03-28-2021, 03:47 PM
“Being of One Mind One Towards Another”
Now let us look at Romans 12:16 where St. Paul says, “Being of one mind one towards another.” (DRB). The four new Catholic versions say,
“Have the same attitude toward all.” (NAB, ’70).
“Have the same regard for one another.” (NAB, ’86).
“Live in harmony with one another.” (CRSV, ’66).
“Treat everyone with equal kindness.” (JB, ’66).
The five Protestant versions read as follows:
“Be of the same mind toward one another.” (NKJV, ’85).
“Live in harmony with one another.” (NIV, ’78).
“Live in harmony with one another.” (NRSV, ’89).
“Be of the same mind toward one another.” (NASV, ’77).
“Care as much about each other as about yourselves.” (NEB, ’76)
The New King James Version and the New American Standard Version are comparable to the Douay-Rheims and the rest are identical to each other.
The Greek is clearer than the Latin in this verse and is easier to translate. The Latin is very compressed and takes a good knowledge of that language to see the meaning, which is much clearer in the original Greek. The Vulgate reads: “Idipsum (The same thing) invicem (mutually, reciprocally, one to another) sentientes (thinking, feeling).” Just three Latin words! In Greek it reads: “Tò (The) aùtò (same) ’eis (towards) ’ àllélous (one another) phronountes (being of a mind, being likeminded).”
Both the Greek original and the Latin of St. Jerome use a participle (“being minded the same,” “thinking the same”), rather than the imperative (or commanding) form of the verb, which is used in all the English translations above, except the Douay-Rheims, which retains the participial form of the verb (“being”). This change from the participle to the imperative form of the verb is a pure invention on the part of the modern translators. If the original uses a participle, the translation should also use it. If one will look at the Greek transliteration given above, he will see that it matches virtually perfectly with the Douay-Rheims translation. This is an excellent example of the extreme precision with which the Douay-Rheims Bible is translated—not just from the Latin Vulgate alone, but from the Greek “original” as well. This verse is something of a snarl to translate from the Latin, but the Douay-Rheims does it admirably, retaining both the meaning and the wording of the Greek “original.”
The three Catholic translations are all different! Is it the same book being translated? There is a BIG difference between “Being of One Mind . . .” 41 our “being of one mind one towards another” and the other translations. The first is mutual, a fact clearly indicated in the Greek “original” and in St. Jerome’s Vulgate; it pertains to the way Christians are to behave toward each other, since we are “one body in Christ.” (Rom. 12:5).
Christians are enjoined by St. Paul in Ephesians 4:3-6, “to keep the unity of the Spirit . . . One body and one spirit . . . in one hope . . . One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all . . .” (DRB). (Emphasis added). In other words, there is only One Body of Christ, only one True Religion of God—there cannot be many. Therefore, the clear meaning implied in Romans 12:16 is that there is only one True Church! And we Christians should be of “one mind, one towards another” because we are all of one belief, one philosophy and one theology, all members of the Mystical Body of Christ. The Douay-Rheims translation here expresses the concept perfectly because it translates the “original” Greek perfectly. From this short passage alone, one can begin to understand the ramifications of these seemingly “little” changes made in the modern English bibles.
Now let us look at Romans 12:16 where St. Paul says, “Being of one mind one towards another.” (DRB). The four new Catholic versions say,
“Have the same attitude toward all.” (NAB, ’70).
“Have the same regard for one another.” (NAB, ’86).
“Live in harmony with one another.” (CRSV, ’66).
“Treat everyone with equal kindness.” (JB, ’66).
The five Protestant versions read as follows:
“Be of the same mind toward one another.” (NKJV, ’85).
“Live in harmony with one another.” (NIV, ’78).
“Live in harmony with one another.” (NRSV, ’89).
“Be of the same mind toward one another.” (NASV, ’77).
“Care as much about each other as about yourselves.” (NEB, ’76)
The New King James Version and the New American Standard Version are comparable to the Douay-Rheims and the rest are identical to each other.
The Greek is clearer than the Latin in this verse and is easier to translate. The Latin is very compressed and takes a good knowledge of that language to see the meaning, which is much clearer in the original Greek. The Vulgate reads: “Idipsum (The same thing) invicem (mutually, reciprocally, one to another) sentientes (thinking, feeling).” Just three Latin words! In Greek it reads: “Tò (The) aùtò (same) ’eis (towards) ’ àllélous (one another) phronountes (being of a mind, being likeminded).”
Both the Greek original and the Latin of St. Jerome use a participle (“being minded the same,” “thinking the same”), rather than the imperative (or commanding) form of the verb, which is used in all the English translations above, except the Douay-Rheims, which retains the participial form of the verb (“being”). This change from the participle to the imperative form of the verb is a pure invention on the part of the modern translators. If the original uses a participle, the translation should also use it. If one will look at the Greek transliteration given above, he will see that it matches virtually perfectly with the Douay-Rheims translation. This is an excellent example of the extreme precision with which the Douay-Rheims Bible is translated—not just from the Latin Vulgate alone, but from the Greek “original” as well. This verse is something of a snarl to translate from the Latin, but the Douay-Rheims does it admirably, retaining both the meaning and the wording of the Greek “original.”
The three Catholic translations are all different! Is it the same book being translated? There is a BIG difference between “Being of One Mind . . .” 41 our “being of one mind one towards another” and the other translations. The first is mutual, a fact clearly indicated in the Greek “original” and in St. Jerome’s Vulgate; it pertains to the way Christians are to behave toward each other, since we are “one body in Christ.” (Rom. 12:5).
Christians are enjoined by St. Paul in Ephesians 4:3-6, “to keep the unity of the Spirit . . . One body and one spirit . . . in one hope . . . One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all . . .” (DRB). (Emphasis added). In other words, there is only One Body of Christ, only one True Religion of God—there cannot be many. Therefore, the clear meaning implied in Romans 12:16 is that there is only one True Church! And we Christians should be of “one mind, one towards another” because we are all of one belief, one philosophy and one theology, all members of the Mystical Body of Christ. The Douay-Rheims translation here expresses the concept perfectly because it translates the “original” Greek perfectly. From this short passage alone, one can begin to understand the ramifications of these seemingly “little” changes made in the modern English bibles.