be to God - it's not the whole story, because He is relentless in bringing reconciliation and freedom!