synagogue, temple (inner), temple (outer)

In many English translations the Greek terms “hieron” (the whole “temple” in Jerusalem or specifically the outer courts open to worshippers) and “naos” (the inner “shrine” or “sanctuary”) are translated with only one word: “temple” (see also for instance “Tempel” in German [for exception see below] and “tempel” in Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans).

Other languages make a distinction: (Click or tap here to see more)

  • Navajo: “house in which worship is carried out” (for naos)
  • Balinese: “inner part of the Great Temple” (“the term ‘inner part’ denoting the hindmost and holiest of the two or three courts that temples on Bali usually possess”) vs. “Great Temple”
  • Telugu: “womb (i.e. interior)-of-the-abode” vs. “abode”
  • Thai: a term denoting the main audience hall of a Buddhist temple compound vs. “environs-of-the-main-audience-hall”
  • Kituba: “place of holiness of house-God Lord” vs. “house-God Lord”
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “deep in God’s house” vs. “God’s house” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • German das Buch translation by Roland Werner (publ. 2009-2022): “inner court of the temple” (Tempelinnenhof) vs. “temple”

Languages that, like English, German, Dutch, Danish, or Afrikaans don’t make that distinction include:

  • Mandarin Chinese: “聖殿 Shèng diàn” (“holy palace”)
  • Loma: “the holy place”
  • Pular: “the sacred house” (source for this and the one above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Zarma: “God’s compound”
  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “big church of the Jews”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “big house on top (i.e. most important)”
  • Toraja-Sa’dan: “house that is looked upon as holy, that is sacred, that is taboo and where one may not set foot” (lit. “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” — because taboo is violated — using a term that is also applied to a Muslim mosque) (source for this and the three above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Mairasi: Janav Enggwarjer Weso: “Great Above One’s (God’s) House” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: Maya-maya-Kooranyi: “Sacred House” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “the big church of the Israelites”
  • Aguaruna: “the house for talking to God” (source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Guhu-Samane: “festival longhouse of God” (“The biiri, ‘festival longhouse’, being the religious and social center of the community, is a possible term for ‘temple’. It is not the ‘poro house’ as such. That would be too closely identified with the cult of poro. The physical features of the building, huge and sub-divided, lend it further favor for this consideration. By qualifying it as ‘God’s biiri’ the term has become meaningful and appropriate in the context of the Scriptures.”) (Source: Ernest Richert in The Bible Translator, 1965, p. 81ff. )
  • Enga: “God’s restricted access house” (source: Adam Boyd on his blog)

Another distinction that tends to be overlooked in translations is that between hieron (“temple” in English) and sunagógé (“synagogue” in English). Euan Fry (in The Bible Translator 1987, p. 213ff. ) reports on this:

“Many older translations have simply used transliterations of ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ rather than trying to find equivalent terms or meaningful expressions in their own languages. This approach does keep the two terms separate; but it makes the readers depend on explanations given by pastors or teachers for their understanding of the text.

“Translators who have tried to find meaningful equivalents, for the two terms ‘temple’ and ‘synagogue’ have usually made a distinction between them in one of two ways (which focus on the contrasting components of meaning). One way takes the size and importance of the Temple to make a contrast, so that expressions such as ‘sacred meeting/ worship house of the Jews’ and ‘big sacred meeting/worship house of the Jews’ are used. The other way focuses on the different nature of the religious activity at each of the places, so that expressions such as ‘meeting/worship house of the Jews’ and ‘sacrifice/ceremony place of the Jews’ are used.

“It is not my purpose in this article to discuss how to arrive at the most precise equivalent to cover all the components of meaning of ‘temple’. That is something that each translator really has to work through for himself in the light of the present usage and possibilities in his own language. My chief concern here is that the basic term or terms chosen for ‘temple’ should give the reader of a translation a clear and correct picture of the location referred to in each passage. And I am afraid that in many cases where an equivalent like ‘house of God’ or ‘worship house’ has been chosen, the readers have quite the wrong picture of what going to the Temple or being in the Temple means. (This may be the case for the word ‘temple’ in English too, for many readers.)”

Here are some examples:

  • Bambara: “house of God” (or: “big house of worship”) vs. “worship house” (or: “small houses of worship”)
  • Toraja-Sa’dan: “house where-the-belly-gets-swollen” (see above) vs. “meeting house for discussing matters concerning religious customs” (and “church” is “house where one meets on Sunday”)
  • Navajo: “house in which worship is carried out” vs. “house of gathering” (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida)
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about Herod’s temple (source: Bible Lands 2012)

Click or tap here to see a short video clip showing synagogues in New Testament times (source: Bible Lands 2012)

See also this devotion on YouVersion .

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 2:17

In some languages it may be helpful to begin this verse with “This letter said: …” (Contemporary English Version).

To King Artaxerxes our lord: The phrase our lord identifies the writers of the letter as the servants of the king; it does not say that he is a god. Translators may begin the letter with “Your Majesty, King Artaxerxes.” However, in cultures where kings still rule, the appropriate honorifics should be used.

Your servants Rehum the recorder and Shimshai the scribe …: Your servants describes Rehum, Shimshai, and the others mentioned here as the king’s servants or officials. The recorder renders a puzzling Greek phrase, which is grammatically incomplete. Some ancient scribes and translators took it to mean “who falls down [before you].” The Greek participle used here is indeed from a verb meaning “to fall down,” but it can also refer to things that “happen.” Most likely we are to understand the Greek phrase here to mean “he who [writes down] things that have happened.” This is what Revised Standard Version means by the word recorder, which refers to a kind of official historian, one who keeps official records for the government. This would be a more specialized activity than that of Shimshai the scribe (see the comments on verse 16). Good News Bible says “the official correspondent,” which is not clear, since “correspondents” in modern English are normally “news reporters.” We prefer “the official historian.”

And the other judges of their council in Coelesyria and Phoenicia is literally “and the others of their council the judges in Coelesyria and Phoenicia,” which is ambiguous. This phrase can be understood as “the judges, and others of their council in Coelesyria and Phoenicia.” However, it can also be understood as “the others of their council, as well as the judges in Coelesyria and Phoenicia” (so Good News Bible). We will return to this problem, but first, let us deal with the name Coelesyria, which is literally “hollow/empty Syria.” This name seems to refer to the plains of Syria. The territory of Syria was hilly or mountainous on all sides except the south, which had a flat interior. However, at this time the name came to apply to a larger territory that included Judah also. Good News Bible renders Coelesyria as “Greater Syria.” We could also say “Southwest Syria.” The name Coelesyria occurs also in 1 Macc 10.69; 2 Macc 3.5, 8; 4.4; 8.8; 10.11; 3 Macc 3.15. The history told in 1-3 Maccabees is of a later history than the Persian period involved with 1 Esdras, but it would not be misleading to the studious reader to use the same expression for Coelesyria in all these places. Phoenicia was a Mediterranean coastal territory north of Palestine and south of Syria. Sidon and Tyre were its principal cities. It consisted of what is now the modern state of Lebanon. Here the two areas of Coelesyria and Phoenicia probably designate one administrative territory, which may explain why Contemporary English Version combines them as “Southwest Syria Province.” We now return to the problem of the Greek phrase rendered and the other judges of their council in Coelesyria and Phoenicia. It seems best to think of two groups, in two different areas: (1) Rehum, Shimshai, and “the others of their council,” that is, the other men who were also in government service in Samaria (see verses 16, 25), and (2) “the judges,” that is, men of authority, in the larger region of Phoenicia and Southwest Syria. (We suggest reversing these geographical terms to avoid the misunderstanding “Southwest Phoenicia.”)

Another problem, purely translational, involves the form of the letter. It begins here in verse 17. First King Artaxerxes is named as the addressee, the one to whom the letter is written. Then the writers of the letter are named. Then in verse 18 the message itself begins. Good News Bible uses a formal style by beginning verse 17 with “To Your Majesty Emperor Artaxerxes from your servants….” Contemporary English Version renders it in a less formal way by saying “Your Majesty King Artaxerxes, the group sending you this letter includes Rehum, who is one of your officials, and Secretary Shimshai, as well as the members of their council and several judges in Southwest Syria Province.” Translators must find a form, as brief as possible, that readers will find understandable.

This letter is another situation in which the reader might be helped by indenting the entire body of the letter (see the comments on 1 Esdras 2.3).

An alternative model for this verse is:

• “To His Majesty Artaxerxes, the king of Persia.
From his servants Rehum the official historian, Shimshai the official scribe [or, secretary], their co-workers in the king’s service, as well as the judges [or, officials] of the province of Phoenicia and Southwest Syria.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.