A New York Times article yesterday titled “Christians Debate Verses From Bible on Homosexuality” presents, among other things, two views of what Paul says about homosexuality in Romans 1:26-27. Unfortunately, both positions depend on translation inaccuracies. Romans 1:26-27 “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for…
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Isaiah 54:1 opens with two words in stark contrast: A command to “rejoice” followed immediately by “barren woman.” Rejoicing represents one extreme of the emotional spectrum, while “barren woman” embodies the other.
In the fall I promised an “Isaiah translation challenge” — a collective approach to understanding and translating the exquisite poetry of Isaiah 54. I’m pleased to announce that it’s here. My next post is a detailed analysis of the text of Isaiah 54:1, written with an eye toward guiding poets and translators. I hope you’ll…
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As I recently explained on my blog for “The Unabridged Bible” (“Why did they Build the Tower of Babel?“), the Tower of Babel was waterproofed, the goal being to protect the people against a future flood from God. The text even says so: “And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar” (Genesis 11:3,…
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Newsweek reports on Dr. Dale Martin‘s claim that Jesus was killed because his followers were armed. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all agree that crowds supporting Jesus carried weapons of some sort, usually translated “swords.” (Curiously, the Newsweek article omits Matthew.) But Dr. Paula Fredriksen is quoted in the article as arguing that “the Greek…
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Translators and poets, get ready! Now that I’ve submitted my second book manuscript to St. Martin’s Press, I’m looking forward to spending more time here. As part of my return, in the next little while I’m going to announce a project to translate Isaiah 54 collectively. Some of the most moving words ever penned, in…
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Ever wonder what happened to Adam and Eve after they left the Garden of Eden? There’s an answer, but it was cut from the Bible. Curious about how Abraham discovered monotheism? That was cut too. So was the once-popular Book of Enoch, written before the Book of Daniel and quoted in the New Testament. Though…
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Do you have a blog or other media outlet? Do you post book reviews? If so, my publisher has offered to send you an advance copy of my newest book, The Bible’s Cutting Room Floor: The Holy Scriptures Missing From Your Bible. It’s available as a NetGalley (here) or an ARC. Be in touch with…
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Was Haman hanged or impaled in the Book of Esther? And was the instrument of his death a gallows or a stake?
Recent posts from my Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives:
