Why are there two versions of Mt 21, 28-32?

[Alma]

Can someone please explain why is it that there are two different versions of next Sunday’s Gospel?

According to the New Jerusalem Bible and the New Revised Santard Version and the New American Bible, and the Latinamerican Bible, the first son is the one who did not want to go to work on his father’s vinyard :tsktsk: but finally went :bounce: and the second son was the one who said he would go :yup: but never went :nope:

But according to the Revised English Bible and the Pilgrim Catholic Bible as well as to the Lectionary, it was the second son who first refused to go.:dts:

Why is there a difference and which one is correct?

I am preparing an article on this and would appreciate an answer asp, thanks!!



Alma

 

[tobinatorstark]

Can someone please explain why is it that there are two different versions of next Sunday’s Gospel?

According to the New Jerusalem Bible and the New Revised Santard Version and the New American Bible, and the Latinamerican Bible, the first son is the one who did not want to go to work on his father’s vinyard :tsktsk: but finally went :bounce: and the second son was the one who said he would go :yup: but never went :nope:

But according to the Revised English Bible and the Pilgrim Catholic Bible as well as to the Lectionary, it was the second son who first refused to go.:dts:

Why is there a difference and which one is correct?

I am preparing an article on this and would appreciate an answer asp, thanks!!



Alma

First off I never heard of the Revised English Bible and the Pilgrim Catholic Bible, but I will check into them. And second to answer your question, according to the Douay-Rheims Challoner, the first refused to go, but later went to work in the vineyard. The second son said he would go, but never did. So if the ones that say the first refused to go and later went and the second said he would go and never went, then those are correct. I read the Douay-Rheims Challoner version and it is very reliable. The Ronald Knox Translation also says the same as the Douay-Rhems, as also the NAB, JB and RSV-CE.

 

[Verbum]

Hi Alma,

Those translations that have the first son refusing and then going are from the Latin Vulgate. The others are from the original Greek. The Vulgate, of course, was done from Greek manuscripts, but today’s critical editions (taking into account the number and quality of the other manuscripts) opt for the first son accepting then not going. Same difference, no?

Verbum

 

[tobinatorstark]

First off I never heard of the Revised English Bible and the Pilgrim Catholic Bible, but I will check into them. And second to answer your question, according to the Douay-Rheims Challoner, the first refused to go, but later went to work in the vineyard. The second son said he would go, but never did. So if the ones that say the first refused to go and later went and the second said he would go and never went, then those are correct. I read the Douay-Rheims Challoner version and it is very reliable. The Ronald Knox Translation also says the same as the Douay-Rhems, as also the NAB, JB and RSV-CE.

Hi Alma,

Those translations that have the first son refusing and then going are from the Latin Vulgate. The others are from the original Greek. The Vulgate, of course, was done from Greek manuscripts, but today’s critical editions (taking into account the number and quality of the other manuscripts) opt for the first son accepting then not going. Same difference, no?

Verbum

Also take into account that many early Protestant Bibles also same the same as the Douay-Rheims such as the Wycliffe Bible, Tyndale NT, Coverdale Bible, Geneva Bible, Bishops Bible and King James Version. The same is also true for the modern Protestant Bibles that include:Young’s Literal, Webster, Darby, Bible in Basic English, World English Bible, Easy to Read Version, NKJV, The Message, NCV, Good News Translation, CEV, ESV, ERV, New Living Translation, NIV, The Amplified Bible, NASB and ASV. Hm. I haven’t run into a translation Protestant or Catholic that said the second son went and the first didn’t.

 

[Alma]

I decided to write the article based on the Lectionary, since it was a comment on next Sunday’s Gospel and, from what you say, I concluded the difference does not really matter.

Thank you guys!
:tiphat:

Alma