I have been reading through the New Testament in the NASB translation of the Bible and really like the way the NASB translates 1Tim 5:22.
The KJV translates it “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure” while the NASB translates it “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.”
The second part of the verse is what caught my eye — “keep yourself free from sin“.
The Greek work that the NASB is here translating “free from sin” is ἁγνός (hagnos) and the definition from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon is “1) exciting reverence, venerable, sacred 2) pure a) pure from carnality, chaste, modest b) pure from every fault, immaculate c) clean“.
The Greek word that is here translated “keep” is τηρέω (tēreō) and the definition from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon is “1) to attend to carefully, take care of a) to guard b) metaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is c) to observe d) to reserve: to undergo something“.
If you would like to parse the verse, the The Resurgence Greek Project is one of the better tools to do that with. Here is the parse for 2 Timothy 5:22. (Hover over the Greek words, and a popup will show you the parse of the Greek word you are hovering.)
The reason I really liked the NASB translation of the Greek word ἁγνός (hagnos- to “free from sin“) in this verse is that it brings to the forefront what I consider one of the most important issues in the New Testament — the sin question.
While the KJV translation of the Greek word ἁγνός (hagnos) to “pure” is a more literal translation, keeping yourself pure is in fact to keep yourself free from sin.
The idea that a Christian can pure and at the same time committing willful sin is a concept that is completely foreign to the New Testament scriptures.
As I go about my day today, I have made a commitment to meditate on this short scripture and I wanted to share it with you also, so that it may be a blessing to you.
By the grace and power of God through faith, we can, as the bride of Christ, attend carefully, take great care, and guard ourselves that we will be pure, chaste in our conduct toward the opposite gender, modest in dress and deportment, faultless, immaculate, clean, free from carnality, and free from willful sin this day and every every day of our life.
Jesus is coming soon — Keep yourself free from sin, keep yourself pure!
Keep — 1) to attend to carefully, take care of a) to guard b) metaph. to keep, one in the state in which he is
Pure — 2) pure a) pure from carnality, chaste, modest b) pure from every fault, immaculate c) clean
Recent Comments