In this case, the word means “vessel, or utensil”. One of them is used only twice, in the book of Matthew. I found that there are two Greek words used in the NT that are translated into the English word “vessel”. Both Young’s and Strong’s use the KJV, so I looked up the word “vessel”. The next step, if you don’t know Greek, is to use either a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance or Young’s Analytical Concordance. The first thing I do is consult what is called an Interlinear New Testament.Īn interlinear NT has the complete text of the NT, with the Greek words appearing either directly above or below the English words, so you can see which exact Greek word is used. Thankfully, we don’t need to take a complete course in Greek, which is the language used in the New Testament. So what to do? How should this verse be properly translated? We need to go to the original language. The God’s Word translation, and Contemporary English Version used “wife” in one way or another. So I read this verse in several other translations: the NASB, Young’s Literal Translation, the Holman Christian Standard Bible, New Living Translation. None of the three referred to the “wife”. But as you heard, the KJV said “possess his vessel”. So the ESV and the NIV agree on the translation the “body”.
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The NIV says: that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,Īnd for good measure, the KJV says: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour The English Standard Version says: that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, I decided that I should look at how other translations rendered this passage. Not that there’s anything wrong with living “with your wife in a holy and honorable way”, but tying this thought with “not with a lustful desire, like the heathen” just didn’t sit right with me, because sexual desire between a husband and wife is a gift from God. Chapter 4, verses 4 and 5 in the GNT reads like this: “Each of you should know how to live with your wife in a holy and honorable way, 5not with a lustful desire, like the heathen who do not know God.”Īs I read that, it seemed just a little “off” to me. The translation we read from today is the Good News Translation. Today’s reading is an excellent example of why this is a good idea. Most of us who are serious about Bible study know that reading from more that one translation is a good thing, especially if we’re going to be teaching or preaching. Today in my comments, I’m going to explain a bit of how I do my Bible studies, and how you can enrich your reading of the Bible, and I’ll do it in the context of today’s reading. Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Mantas Hesthaven on Unsplash Comments on 1 Thessalonians 4-5 Some Tools For Bible Study