Here is another response to
brandplucked’s criticisms of all modern translations. Remember, if the KJB is ever shown to have mistranslated the Greek text upon which it is based then
it cannot be the perfect translation it is purported to be
# 3. Who controls the world, God or Satan?
Several modern version teach it is Satan -
1 John 5:19 “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world LIETH IN WICKEDNESS.” Wycliffe, Coverdale, Bishops’ Bible, Geneva Bible, Youngs, Third Millennium Bible
The NIV says: "The whole world is UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE EVIL ONE." NASB, ESV, ISV, Holman, Catholic St. Joseph, NET
To begin with the “whole world“ lieth in“
WICKEDNESS” is an
incorrect translation of
1 John 5:19. “Wickedness (or evil)” is a
noun but the Greek word that actually appears in the text is an
adjective. The translators of the KJV also o
mit the article “
the” that precedes the word they translate as “
wickedness” likely because it would not have made sense to say “
the whole world lieth in THE wickedness.”
The actual word used here is the
adjective poneros NOT the
noun poneria. As everyone knows adjectives describe nouns…but where is the noun this adjective is describing? Well, it is missing but since
poneros is
singular and
masculine a noun is
implied. Modern translators have represented this implied noun using the generic pronoun“one”so that it reads:
“the whole world lies
in the control of the
wicked (or evil)
one.
The interlinear translation agrees with the modern rendering of this verse against the KJB
http://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_john/5-19.htm
This is an instance where the KJV, by incorrectly translating a word, failed to accurately convey the meaning of scripture, which affirms that this world is dominated by the power of the Evil One. Yet this is precisely what the Bible says elsewhere.
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (
2 Corinthians 4:4)
Satan is this world’s god because he dominates the minds of mankind, the majority of whom do not believe in or serve Christ. (
Colossians 1:21). Jesus called the Devil the "prince" (or ruler) of this world (
John 14:30). This does not mean, however that he is in control of the physical earth (
Psalm 24:1)
To maintain his belief in the flawless perfection of one particular translation of scripture our guest had to prove that this verse was mistranslated by the modern translations and that the KJV had gotten it right. However, when the accuracy of this “perfect translation” was checked against the
scriptures as they were written by the Apostles, most of the modern versions actually proved to be more accurate.
This illustrates the point that the ultimate source of truth against which
all translations are to be measured is
the scriptures themselves. No translation is or should be above this kind of assessment. The goal of all translators should be to faithfully render the meaning of the original text in the language of the people. Admittedly some did better than others.