LUKE 14:5 SHEEP, DONKEY OR SON?

 BIBLE TRANSLATIONS

GRAND CANYON  BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL

Sometimes we find variant readings in Bible manuscripts.   Even though there's no major doctrine changed by these different readings; we would like to know what Jesus said.  

Like finding similar pieces of a puzzle, there is only one piece that really fits and completes the picture.  Sometimes Bible translators must look at the context of the passage, and choose the one that best fits the conversation.

There are three different variants of Luke 14:5:

    1. Ox or an donkey (ass).

    2. Ox or a son.

    3. Ox or a sheep.

"And He answered them, saying, “Which of you shall have an ox or an ass fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?"                21st Century King James Version

 Then He said to them, “Which one of you, having a son or an ox that falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”  Amplified Version (AMP)

To make things more complicated other translations read:

Jesus said to them, `If your horse or cow falls into a hole, which one of you will not pull him out right away on the Sabbath day?'  Worldwide English (WE)

Then he said to them, “If an ass or a cow belonging to one of you fell into a well, wouldn’t you rescue him without the slightest hesitation even though it were the Sabbath?”  Phillips New Testament (JBPT)

Most translators eliminate #3 "sheep" because it is in Codex Bezae, and not in the majority of manuscripts.

To solve the MYSTERY, we may have to look at the entire passage.  Examine both readings.  Which one would Jesus say to the chief Pharisees and have the greatest impact.

"And it came to pass, on his going into the house of a certain one of the chiefs of the Pharisees, on a sabbath, to eat bread, that they were watching him,and lo, there was a certain dropsical man before him; and Jesus answering spake to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, `Is it lawful on the sabbath-day to heal?' and they were silent, and having taken hold of [him], he healed him, and let [him] go; and answering them he said, `Of which of you shall an ass or ox fall into a pit, and he will not immediately draw it up on the sabbath-day?'and they were not able to answer him again unto these things."  

Luke 14:1-6  Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

One Sabbath, when He went to eat at the house of one of the leading Pharisees, they were watching Him closely.  There in front of Him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid.  In response, Jesus asked the law experts and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”  But they kept silent. He took the man, healed him, and sent him away.  And to them, He said, “Which of you whose son or ox falls into a well, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” To this they could find no answer."   

Luke 14:1-6  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

No one arguing about the ox.  It would be a disaster if an ox fell into a well and if it would perish it would contaminate the drinking water.

Donkeys and mules are smart animals, they don't fall off the Grand Canyon everyday?  Why would they fall down a well?

If your son fell into a well, would you wait another day to rescue him?

Conclusion, if your translation reads, "ass and an ox," write a footnote in the margins for "son and an ox."   And keep the translation that you enjoy reading and studying.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THESE OLD ENGLISH WORDS?

 BIBLE TRANSLATIONS

It's important that you can communicate and explain God's Word to a lost world.

English language is constantly changing, there are new words in our dictionaries, and some words that are not commonly used any more.

Below are some old English words from the King James Version of the Bible.  

Imagine that you are talking to a person who had never read the Bible.  Can you define some of the following words? 

    APPERTAINETH ~ Leviticus 6:5

    BEWRAYETH ~ Matthew 26:73

    COUCHETH ~ Deuteronomy 33:13

    DEFERRETH ~ Proverbs 19:11

    ENFLAMING ~ Isaiah 57:5

    FORSWEAR ~ Matthew 5:33

    GAPED ~ Job 16:10

    HINDERMOST ~ Genesis 33:2

    INTREATIES ~ Proverbs 18:23

    JEOPARDED ~ Judges 5:18

    KNOP ~ Exodus 25:33

    LUNATICK ~ Matthew 4:24

    MALIGNITY ~ Romans 1:29

    NESSINGS ~ Job 41:18

    OBEISANCE ~ Genesis 37:7

    PRANSINGS ~ Judges 5:22

    QUIVERED ~ Habakkuk 3:16

    RINGSTRAKED ~ Genesis 31:12

    SURMISINGS ~ Titus 6:4

    TWAIN ~ Ephesians 2:15

    UNTOWARD ~ Acts 2:40

    VERILY ~ John 3:3

    WAXING ~ Philippians 1:14

    YOUWARD ~ 2 Corinthians 1:12

    ZEALOUSLY ~ Galatians 4:18

A Bible Dictionary can help you understand words too.  Vine's Dictionary and Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary are great resources for your library.

Even the King James Bible translation has been updated over the centuries changing words to modern English.  The New King James Version is a more recent update of the KJV.

Keep your favorite Bible translation that you enjoy reading and studying. 

Check out the Bible Gateway online and compare other translations too.

IS THE LOVE OF MONEY THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL?

BIBLE TRANSLATIONS 

LOVE OF MONEY

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."  1 Timothy 6: 10  KJV  King James Version

Let's examine the Greek Text

"For a root of all evils is the love of money; which some stretching after were seduced from the faith, and themselves pierced with sorrows many"  Interlinear Greek-English NT, George Ricker Berry, Baker Books.

Does all evil originate from this root of loving money?   Which one is correct: "a root" or "the root"

There is no article before "root" in the Greek to support "the root."  So if we choose "a root," that leaves us with the possibilities of many roots that can grow into evils (plural).

Pride, sexual immorality, rebellion, blasphemy, and unbelief also are roots of evil.

Some Modern Translations have corrected this issue.

 "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils, and some by aspiring to it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 
LSB  Legacy Standard Bible

EPHESIANS 5:9 FRUIT of the SPIRIT or LIGHT?

 TEXTUAL VARIANTS OF THE BIBLE

There are thousands of New Testament manuscripts, and sometimes we find VARIANTS in a word, sentence, or thought.  Bible translators examine each variant individually; just like a detective.

Here are the two differences  

(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),  

New King James Version

(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),  

New American Standard 95

It is hard to choose one over another, just by reading a sentence.  Let's look at the entire passage, to see which one fits the context of what Paul was writing.

Ephesians 5:6-14  Context

"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.

For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth proving what is pleasing to the Lord.  And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; instead, expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.  But all things are exposed when they are revealed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."  Modern English Version

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"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light  (for the fruit of that light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them. For it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.  But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”  Legacy Standard Bible

Early Manuscripts 

"Fruit of the Spirit"   Chester Beatty P46, from Egypt

"Fruit of the Light"  Codex Sinaiticus,  Codex Alexandrius, Codex Vaticanus,  Codex Bezae.

Conclusion

When you are studying the BIBLE it is good to compare translations.  When you find VARIANTS, stop and examine the passage like a detective.  It would be good to write footnotes in your Bible of the differences in your Bible, for future reference.

Did you notice that some Bible translators put the sentences in (brackets)?  We'll discuss this in a later blog.