Language of Scripture

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kolorfulkate

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I am a ‘newbie’ where reading and understanding Scripture is concerned. My question surrounds the high-level language of the scriptures themselves. For example, I’m reading the Second Reading for the 15th Sundy in Ordinary Time, the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians1:3-14 and am struck with the beautiful expression and intricate words St. Paul uses. I suppose I’m wondering if that is the language he employed in the day or if the translations have been made for the sake of the modern reader/pray-ers?

Thank you for clearing this up for me.

Kate
 
Paul wrote in Greek which is a wonderfully accurate language. Sometimes what makes “great Greek” makes “poor English.” So translators have to walk a very fine line between literal translation of words and making sense. Good translators do a good job. Sounds like you have a good translation. If you are reading from a Missal then you are reading the New American Bible translation (NAB). It is quite beautiful AND accurate.

Also - some scholars (Marcus Grodi is one (EWTN)) think that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was a formal sermon written to be read to the newly Baptized Catechumen at the Easter Vigil Mass. Paul was in prison and could not be there so he wrote this lovely sermon.
 
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