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On Translating "Arrogance" or "Pride"
The ISV
renders James 4:6b as "God opposes the arrogant but gives grace to the
humble." In the footnote you reference the same OT verse as the footnote for
1 Peter 5:5b. In I Peter 5:5b you translate the verse "God opposes the
proud..." Shouldn't you be consistent?
You are correct. We will
correct this in our next version.
I believe
that a vast majority would prefer "proud." It is a stronger word to mean
about the same thing.
We don't care what anyone
"prefers". We care what the text says. In contemporary English, being proud
does not always constitute an offense against God and/or man. For example,
one can be proud of one's grandchildren, without being sinful. Hence the
word "proud" in contemporary English doesn't always connote a sinful
attitude that God would oppose. But no one would argue that the arrogant
will be opposed by God. This is why we will correct 1 Peter 5:5 to read "God
opposes the arrogant" and not correct James 4:6 in the ISV. To sum up,
within the meaning of the English language, one can be proud without
sinning, but one cannot be arrogant without sinning. The ISV will reflect
the connotation of arrogance.
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