An Analytical Study of Words
Chapter Six
What Saith The Translations?
"Because 'orthodox' scholars contradict themselves even within their own
organizations, when it comes to these words, it often becomes difficult for sincere
students to get their true original meaning."
The Old Scofield Bible, using the KJV,
made 35 marginal notations for the noun aion, "eon," and three for the
adjective aionios, "eonian."
The late Oxford University Press Sunday
School Teacher's Bible corrected the noun eighteen times, and the adjective not at
all. In the Companion Bible, Dr. E.W. Bullinger noted every occurrence of the noun
and the adjective, and showed the corrected translation either in the marginal notes or in
the appendix.
In the New Analytical Indexed Bible, by
John A. Dickson, there are but three marginal corrections for the noun (1 Cor. 10:11; Heb.
6:5; 9:26). For the adjective only two marginal corrections are given, where "before
times eternal" is offered, instead of "before the world began," as in the
KJV.
The Newberry Bible gives many excellent
marginal notes. Correct marginal readings appear for the noun, aion, more than
100 times. The adjective is left with no marginal notes, except at 1 Tim. 1:9 and Tit.
1:2, where "eternal times" is given.
In Rotherham's 1872 version, the word
"age" is used consistently for the noun. In his later edition, 1897, the word
"age" is used about 90 times. The adjective for aion is translated
"age-abiding" quite consistently in both editions.
The ASV of 1901 translates the noun correctly
in the text or in a marginal reading in 90 of its 123 occurrences. The adjective was
translated "eternal" at Rom. 16:25; 2 Tim. 1:9; and Tit. 1:2, where the KJV used
"world."
Professor Robert Young, author of Young's
Analytical Concordance, as well as his Literal Translation of the Bible, uses
"age" as the translation for the noun. The adjective is translated
"age-during" in all except three of its occurrences. At 2 Tim. 1:9 and Tit. 1:2
he uses "time of the ages" and in Philemon, "age-duringly."
J.N. Darby's translation of the New Testament
uses "age" 65 times for the noun, but in several instances a correct translation
in the text is contradicted in his footnotes.
The Concordant Literal Translation of the
New Testament uses "eon" for the noun consistently, and "eonian"
for the adjective in all cases.
The preface of the Numeric English New
Testament, by Ivan Panin has this comment (p. 16): "Aionios can safely
be rendered eternal, but its noun in eis ton aiona cannot be rendered 'into
eternity' or 'forever;' hence the aion phrases are rendered literally."
Panin follows his rule, except at Acts 3:21 where he translates the phrase ap aionos
"from of old," and in John's Evangel, where in eleven occurrences out of
thirteen he does exactly what he had said could not be done. The adjective is translated
"eternal," except at Rom. 16:25; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 1:2; and Philemon 15.
In the New Testament or Covenant, by
E.E. Cunnington, the noun is translated correctly either in the text or in the footnotes
twenty-eight times, but "forever" in Matt. 21:19, where it is followed by his
note, "Lit. For the age and elswhere." "For evermore" in this version
at Rev. 1:6 is followed by this note: "Lit. to the ages of the ages (and
elsewhere)." The first occurrence of the adjective eonian, at Matt. 18:8 he
translated "eternal," but this is followed by his note: "Lit. age-long
(aeonian) and elsewhere." Thus in Cunnington's version, if the notes are overlooked,
one will not see the truth expressed by the Greek text.
Following, are some of the more modern English
versions' renderings of these words. For reference purposes, we have listed all the
different rendering of the words we are studying. The reader may skip this section if they
desire. The manuscript for this book was prepared before several of Bibles which appeared
in the 1980's and 1990's came out. That is why they are not included included in this
section.
- The New International Version of the New Testament translates aion,
"eon," as the following: "forever" 27 times; "age"
(including the plural "ages") 25 times; "forever and ever" 22 times;
"never" 9 times; "world" 6 times; "eternal" twice, "the
universe" twice, "ever" twice; "life" twice; "long ago"
twice; and once each with "enduring," "forevermore," and "time
began." The adjective is translated "eternal" 60 times;
"everlasting" 4 times; "beginning of" twice, as well as once each with
"ages past," "forever," life," and "good." This version
translates Eph. 3:11, "according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in
Christ Jesus our Lord." Can one explain how God could have an "eternal purpose
which He accomplished?" An "eternal purpose" can never be accomplished, and
if a purpose has been accomplished it cannot be "eternal."
- In The Holy Bible, an American Translation, by William E. Beck, aion,
"eon," is translated "forever" 50 times; "world" 29 times;
"never" 8 times; "long ago" 3 times; "ever" 4 times;
"ages" 4 times; and once each "time," "beginning," and
"everlasting." At 1 Cor. 2:6, the noun was not translated, or the translation
was so vague one could not tell what word might have been used, although it appears twice
in this verse in the text. The adjective is translated "everlasting" 58 times;
"forever" 6 times; and once each "long ago," "lasting
forever," "world began," "eternally," and "ages ago."
- In The Jerusalem Bible, aion, "eon," is translated
"forever and ever" 23 times; "forever" 21 times; "world" 19
times; "never" 9 times; "age" 4 times; "time" 3 times;
"assured" twice; and once each "eternal," "ever,"
"ancient times," "world began," "long age,"
"today," "age began," "last age," "all eternity,"
"centuries," "world's," "life," and "everything there
is." For the adjective there are these: "eternal" 60 times;
"everlasting" twice; "eternity" twice; and once each
"eternally," "long ago," "endless ages," "beginning of
time," and "forever."
- In The New American Bible, The New Testament, by the St. Antony Guild, 1971
edition, aion, "eon," is translated "forever" 24 times;
"age" (including the plural "ages") 23 times; "forever and
ever" 15 times; "never" 10 times; "world" 9 times;
"worldly" 3 times; "endless ages" twice; and once each
"enduring," "worldly way," "life demand," "ancient
times," "ever," "always," "long ago," "of
old," "world's goods," "age-old," "eternity,"
"without end," "the universe," and "unending ages." The
adjective is translated "eternal" 44 times; "everlasting" 17 times;
and once each "endless," "without end," " last forever,"
"endless ages," "ages," "lasting," "lasts
forever," and "world began."
- In The Good News Bible, aion, "eon," is translated
"forever" 23 times; "forever and ever" 22 times; "age" 13
times; "never" 7 times; "long ago" 3 times; "life" 3 times;
"eternal" 3 times; "the universe" twice; and once each "now or
ever," "live," "all time," "ages of time,"
"world's," "ever," and "time." The adjective is translated
"eternal" 63 times; "beginning of time" twice; and once each
"long ages," "lasts forever," " last forever," " all
time," and "unfailing."
- In The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, the noun
"eon" is translated "system of things" 33 times; "forever"
28 times; "forever and ever" 20 times; "never" 6 times; "of
old" 3 times; "eternity" twice, and once each "of old time,"
"eternal," "ever," and "indefinite past." The interlinear
was translated consistently "age" for the singular and "ages" for the
plural. The adjective "eonian" is translated "everlastingly" 65 times;
"longlasting" 3 times; and "forever" once. In the interlinear, it is
incorrectly translated "everlasting," except at Philemon 15 where it is
"everlasting(ly)."
This is a time of apostasy, so while some
groups do teach and believe the truth concerning the eons, others have departed from what
the Scriptures say, not only about the eons, but also about equally vital truths.
Although it would seem several translators,
such as those cited above, realize that aion and aionios cannot be
construed to mean endless time, yet they refuse to use a word which more closely expresses
the Greek. Rather, they have chosen to use the inconsistent renderings that have been
shown in this book. The learned Catholic men who translated and authorized The
Jerusalem Bible and The New American Bible seem to be oblivious of the fact
that the large Catholic Bible dictionary titled, The Encyclopedic Dictionary of the
Bible says (p. 693):
ETERNITY: The Bible hardly speaks of
eternity in the philosophical sense of infinite duration without beginning or end. The
Hebrew word olam, which is used alone (Ps. 61:8; etc.) or with various prepositions (Gn.
3:22; etc.) in contexts where it is traditionally translated as 'forever,' means in itself
no more than 'for an indefinitely long period.' Thus me olam does not mean 'from eternity'
but 'of old' (Gn. 6:4, etc.). In the N.T. aion is used as the equivalent of olam.
Here the translators have consistently ignored
what their own "authorities" tells them, and have used words which do convey
the idea of endless time. Because "orthodox" scholars contradict themselves even
within their own organizations, when it comes to these words, it often becomes difficult
for sincere students to get their true original meaning. The following letter illustrates
the point.
|