Lectionary Year A
May 5, 2002
1 Peter 3:13-22

Initial Acquaintance

(JFC) A. COMPARISON OF TRANSLATIONS

1. NRSV
At the end of verse 14, NRSV translates "tarachthete", "be intimidated". Then, NRSV places a period after verse 15's "sanctify Christ in your hearts" & begins a new sentence with, "Always be ready to make your defense . . ." In the next verse(16), NRSV translates "katalaleisthe", maligned. In verse 18, NRSV calls them "the righteous" and "the unrighteous". Then, in verse 20, NRSV translates "psuchai", "persons".

2. Bo Reicke's Anchor Bible
At the end of verse 13, "zelotai genesthe" translates, "become zealots". In the next verse, Reicke translates "dia", "on account of". Later in that same verse, we read, "by their appearance" as an attempt to identify what not to fear. Then, to begin verse 15, Reicke translates "hagiasate", "hallow". In verse 16, Reicke translates "fobou", "respect", as does the NRSV in a footnote. At the end of verse 18, Reicke's translation can get confusing in that it locates descriptive phrases too far from the nouns and pronouns they modify. Or, perhaps it's the phrase, "in order to bring you to God" that proves difficult to locate properly grammatically as well as smoothly to read. In verse 20, for "tou theou makrothumia", Reicke reads, "God in His long-suffering". Verse 20c for Reicke reads, "Just this [is the] analogous baptism [that] now saves you". Then, in verse 21b, Reicke reads, "a pledge of goodwill to God" for "agathes eperotema eis theon". Reicke concludes verse 22 by reading, "have become subject to him."

3. William Barclay's the Daily Study Bible Series, The Letters of James and Peter, second edition, 1960.
At the end of the opening question, Barclay translates, "if you are ardent lovers of goodness?" For verse 15, Barclay reads, "but in your hearts give Christ a unique place". In the next verse, Barclay translates "katalaleisthe", abused, and for "epereazontes", "those who revile you". At the end of verse 20, Barclay translates "diesothesan", "were brought in safety". In the next verse, Barclay reads, "who were symbolically represented in Noah and his company" as "antitupon". Finally, in verse 22, Barclay translates "hupotagenton" as an adverb, "after".

(JFC) B. TEXTUAL CRITICISM

In verse 15, Metzger explains, the Textus Receptus substitutes "theon" for "Christon", yet ill-advisedly. The name "ton Christon" is still, at the time of this epistle's being written & circulated, rather, or at least, largely, unfamiliar. In the next verse, Metzger acknowledges that the shorter reading "katalaleisthe", has Alexandrian and other good support, he and the Committee cite 1 Peter 2:12 for preferring it, as well. Further, Metzger explains supporting the "copyists modifying the shorter reading by adding "hos kakopoion", or by altering the person of the verb and adding "humon" (vg arm (Speculum) or "humon hos kakopoion" (Aleph, A C K P 049 33 81 Lect it65 syr p.hmg copbo? eth al)."

Metzger's note, regarding 3:18, begins, "The bewildering diversity of readings can be listed in connection with the variation involving the accompanying verb." To conclude the nearly whole page of possibilities, Metzger writes, "While acknowledging the difficulty of ascertaining the original text, a majority of the Committee preferred the reading "peri hamartion epathen" because (a) this verb, which is a favorite of the author (it occurs elsewhere in 1 Peter eleven times), carries on the thought of v. 17, whereas "hapothneskein" (which occurs nowhere else in the epistle) abruptly introduces a new idea; (b) in view of the presence of the expression "peri hamartion" scribes would be more likely to substitute "apethanen" for "epathen" than vice versa; and (c) the readings with "hemon" or "humon" (which in later Greek had the same pronunciation) are natural and, indeed, expected scribal expansions." Later in that (18th) verse, "the Committee was inclined to prefer "hemas (p72 B P Psi it65 syr ph arm) to "hemas" (Alephc (Aleph* accidentally omits the pronoun) A C K 81 614 1739 vg syrhmg copsa.bo Clement), because copyists would have been more likely to alter the second person to the first person (as more inclusive) than vice versa."

JFC) C. ROUGH TRANSLATION

13 So, who will do harm to you if the good eager you become (to do)? 14 But, if also you suffer through righteousness, you (are) blessed. But the fear of them not are you to fear nor be troubled, 15 But Lord the Christ make holy in the hearts of you, being ready always to speak a verbal defense to all who require you a word this in you hope. 16 But with gentleness and reverence you gain awareness of benefit. So, on one hand you say bad things against those put to shame those who mistreat you (for) the good in Christ you a way of life. 17 For better you do good, if it should intend the will of God, to suffer for the wrong. 18 For also Christ once for all time sin endured, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that he brings to you the God having been put death in the body but having been given life in the spirit; 19 in which also to whom in prison the spirit having been left he proclaimed, 20 Having disobeyed formerly while waiting expectantly so that the patient God in the days of Noah having prepared an ark at which he a little, which means he is eight human beings, having been brought safely through the water. 21 And what you prefigures now saves baptism, not from the body removes dirt but conscience good a promise unto God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God has been taken to heaven, has subjected to him the angels, the government and the supernatural powers.



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