Contradictions 1 study
Historical notes 4 studies
Contradictions
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CTD043
In which language did Jesus speak?
Article CTD043 addresses the alleged contradiction between Matthew (“Eli, Eli…”) and Mark (“Eloï, Eloï…”) regarding Jesus’ cry on the cross. Linguistic analysis shows that Jesus spoke Aramaic (as evidenced by “sabachthani” in both texts) and that the difference between “Eli” (the Hebrew form) and “Eloï” (the Aramaic form) simply reflects each evangelist’s adaptation to his readership. There is no contradiction.
Mark 15.39 (King James Version) :And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org
Historical notes
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INF005
Jesus and the Idioms of His Time
This article examines the main languages used by Jesus and his contemporaries in Palestine: Aramaic, the everyday language of the people; Hebrew, the liturgical language of the synagogues; and Koine Greek, the language of Roman administration and cultural exchange. New Testament examples illustrate each linguistic usage, revealing the richness of the multicultural context of the first century.
Luke 4.16-21 (King James Version) :And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF006
Did Jesus speak Greek?
The article examines the likelihood that Jesus spoke Greek. Although he was born in Nazareth, an isolated town, the Gospels report direct dialogues between Jesus and Pilate and Roman officers with no mention of an interpreter. The author suggests that work as a carpenter in Sepphoris, a Hellenized city, and possible local teaching explain this probable command of Greek.
Matthew 8.5 (King James Version) :And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org -
INF069
The Peshitta
The Peshitta is one of the oldest translations of the Bible into the Syriac language (Aramaic). Its Old Testament was translated from Hebrew in the 2nd century, and its New Testament from Koine Greek in the 5th century. Meaning 'simple' or 'common', it is the standard Bible version of the Syriac Orthodox and Catholic Churches. It plays a major role in the transmission of the biblical texts and is a valuable source for textual criticism.
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INF074
Difference in work between translation and revision
This article distinguishes Bible translation, which consists of creating a new version from the original texts in Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic, from revision, which improves and updates an existing translation. Translation requires mastery of the source languages and involves choices between literal fidelity and dynamism. Revision corrects errors, modernizes the language and improves readability. The example of the Segond Bible and its 1910 revision concretely illustrates these two complementary processes.