First Corinthians 14 - he that speaketh in an UNKNOWN tongue 1 Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in an UNKNOWN tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. In the King James Bible, and many others as we shall soon see, the translators have italicized the word unknown before the word tongue to describe the spiritual gift that was drawing so much attention in the church of Corinth. The apostle goes on to tell us what this gift is and how it should properly be used. The italicized word unknown is added in verses 2, 4, 14, 19 and 27 of this chapter. The fact that it is italicized in the King James Bible tells us that they were perfectly aware that the word is not found in the Greek texts, but it is supplied to the English translation to give the correct meaning of the context. Rick Norris, author of The Unbound Scriptures, frequently criticizes the King James Bible in his book and on the internet. He asks: At 1 Corinthians 14:4, several of the early English Bibles do not add the word unknown before tongue or language. Did the adding of the word unknown in italics in the KJV make the understanding of this verse clearer? The simple answer to Ricks question is, Yes, Rick, it makes the verse much clearer because of the context of the chapter. It should be pointed out that men like Rick Norris do not believe any Bible or any text in any language is the complete, inerrant, inspired and infallible word of God. He has no inspired Bible to recommend to anyone, but only offers interminable questions and doubts as to what The Bible really says. I have read Mr. Norris book and have responded to his arguments in a series of articles entitled A Response to Rick Norris The Unbound Scriptures. You can see it at this site: brandplucked.webs/unboundscriptures.htm The immediate context of 1 Corinthians 14 necessitates the adding of the word unknown, because what was being spoken was not a known language to those who heard it. The example of tongues being spoken in Acts chapter Two is quite different. There the people understood what was being said in their own languages, without the need of an interpreter. Here, in 1 Corinthians chapter Fourteen, the type of tongue being spoken was not understood by anyone present in the church meetings. A simple reading of the whole chapter will make this abundantly clear. Notice: he that speaketh in an UNKNOWN tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God, for no man understandeth him...he speaketh mysteries; except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?; if I know not the meaning of the voice...he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me; if I pray in an unknown tongue...my understanding is unfruitful; he understandeth not what thou sayest; if any man speak in an unknown tongue...let one interpret, but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church. What was being spoken was obviously an unknown tongue and unless one was present who had the spiritual gift of interpretation, then what was being said could not be understood or known by anyone there. Italicized or extra words are often added by ALL Bible versions when translating from one language into another. Versions like the NKJV, NIV, NASB, ESV (all of which omit the word unknown tongue in 1 Corinthians 14) are no exception. If someone objects to the use of italicized words, then they are left with no Bible at all that meets their rigorous and self-imposed demands. In First Corinthians there are numerous examples of where the NASB, NIV, NKJV, ESV all add extra words in order to round out or smooth the sense in English. For example, the following capitalized words are found in the NASB, NIV and NKJV, yet none of them are literally in the Greek texts: 1 Cor. 13:2 And though I have THE GIFT OF prophecy... ESV powers 1 Cor. 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed THE POOR... 1 Cor. 14:1Follow after charity, and desire spiritual GIFTS... ESV, NIV, NASB, NKJV 1 Cor. 14:12 ye are zealous of spiritual GIFTS... NIV, NASB, NKJV; ESV - MANIFESTATIONS 1 Cor. 14:21 In the law it is written, With MEN of other tongues... ESV -PEOPLE, 1 Cor. 14:22 but prophesying SERVETH not for them that believe not...(NASB, ESV - is for a sign, NIV however is; NKJV is) 1 Cor. 14:26 How is it then, brethren? NASB -What is THE OUTCOME then, brethren? NIV -What then SHOULD WE SAY, brothers? 1 Cor. 14:27 If any speak in an unknown tongue, LET IT BE by two, or at the most BY three... ESV, NIV, NASB, NKJV 1 Cor. 14:33 For God is not THE AUTHOR of confusion The NKJV reads the same here as does the KJB, while the NASB, ESV and NIV add God saying: For God is not THE GOD of confusion. In 1 Corinthians 14:36 the NKJV, NIV, NASB, ESV all add words that are not found in any Greek text nor in the King James Bible. The KJB says: What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?, while the NKJV says: Or did the word of God come ORIGINALLY from you? Or WAS IT you only that it reached?. The NASB has: Was it from you that the word of God FIRST went forth?, and the NIV reads: Did the word of God ORIGINATE with you? Or are you THE only PEOPLE it has reached? 1 Corinthians 14:2 - he that speaketh in an UNKNOWN tongue The King James Bible is not at all in error for adding the italicized word unknown to describe the spiritual gift of speaking in a language that was not understood by anyone, including the person who spoke it. It was an unknown tongue unless and until it was translated by one who had a spiritual gift that would enable him to interpret it for others. If a person objects to the use of added words to give the proper sense (either italicized or not), then they have no Bible on this earth that meets their personal requirements, but instead, have become their own final authority, and their peculiar bible version will differ from every other one that is out there. Obviously not all Bible translators share the opinion of those who criticize the KJB for reading: he that speaketh in an UNKNOWN tongue. Not only does the King James Bible supply the necessary word unknown tongue, but so also do the following Bible versions: The Geneva Bible of 1587 says a STRANGE tongue. An UNKNOWN tongue is found in Daniel Maces 1729 translation, John Wesleys 1755 translation - For he that speaketh in an UNKNOWN tongue, Worsley Version 1770, Websters translation of 1833, American Bible Union Version 1865, Noyes Translation 1869, Youngs literal translation 1898 - he who is speaking in an UNKNOWN tongue, Weymouth 1912 - in an UNKNOWN tongue, Lamsas 1933 translation of the Syriac Peshitta in an UNKNOWN tongue, Anderson N.T., American Union Bible N.T., the Amplified Bible of 1987, the New Century Version 1991, Todays English Version 1992, Good News Translation 1992, Gods Word Translation 1995 - ANOTHER language, King James 21st Century Version 1994, the Third Millennium Bible 1998 - an UNKNOWN tongue, the Hebrew Names Version, The Word of Yah 1993, New Life Version 1997 edition, the New International Readers Version 1998, Worldwide English New Testament, the Easy to Read Version of 2001, The Evidence Bible 2003, New Simplified Bible 2004 - and UNKNOWN tongue, Complete Apostles Bible 2005 (Paul Esposito), Bond Slave Version 2009, English Jubilee Bible 2010, Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, the 2012 Hebraic Roots Bible - an UNKNOWN language, The Voice 2012 (Thomas Nelson publishers) - a person speaking in AN UNKNOWN language is not addressing the church, while the Holman Christian Standard Version of 2009 says: For the person who speaks in ANOTHER language.... and the Names of God Bible of 2011 also has: When a person speaks in ANOTHER language and even the Modern Greek Bible - Διοτι ο λαλων γλωσσαν αγνωριστον = Therefore he that speaks in an UNKNOWN tongue... Other Versions - The Living Oracles of 1835 had he who speaks in A FOREIGN language The 1923 Goodspeed New Testament read: For anyone who speaks ECSTATICALLY is speaking not to men but to God, for no one can understand him, though he is uttering secret truths. The New English Bible of 1970 says a language of ecstasy. The Contemporary English Version 1995 has: If you speak languages THAT OTHERS DO NOT KNOW... An Understandable Version 1998 - “For the person who speaks in a language [SUPERNATURALLY] does not speak to people, but to God Last Days Bible 1999 says: If you are speaking in tongues (LANGUAGES YOU NEVER LEARNED) you are not speaking to men but to God. The Tomson New Testament 2002 - He that speaks in A STRANGE tongue... The Message of 2002- in the private language of tongues Conservative Version 2011 - “For he who speaks in A LANGUAGE THAT NOBODY KNOWS, does not speak to men, but to God.” The Natural Israelite Bible 2012 - For he who speaks in AN UNKNOWN language... The International Standard Version of 2012 reads: For the person who speaks IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE is not actually speaking to people but to God. The World English Bible 2012 reads: For he who speaks in ANOTHER language speaks not to men, but to God The Holy Bible Modern Literal Version 2014 says: For he who speaks in A FOREIGN LANGUAGE does not speak to men, but to God” Several foreign language Bible do the same thing. The Italian Diodati of 1649 and La Nuova Diodati 1991 and the 2006 La Bibbia della Gioia and the 2006 Nuova Riveduta Bible - perché chi parla in ALTRA lingua, The Spanish Reina Valera of 1909, Dios Hable Hoy 1996 and the Reina Valera Comtemporánea of 2011 - el que habla en lenguas extrañas in verses 4, 14, 19 and 27. The French Martin of 1744 and the French Ostervald 1996 and the French La Bible du Semeur 1999 all say: Parce que celui qui parle une Langue INCONNUE = an unknown language, the Portuguese Easy to Read N.T. 1999 - Pois aquele que fala em outra língua fala a Deus = in OTHER tongue. and the Portugues A Bibla Sagrada em Portugués and the Almeida Corregida 2009 - Porque o que fala língua ESTRANHA não fala aos homens = A STRANGE (unknown) tongue The Spanish United Bible Societies “Traducción en lenguaje actual” of 2000 reads: “Cuando ustedes hablan en un idioma extraño” = “When you speak in a STRANGE language” The Spanish La Palabra 2010 has: “ Pues quien habla un lenguaje MISTERIOSO se dirige a Dios” = a MYSTERIOUS language Dont let the Bible Rummagers like Rick Norris rob you of your faith in Gods inerrant Book - the Authorized King James Holy Bible. Will Kinney Return to Articles - brandplucked.webs/kjbarticles.htm
Posted on: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 05:02:51 +0000
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