@DavidFish7 Yes; in the cases I looked at, I wouldn't necessarily call it plagiarism, but use of weird fringe scholarship by someone who couldn't evaluate it.
@DavidFish7 Yeah, I checked several Peshitta translations and (to a limited degree) the Peshitta itself, and he never seemed to follow the mainstream ones.
@DavidFish7 He makes this claim several times in the Gospel of John, and each time, it turns out that the "Aramaic" is not really different from the Greek. Odd translations in 1:14, 16, 23, 28, 29, 30, 51, 3:6, 8 all erroneously claim to be based on the Aramaic.
τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ ("the same Spirit distributing to each one").
NIV gets this "distribution" idea across by adding a verb phrase: "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit _distributes them_." (1 Cor 12:4) (3/3)
In 1 Cor 12:4-6 most translations render the word διαιρέσεις as "varieties" or similar. But διαιρέσις seems to require the idea of "distributions," not just "different kinds." I suspect that LXX use of διαιρέσις is in the background. διαιρέσεις is often used to describe (1/3)
the divisions of priests, Levites and gatekeepers (1 Chr 26:1-12, 2 Chr 8:14). The idea of "appointed groups" works in both the temple setting and the church setting. Further, 1 Cor 12:11 uses the verb διαιρέω, and that only makes sense as "distribute": (2/3)
ἔσται τῷ πωλοδάμνῃ ὧν δεῖ ἐπιμεληθῆναι, εἰ μέλλει τὸν μισθὸν ἀπολήψεσθαι. (Xen. Horsemanship 2.2). A reminder that we often underestimate the level of literacy in the ancient Mediterranean. (3/3)
Some ancient Greek cowboys could read. Xenophon (4th BC) says that if you send your colt to a horse trainer, you "should put in writing (συγγραψάμενον) what the horse is to know when he is returned." The notes will (1/3)
"remind the horse-breaker of what he must attend to if he is to get his money."
χρὴ μέντοι... συγγραψάμενον ἃ δεήσει ἐπιστάμενον ἀποδοῦναι οὕτως ἐκδιδόναι. ταῦτα γὰρ ὑπομνήματα (2/3)
Ps-Clem. 149.2), and Ἐφεσίων ἐκκλησίας ("church of the Ephesians," Ign Ep. 11.8.) So the way the church is described in 1 Thess 1:1, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεσσαλονικέων, is one normal way to do it. (3/3)
Small Greek mystery: why is the church at Thessalonica called τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεσσαλονικέων (the church of the Thessalonians) rather than ἡ ἐκκλησία ἐν Θεσσαλονίκῃ (the church in Thessalonica) like we see with other churches in the NT? There were different ways of (1/3)
referring to a city in Greek. Rome is called ἡ Ῥώμη πόλις ("the city Rome"), or ἡ πόλις Ῥωμαίων ("the city of the Romans"). Elsewhere you can find τῇ Λαοδικέων ἐκκλησίᾳ ("church of the Laodiceans," Col 4:16), τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας ("church of the Romans," (2/3)
Similar to 1 Tim 4:7:
Γύμναζε σεαυτὸν πόνοις ἑκουσίοις, "Train yourself in self-imposed toils". (Isocrates, Dem. 21.1)
τοὺς δὲ τὸν ἀόρατον νοῦν γυμνάζοντας ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, "those who train the invisible mind within them." (Philo Prob. 111.4 (3/3)
Γύμναζε δὲ σεαυτὸν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν· (1 Tim 4:7) "Train yourself for godliness/piety." γυμνάζω does not necessarily carry the imagery of the gymnasium, and certainly doesn't carry the idea of nudity (γυμνός). γυμνάζω had long been used for any kind of training. Examples: 1/3)
"they ought... to instruct their pupils in the practical affairs of our government and train (γυμνάζειν) to expertness therein." (Isoc. Helen 10.4-5). Elsewhere, you can find γυμνάζω used to refer to training in geometry, philosophy, rhetoric, and life experience.(2/3)