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

First reading

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

Acts 3:13-15,17-19 (additions to Biblical text in Lectionary are underlined)

Peter said to the people: ¹³ ‘You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. ¹⁴ It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer ¹⁵ while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses.

¹⁷ ‘Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; ¹⁸ this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. ¹⁹ Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.’

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

Acts 3:13-15,17-19 (additions to Biblical text to match the original JB Lectionary are underlined)

Peter said to the people: 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had given the verdict to release him. 14 It was you who rejected the Holy and Righteous One, and asked that a murderer should be released to you 15 while you killed the author of life, whom God raised from the dead, and to that fact we are witnesses.

17 ‘Now I know, brothers, that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers; 18 but in this way God has brought to fulfilment what he foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. 19 So you must repent and be converted, so that your sins may be wiped out.

I am not sure where the original JB found the first phrase “You are Israelites.” Maybe it comes from the previous verse. The repetition of the name “Jesus” in the JB is not in the Greek. In V. 14 the Greek Dikaios changes from “Just One” in the JB to “Righteous One” in the RNJB. Personally its not a big deal for me, but I know that some people have strong preferences for one or the other translation of the word. It is worth noting that V. 17 retains the word “brothers.” I imagine that this is because Peter is addressing an exclusively male crowd, but it is interesting to see that the “inclusive language” is not applied indiscriminately, but rather is an attempt to truly translate what the original author meant in the language of today. In V. 18 it is worth noting that the RNJB changes the translation of Christos from “Christ” to “Messiah.” This is perhaps an example of the original JB being more literal than the RNJB, although it could also be argued that we are dealing with an Old Testament allusion and that, in this context, Messiah is a better translation than Christ. In V. 19 in the RNJB uses “be converted” which is a more literal translation that the JB’s “turn to God.”

Second reading

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

1 John 2:1-5 (no changes to Biblical text in Lectionary)

¹ I am writing this, my children,

to stop you sinning;

but if anyone should sin,

we have our advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ, who is just;

² he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,

and not only ours,

but the whole world’s.

³ We can be sure that we know God

only by keeping his commandments.

⁴ Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,

and does not keep his commandments,

is a liar,

refusing to admit the truth.

⁵ But when anyone does obey what he has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

1 John 2:1-5

¹ My children, I am writing this so that you do not sin;

but if anyone does sin,

we have an advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ, the righteous.

² He is the sacrifice to expiate our sins,

and not only ours,

but also those of the whole world.

³ In this way we know

that we have come to know him,

if we keep his commandments.

⁴ Whoever says, ‘I know him’

and does not keep his commandments

is a liar,

and truth has no place in him.

⁵ But anyone who does keep his word,

in such a one God’s love has truly reached perfection.

In V.1 we have another example of the RNJB preferring “righteous” to “just.” The use of “expiation” is probably a more technical and exact translation in V.2. In V.4 “refusing to admit the truth” of the JB has been replaced by “truth has no place in him.” This is slightly more literal, but there is no real word for “place” in the Greek original. In V. 5 the JB’s “God’s love comes to perfection in him” I replaced by the more inclusive “in such a one God’s love has truly reached perfection.”

Gospel

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

Luke 24:35-48 (additions to Biblical text in Lectionary are underlined)

The disciples ³⁵ told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread.

³⁶ They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ ³⁷ In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. ³⁸ But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? ³⁹ Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ ⁴⁰ And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ ⁴² And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, ⁴³ which he took and ate before their eyes.

⁴⁴ Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.’ ⁴⁵ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses to this.’

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

Luke 24:35-48 (additions to Biblical text to match the original JB Lectionary are underlined)

The disciples 35 recounted what had happened on the road and how they had recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread.

36 They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ 37 Staggered and frightened, they thought they were seeing a spirit. 38 But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these misgivings rising in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see for yourselves; a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ 40 And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 As in their joy they still could not believe it, and were amazed, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ 42 And they offered him a piece of grilled fish; 43 he took it and ate it before their eyes.

44 Then he told them, ‘This is what I said to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, must be fulfilled.’ 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, ‘It is written that in this way the Messiah should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses to this.’

In V.37 “ghost” is replaced by “spirit” is probably a better translation of pneuma. In V. dialogismoi is translated as “doubts” in the original JB. Now it is translated as “misgivings.” The Greek means “reasoned thinking,” I’m sure “doubt” is not the best translation. However, I’m not sure if the new translation is perfect either, although it does get the meaning across. In V. 46 se again see the word “Messiah” replacing “Christ.” Both versions are correct translations. Chrsitos is the Greek translation of the Hebrew māšîaḥ. In English both Christ and Messiah can translate either term, but it is interesting to note this preference of the RNJB for Messiah. In this case we are not in the same Old Testament context as we saw in the first reading.

Again this week I think that the RNJB retains much familiar language, but that it is a good updating of the original JB translation. There is no radical difference between the two versions, but the newer one is more precise. Given that sooner or later the Lectionary needs to be revised, the RNJB does seem to be a more usable translation that is in touch with contemporary speech patterns and is more literal in a technical sense. Unfortunately, many people wouldn’t notice if the Biblical translation used in the Lectionary was changed.  But for those that would, I think that this new edition does so in as painless a way as possible.

Neil Xavier O'Donoghue is a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. He currently ministers in the Archdiocese of Armagh, Ireland, where he serves as vice rector at Redemptoris Mater Seminary. He has studied at Seton Hall University, the University of Notre Dame, and St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He holds a Doctorate in Theology from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.