Yes, this is the interpretation that my friend uses.
In The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible note on the very bottom of the page says that it is God’s will. So several interpreters say different things. The DRB infers that it is the devils will. So I have 2 reliable bibles saying 2 different things and I still don’t know which is true and does it matter?
Jeanne
you know, I thought I understood this verse but then I read the note from the companion Bible and got a bit confused.
. Here’s the way I read 24-26:
Those ‘that oppose themselves’ (vs25) are those who are ensnared by the devil to do the devil’s will. They haven’t gotten repentance from God yet which might come about by the instruction of the ‘servant of the Lord’.
the devil’s will is for those ‘who oppose themselves’ is to get into and remain in, for example, ‘vain babblings’ (vs16), ‘iniquity’ (vs19) ‘youthful lusts’ (vs22). Whereas God’s will is to give them repentance from these things.
It’s all in the way a person assigns antecedents to pronouns. Bullinger in the Comp Bible and Ignatius notes assign them differently than the NAB & NET notes. I think the latter two have got it right (opinion) and most of the translations below support that. I don’t have an Ignatius Bible so I can’t read their note.
With respect to Bibles Catholics use ,
Ignatius: God’s will
DRB: devil’s will
NAB: devil’s will
RSV: devil’s will
NRSV: devil’s will
by Companion you mean Bullinger’s Comp. Bible?
1920’s a bit dated
NAB and NET notes/bible more recent
“and that they may return to their senses out of the devil’s snare, where they are entrapped by him, for his will.”
NAB (below is the note from NAB)
Some interpreters would render this passage, “Thus they may come to their senses and, forced to do his (i.e., God’s) will, may escape the devil’s trap.” This interpretation of the Greek is possible, but the one accepted in the text seems more likely.
and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
NRSV
and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
RSV
And they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil, by whom they are held captive at his will.
DRB
and that they may awake up out of the snare of the devil, who are taken by him, for his will.
DARBY
and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will.
ASV
and that they may recover themselves out pof the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
AV 1873
and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
ESV
Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will.
HCSB
so that they might escape from the devil’s snare, even though they’ve been held captive by him to do his will.
ISV
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
KJV
and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will.
NET
and they may come to their senses and escape from athe snare of the devil, having been bheld captive by him to do his will.
NASB95
and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
NIV
and that they may come to their senses and iescape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
NKJV
and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
TNIV
and they may awake out of the devil’s snare, having been caught by him at his will.
YLT
