Second Sunday of Easter: Liturgy of the Word Comparison (w/ Fr. Neil)

Second Sunday of Easter (Year B)

First reading

Original Jerusalem Bible 1966 as found in the Current JB edition of the Lectionary

Acts 4:32-35 (no changes to Biblical text in Lectionary)

³² The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.

³³ The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.

³⁴ None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, ³⁵ to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

Acts 4:32-35

³² The whole group of believers was of one heart and mind; no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.

³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

³⁴ None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the sale, ³⁵ and laid it at the feet of the apostles; it was then distributed to each as any had need.

Comparing these passages it is clear that the RNJB is fundamentally a revision of the JB and many phrases remain unchanged. Verse 32 in the RNJB uses “one” heart and mind which is a more literal reading of the Greek. The RNJB uses “private ownership,” which eliminates the need for “his” and is clearer. In Verse 33 the RNJB moves the phrase with great power” to the start of the verse, again in keeping with the Greek. The change from “respect” to “grace” is probably a better translation of the Greek “charis.”  In Verse 34 “proceeds” is a more literal translation that “money.” Again in verse 35 “laid it at the feet” is a more exact translation than “present it.”  The more literal translation continues with the RNJB’s use of “each.”

Second reading

Original Jerusalem Bible 1966 as found in the Current JB edition of the Lectionary

1 John 5:1-6 (no changes to Biblical text in Lectionary)

¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ

has been begotten by God;

and whoever loves the Father that begot him

loves the child whom he begets.

² We can be sure that we love God’s children

if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us;

³ this is what loving God is –

keeping his commandments;

and his commandments are not difficult,

⁴ because anyone who has been begotten by God

has already overcome the world;

this is the victory over the world –

our faith.

⁵ Who can overcome the world?

Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God:

⁶ Jesus Christ who came by water and blood,

not with water only,

but with water and blood;

with the Spirit as another witness –

since the Spirit is the truth.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

1 John 5:1-6

¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ

is a child of God;

and whoever loves the Father

loves the son.

² In this we know that we love God’s children,

Whenever we love God and keep his commandments,

³ for this is what the love of God is:

keeping his commandments;

and his commandments are not burdensome,

⁴ because whatever is born of God

conquers the world,

and this is the victory that has overcome the world –

our faith.

⁵ Who can overcome the world

But the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

⁶ He it is who came by water and blood,

Jesus Christ,

not with water alone,

but with water and blood,

And it is the Spirit that bears witness

since the Spirit is Truth.

In V.1 the RNJB replaces “is begotten by” with “is a child of.” In this case the original JB might actually be more literal (Gk: gegennetai). But the new translation is easier to understand. The removal of the “begottens” in the next sentence is, perhaps, less faithful to the Greek, but it is easier to understand (particular in a proclaimed text). V. 3 the “Burdensome” of the RNJB is probably a more literal translation than the “difficult” of the JB.  In v.5 “the one” of the RNJB is perhaps a better translation than “the man” of the JB (plus it is more sensitive to Gender-inclusivity).

Gospel

Original Jerusalem Bible 1966 as found in the Current JB edition of the Lectionary

John 20:19-31 (no changes to Biblical text in Lectionary)

¹⁹ In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, ²⁰ and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, ²¹ and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

²² After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.’

²⁴ Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ ²⁶ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. ²⁷ Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹ Jesus said to him:

‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

³⁰ There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. ³¹ These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

John 20:19-31

¹⁹ In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, ²⁰ and after this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord, ²¹ and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

²² After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins,

they are forgiven;

If you retain anyone’s sins,

they are retained.’

²⁴ Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord,’ but he answered, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and put my finger in the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ ²⁶ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were closed, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹ Jesus said to him:

‘Do you believe because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

³⁰ Jesus did many other signs in the sight of the disciples, which are are not written in this book. ³¹ These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

In v.20 the RNJB is more literal when it qualifies “and after this.”  In v.25 the RNJB is more faithful to the Greek when it translates typon (as in “type”) as “marks” rather than “holes.” V.27 has “doubt no longer but believe” in the JB, this is a translation that is very familiar from prayer, however, it must be admitted the RNJB is more literal when it translates the phrase “Do no doubt but believe.” In v.30 and v.31 “written” is a more literal translation than “recorded.”

Looking at the three readings together I would say that overall the new translation of the RNJB is more exact than the JB.  I think it is more than fair to say that that the translation has been improved to be true to the promise on the back cover of the RNJB NT to have a ‘Clear read style,’ formal equivalence and gender inclusion.  My Greek is far from perfect, but time and again, to my poor Greek, the new edition seems to be a more faithful and clearer translation.

One final thought that comes to mind is that no translation is perfect. It is very dangerous to build a serious theology on a translation. Every translation is imperfect. This is why it is important to have Scripture scholars who can explain the Word of God to us in a particular academic manner. However, more importantly, when Scripture is proclaimed in the liturgical assembly it becomes “alive” in this privileged place. It is proclaimed to bring us to meet the person of Christ. Therefore it is important to interpret Scripture within the tradition of the Church (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 115-119). Nonetheless as a liturgist, looking at these two translations, I consider the RNJB to be superior and more suited to liturgical use than the JB.

Please feel free to add any thoughts you might have in the comments.  I am particularly interested to hear from anyone living in a region where the JB is the current Lectionary, as I personally think the aspect of continuity (which is better judged by those who have been listening to this translation in the liturgy since Vatican II) is an important element in the argument for the desirability of replacing the JB with the RNJB in the Lectionary in these countries.