Lectionary Year B
December 22, 2002
Fourth Sunday in Advent
Luke 1:47-55

Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation

(JFC) A. COMPARISON OF TRANSLATIONS

This is a comparison of The Jerusalem Bible (JB), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), and Edourd Schweizer (ES).

Verse	JB	NRSV	ES
47	proclaims the greatness of the Lord	magnifies the Lord	magnifies the Lord
	exults in God	rejoices in God	rejoices in God
48	because he has looked	for he has looked with favor	for he has regarded
	upon his lowly handmaid	on the lowliness of his servant	the low estate of his handmaiden
	Yes, from this day forward	Surely, from now on	For behold, henceforth
49	The almighty has done gret things	for the Mighty one has done great things	For he who is mighty has done great things
50	and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.	His mercy is for those who fear him.	his mercy is upon generations and generations for those who fear him.
51	he hs routed the proud of heart	he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of thier hearts.	he has scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts.
52	He has pulled down princes	He has brought down the powerful from their thornes	the mighty he has toplled from their thrones
	and exalted the lowly	and lifted up the lowly	and exalted those of low degree
54	He has come to the help of Israel, his servant, mindful of his mercy	he has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy	He has espoused the cause of Israel his servant, in remembrance of his mercy
55	according to the promise he made to our ancestors	according to the promise he made to our ancestors	as he spoke to our fathers
	of his mercy to Abraham and his descendents forever	to Abraham and his decendents forever	to Abraham and his posterity forever

(JFC) B. TEXTUAL CRITICISM

Some few witnesses attribute the Magnificat to Elizabeth.
In verse 47 some Greek and Latin editors would change the preposition "epi" to "en". Probably makes it more personal to do so.
In verse 48 one major Greek witness would add "kurios" better to identify the subject by repeating the name.
Many witnesses would reorder the phrases in verse 50. All suggestions could make equally good sense, depending on the more nearly original style of the author.
In the final verse (55) several editors would add emphasis to the final phrase by altering it to read, "eos aionos". Again, question of the author’s style.

(JFC) C. ROUGH TRANSLATION

46 And said Mariam, “Magnifies the soul of me the Lord the savior of me, 47 and rejoices the spirit of me upon the God the savior of me, 48 who has regarded the humility of the servant of him. For behold now have regarded as blessed me all the ages, 49 for did to me greatness the Mighty One, 50 and the mercy of him (is) to generation after generation for those fearing him. 51 He performed power in the arm of his, he scattered the arrogant in the understanding in the hearts of them; 52 he demolished the potentates from thrones and raised up the unimportant people, 53 the hungry he filled with goodness and the rich he sent away empty. 54 He devoted himself to Israel child of his, to remember mercy, 55 according to what he proclaimed to the forefathers of ours, to Abraham and the posterity of his to the present age.”



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