Wow -- Rare Translation of John

[RainingRoses]

I’m a bit of a Confraternity translation nut, and I thought that I had in my collection all of the Confraternity material there is. But, I just found a 1938 Confraternity translation of John that differs from the 1941 translation (and that was used for a few decades until the NAB was introduced). It’s a separate volume called “A Proposed Revision of the New Testament in English / The Gospel According to St. John.” On the cover it’s dated 1938, and it says “Printed – Not Published.” I bought it figuring it was simply the John that later went into the complete Confraternity NT, but there are lots of differences.

Here’s the most significant one I’ve found so far:

1941 Translation (Jn 8:25-27)

They therefore said to him, “Who art thou?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all! I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you; but he who sent me is true, and the things that I heard from him, these I speak in the world.” And they did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father.

1938 Translation (Jn 8:25-27)

They therefore said to him, “Who art thou?” Jesus said to them, *“I am *the beginning, I who speak with you. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you; but he who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him, these things I speak in the world.” And they did not understand that he was speaking about his Father, God.

*“I am *the beginning…” (complete with those italics) is actually very close to the D-R, and I don’t know of another translation that picks this up. Every other translation I know has Jesus making a statement along the lines of, “I’m the person I’ve been telling you I am from the beginning” or asking a rhetorical question along the lines of, “who have I been telling you I am?”

I’m kind of excited about this find. Something tells me this translation of John is rarer than rare. “Printed – Not Published”???

 

[ProVobis]

It appears that there are some difficulties in translating this so that it is easily understood: However, the 41 version seems to have skipped something.

25 ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ: σὺ τίς εἶ; εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ] Ἰησοῦς: τὴν ἀρχὴν ὅ τι καὶ λαλῶ ὑμῖν. 26 πολλὰ ἔχω περὶ ὑμῶν λαλεῖν καὶ κρίνειν: ἀλλ’ ὁ πέμψας με ἀληθής ἐστιν, κἀγὼ ἃ ἤκουσα παρ’ αὐτοῦ, ταῦτα λαλῶ εἰς τὸν κόσμον. 27 οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῖς ἔλεγεν.

25 Dicebant ergo ei : Tu quis es? Dixit eis Jesus : Principium, qui et loquor vobis. 26 Multa habeo de vobis loqui, et judicare; sed qui me misit, verax est; et ego quæ audivi ab eo, hæc loquor in mundo. 27 Et non cognoverunt quia Patrem ejus dicebat Deum.

25 They said therefore to him: Who are you? Jesus said to them: The beginning, who also speak unto you. 26 Many things I have to speak and to judge of you. But he that sent me, is true: and the things I have heard of him, these same I speak in the world. 27 And they understood not that he called God his Father.

newadvent.org/bible/joh008.htm

 

[grndslm]

Just for reference, here’s what “The Word” states that numerous translations say for these same verses…

The bold line is the King James version

The Word - John 8

25. Then said they unto him, Who art thou?
------ You – Who are you? they asked – Wey
+++ And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.*
------ . . . Even what I have told you from the beginning – RSV
------ . . . Why ask exactly what I have been telling you? – TCNT
------ . . . Why should I talk to you at all? – Mof
------ . . . What should I tell you first? – Beck

26. I have many things to say and to judge of you:
------ I have still much that concerns you to speak of and to pass judgement on – TCNT
------ . . . many judgments I could pass on you – Knox
------ I have much to say and to judge about you – Ber
+++ but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
------ But He who sent me is faithful . . . – Nor
------ yet he who sent me is truthful . . . – Gspd
------ but My Sender is reliable . . . – Ber
------ . . . and I declare to the world what I have heard from him. – RSV

• • Variant reading.

I would venture to say that the King James and RSV translations would be closest to the original message.

Let’s see what the Good News Translations says:

25. “Who are you?” they asked him.
Jesus answered, "What I have told you from the very beginning. 26. I have much to say about you, much to condemn you for. The one who sent me, however, is truthful, and I tell the world only what I have heard from him."*

• • What I have told you from the very beginning; or Why should I speak to you at all?