Where have all the bishops gone?

 

 

J.E. Wehrmeyer

Department of Linguistics, University of South Africa. E-mail: wehrmje@unisa.ac.za

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates how the Greek term and its related variants are translated in English Bible translations. From early translations to the middle of the 20^th century, "bishop" was the preferred translation equivalent. However, translations done in the latter half of the 20^th century prefer the more generic term "overseer' or a functional equivalent. This apparent neutrality in selecting a more general term has, however, theological implications and may actually violate the principle of sola scriptura. The paper shows that the New Testament functions as a term with meanings similar to its secular use in ancient times as well as its use in the Septuagint. It is suggested that the term boldly declares the colonisation of the kingdoms of men by the kingdom of God. Therefore the translation equivalent also needs to be a term with equivalent semantic content.

Keywords: Bible translation, Corpus translation studies, Septuagint, Episkopos/Bishop

---

Trefwoorde: Bybelvertaling, Korpusvertaalkunde, Septuagint, Episkopos/Biskop

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aland, K., Karavidopoulos, J., Metzger, B.M. & Martini, C.M. (Eds.) 1983. The Greek New Testament. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft/UBS.         [ Links ]

Baker, M. 1992. In other words: A coursebook on translation. London: Routledge.         [ Links ]

Bakker, J. 2007. Persian influence on Greece.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.livius.org [2007, 27 February].

Barclay, W. 1969. The New Testament: A new translation. Volume II: The Letters and Revelation. London: Collins.         [ Links ]

Barclay, W. 2001. The daily study Bible series, Revised Edition. Philidelphia: Westminster Press.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.preceptaustin.org [2005, 17 February] and http://www.studylight.org. [2006, 1-7 June].

Barnes, A. 1798. Notes on the New Testament.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 3 December] and http://www.studylight.org [2006, 17 February].

Bettenson, H. 1963. Documents of the Christian Church. Oxford, N.Y.: Oxford University Press.         [ Links ]

Clement St. 1885. First Epistle to the Corinthians. In: A. Roberts & J. Donaldson (eds.), The ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to AD 325. Volume 1. American edition of the 1867 Edinburgh text revised by Coxe (C.A. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdman).         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com [2006, 3 March].

Crusé, C.F. (Tr.) 1892. The ecclesiastical history of Eusebius Pamphilus. London: George Bell & Sons.         [ Links ]

Cyprian St. 1885. On the unity of the church. In: A. Roberts & J. Donaldson (eds.), The ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to AD 325. Volume 1. American edition of the 1867 Edinburgh text revised by Coxe (C.A. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdman).         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com [2006, 3 March].

Douglas, M.A. & Hillyer, N. (Eds.) 1962. New Bible dictionary. 2nd ed. Leicester: Intervarsity Press.         [ Links ]

Eliot, C.W. (Ed.) 1969. The Apology, Phaedo and Crito of Plato; The Golden Sayings of Epictetus; The meditations of Marcus Aurelius. New York: P.F. Collier & Son.         [ Links ]

Erickson, M.J. 1985. Christian theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.         [ Links ]

Eusebius 1892. Ecclesiastical history. In: C.F. Crusé (trans.), The ecclesiastical history of Eusebius Pamphilus (London: George Bell & Sons), pp. 1 -104.         [ Links ]

Hougthon Mifflin Company 2004. The American Heritage dictionary of the English language. 4th ed.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.answers.com/topic/bishop [2005, 17 February].

Ignatius St. 1885a. Epistle to the Magnesians. In: A. Roberts & J. Donaldson (eds.), The ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to AD 325. Volume 1. American edition of the 1867 Edinburgh text revised by Coxe (C.A. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdman).         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com [2006, 3 March].

Ignatius St. 1885b. Epistle to the Philippians. In: A. Roberts & J. Donaldson (eds.), The ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to AD 325. Volume 1. American edition of the 1867 Edinburgh text revised by Coxe (C.A. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdman).         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com [2006, 3 March].

Ignatius St. 1885c. Epistle to the Smyrnaeans. In: A. Roberts & J. Donaldson (eds.), The ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to AD 325. Volume 1. American edition of the 1867 Edinburgh text revised by Coxe (C.A. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdman).         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com [2006, 3 March].

Irenaeus St. 1885. Against Heresies. In: A. Roberts & J. Donaldson (eds.), The ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to AD 325. Volume 1. American edition of the 1867 Edinburgh text revised by Coxe (C.A. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdman).         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com [2006, 3 March].

Kruger, A. & Wallmach, K. 1997. Research methodology for the description of a source text and its translation(s) - a South African perspective. South African Journal of African Languages 12(4): 119-126.         [ Links ]

Nord, C. 1991. Scopos, loyalty and translation conventions. Target 3(1):91-109.         [ Links ]

Online Etymology Dictionary (OED) sv Bishop 2005.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.etymonline.com [2005, 17 February].

Orr, J. et al. (Eds.) 1939. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2006, 20 February].

Patriarchate of Alexandria 2006. List of the Patriarchs.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.greekorthodox-alexandria.org/History/list_patr.htm [2006, 22 May].

Pierpoint, W.G. & Robinson, M.A. 1991. The New Testament in the original Greek according to the Byzantine/Majority Text form. Atlanta: Original Word Publications.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2006, 20 February].

Plato 1969. The Apology of Socrates. In: C.W. Eliot (ed.), The Apology, Phaedo and Crito of Plato; The Golden Sayings of Epictetus; The meditations of Marcus Aurelius (New York: P.F. Collier & Son), pp.1-75.         [ Links ]

Pratt, D.M. 1939. The New Testament Church a spiritual democracy. In: J. Orr et al. (eds.), International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans).         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2006, 20 February].

Precept Ministeries International (PMI) 2005. Philippians 1:1-2.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.preceptaustin.org/philippians_11-8.htm [2005, 17 February].

Rapp, C. 2000. The elite status of bishops in late antiquity in ecclesiastical, spiritual and social contexts. Arethusa 33(3):379-399.         [ Links ]

Steiner, R.C. 2001. The MBQR at Qumran, the episkopos in the Athenian empire and the meaning of LBQR' in Ezra 7:14: On the relation of Ezra's mission to the Persian Legal Project. Journal of Biblical Literature 120(4):623-646.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org [2007, 27 February].

Toury, G. 1980. In search of a theory of translation. Tel Aviv: The Porter Institute for Poetics and Semiotics.         [ Links ]

Walker, W. 1985. A history of the Christian Church. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark Ltd.         [ Links ]

Ware, T. 1963. The Orthodox Church. London: Penguin Books.         [ Links ]

Webster, N. 1828. Dictionary of American English.         [ Links ] [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.e-word.net [2006, 20 February].

 

 

APPENDIX 1: CORPUS OF BIBLE TRANSLATIONS

A Literal Translation of the Old Testament (1890) and the New Testament (1884) by John Nelson Darby. 1890. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 February].

A Literal Translation of the Holy Bible. 2000. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

Analytical-literal translation of the Holy Bible (2nd edition). 2001. Bloomington: Author-House. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 June].

A translation of the Peshito Syriac New Testament into English. Translated by J. Murdock, 1851. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

Bishops Bible. The Holie Bible conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe. 1568. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 February].

Contemporary English Version. NY: American Bible Society. 1995. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 February].

Douay-Rheims Bible. (1609. Douay New Testament. Douay: English College; 1582. Rheims New Testament. Rheims: English College). The Whole Revised & Diligently Compared with the Latin Vulgate by Bishop Richard Challoner. [Online.] 1899. Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 February].

English Majority Text Version of the Holy Bible, New Testament. 2003. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 February].

Geneva Bible. The Bible: That is, the Holy Scriptures conteined in the olde and newe Testament. Translated according to the Ebrew and Greeke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languages. 1587. London: Christopher Barker. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 February].

God's Word. NY: GOD'S WORD to the Nations Bible Society. 1995. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 February].

Good News Bible (2nd ed). 1992. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

Holman Christian Standard Bible. NY: American Bible Society. 2003. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

International Standard Version. 2001. NY: Davidson Press. v1.2.1. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

King James Version. The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament and the New: Newly Translated out of the Originall tongues: & with the former Translations diligently compared and revised: by his Maiesties speciall Commandement Appointed to be read in Churches. 1611. London: Robert Barker. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

New American Bible. 1970. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

New American Standard Bible. 1995. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

New Jerusalem Bible. 1985. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

New Living Translation. 1996. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

New Revised Standard Version. 1990. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

Rahlfs, A. (Ed.) [s.a.] The Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

Revised Standard Version. 1952. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

Revised Version. 1885. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

The Amplified Bible. 1953. NY: American Bible Society. 1953. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

The Bible in basic English. 1965. Cambridge: Cambridge Press. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

The Holy Bible. American Standard Version. 1901. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. 2001. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

The Holy Bible. Translated by N. Webster. 1833. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

The Modern King James Version. 1998. NY: American Bible Society. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

The Jewish Publication Society Bible. 1917. CA: Cathedral City. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 15 February].

The New Testament in modern speech. Translated by R.F. Weymouth. 1912. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 June].

Thompson, F.C. (Ed.) 1983. The Thompson Chain-reference Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Twenty-First century King James Version. 1994. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 17 February].

World English Bible. 1980. [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.esword.net [2005, 12 June].

Wycliffe's Bible. 2006 [Online.] Retrieved from: http://www.wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/Wycliffe/html [2006, 4 April].