The Greek that is rendered as “image” in English translations is translated in Pökoot with körkeyïn, a word that is also used to translate words like parable and example.
See also parable.
ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν δόξαν κυρίου κατοπτριζόμενοι τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν καθάπερ ἀπὸ κυρίου πνεύματος.
18And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 3:18:
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the inclusive form (including the addressee).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
The Hebrew adonai in the Old Testament typically refers to God. The shorter adon (and in two cases in the book of Daniel the Aramaic mare [מָרֵא]) is also used to refer to God but more often for concepts like “master,” “owner,” etc. In English Bible translations all of those are translated with “Lord” if they refer to God.
In English Old Testament translations, as in Old Testament translations in many other languages, the use of Lord (or an equivalent term in other languages) is not to be confused with Lord (or the equivalent term with a different typographical display for other languages). While the former translates adonai, adon and mare, the latter is a translation for the tetragrammaton (YHWH) or the Name of God. See tetragrammaton (YHWH) and the article by Andy Warren-Rothlin in Noss / Houser, p. 618ff. for more information.
In the New Testament, the Greek term kurios has at least four different kinds of use:
In the first and fourth case, it is also translated as “Lord” in English.
Most languages naturally don’t have one word that covers all these meanings. According to Bratcher / Nida, “the alternatives are usually (1) a term which is an honorific title of respect for a high-ranking person and (2) a word meaning ‘boss’, ‘master’, or ‘chief.’ (…) and on the whole it has generally seemed better to employ a word of the second category, in order to emphasize the immediate personal relationship, and then by context to build into the word the prestigeful character, since its very association with Jesus Christ will tend to accomplish this purpose.”
When looking at the following list of back-translations of the terms that translators in the different languages have used for both kurios and adonai to refer to God and Jesus respectively, it might be helpful for English readers to recall the etymology of the English “Lord.” While this term might have gained an exalted meaning in the understanding of many, it actually comes from hlaford or “loaf-ward,” referring to the lord of the castle who was the keeper of the bread (source: Rosin 1956, p. 121).
Following are some of the solutions that don’t rely on a different typographical display (see above):
We have come to rely on another term which emphasizes God’s essential nature as YHWH, namely jukurrarnu (see tetragrammaton (YHWH)). This word is built on the same root jukurr– as is jukurrpa, ‘dreaming.’ Its basic meaning is ‘timelessness’ and it is used to describe physical features of the land which are viewed as always being there. Some speakers view jukurrarnu in terms of ‘history.’ In all Genesis references to YHWH we have used Kaatu Jukurrarnu. In all Mark passages where kurios refers to God and not specifically to Christ we have also used Kaatu Jukurrarnu.
New Testament references to Christ as kurios are handled differently. At one stage we experimented with the term Watirirririrri which refers to a ceremonial boss of highest rank who has the authority to instigate ceremonies. While adequately conveying the sense of Christ’s authority, there remained potential negative connotations relating to Warlpiri ceremonial life of which we might be unaware.
Here it is that the Holy Spirit led us to make a chance discovery. Transcribing the personal testimony of the local Warlpiri pastor, I noticed that he described how ‘my Warlaljamarri called and embraced me (to the faith)’. Warlaljamarri is based on the root warlalja which means variously ‘family, possessions, belongingness’. A warlaljamarri is the ‘owner’ or ‘possessor’ of something. While previously being aware of the ‘ownership’ aspect of warlaljamarri, this was the first time I had heard it applied spontaneously and naturally in a fashion which did justice to the entire concept of ‘Lordship’. Thus references to Christ as kurios are now being handled by Warlaljamarri.” (Source: Stephen Swartz, The Bible Translator 1985, p. 415ff. )
Law (2013, p. 97) writes about how the Ancient Greek Septuagint‘s translation of the Hebrew adonai was used by the New Testament writers as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments: “Another case is the use of kurios referring to Jesus. For Yahweh (in English Bibles: ‘the Lord‘), the Septuagint uses kurios. Although the term kurios usually has to do with one’s authority over others, when the New Testament authors use this word from the Septuagint to refer to Jesus, they are making an extraordinary claim: Jesus of Nazareth is to be identified with Yahweh.”
See also Father / Lord.
See Holy Spirit.
And: some translators may feel that a different kind of transition word is required here. Note that Good News Translation has “then,” and Contemporary English Version begins with “so….” It is less likely that the contrastive “but” (Phillips) is appropriate in this case.
We is intended to include all Christians, not just the writers of 2 Corinthians or the apostles.
The participle beholding is from a relatively rare verb whose meaning is not certain. It is understood by some interpreters to mean “beholding as in a mirror” (so Anchor Bible and Knox). Revised Standard Version and New American Bible take the participle in the weakened meaning of “beholding.” Other interpreters understand this word to mean “reflecting as a mirror does” (so Good News Translation, New International Version). Perhaps the Anchor Bible translation is to be preferred, especially since the contrast seems to be between the Israelites, who could not gaze upon God’s glory, and the Christians, who now can. Where there is no specific verb meaning “reflect,” this idea may have to be translated “other people can see in us…” or “we show….”
The glory of the Lord in this context refers to brightness. See comments on this term in 2 Cor. 3.7 above.
Being changed into his likeness: his likeness is literally “the same likeness [or, image].” The passive being changed will have to be made active in many languages. One may consider “the Spirit of the Lord is changing us to become more and more like him” or “we are becoming more and more like him.”
From one degree of glory to another is literally “from glory to glory.” The sense is that Christians are being transformed into higher degrees of glory. Some translators may have to say something like “we are becoming brighter and brighter” or “our glory is constantly becoming greater.”
The words from the Lord who is the Spirit translate three Greek words which may also be translated “of the Spirit of the Lord” (Bible en français courant, New Jerusalem Bible footnote). If the interpretation of Bible en français courant is followed, the meaning is “this is the working of the Spirit of the Lord.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
3:18a And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord,
Now we (incl.), whose unveiled/uncovered faces all reflect the Lord’s glory/splendor,
-or-
All of us reflect ⌊like a mirror⌋ the Lord ⌊God’s⌋ glory/radiance with faces that do not have the veil ⌊that causes dullness⌋.
3:18b are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory,
are being changed to become more like him in ever greater glory/splendor,
-or-
It is us whom God is making to be more and more like him in ever-increasing glory.
-or-
God is changing us to be more like him ⌊in our hearts/character⌋ in brighter and brighter glory.
3:18c which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
⌊and⌋ this is the work of the Lord, who is experienced as the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit.
-or-
The Lord ⌊God⌋ does this. He is described/identified as the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit ⌊here⌋.
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