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Translation of Greek Word "Apostasia" | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Philological Room |  | |
| JW Hexaglot Senior Member United States youtube.com/user/egw Joined 6122 days ago 1802 posts - 2011 votes  22 sounds Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Ancient Greek, French, Biblical Hebrew Studies: Luxembourgish, Dutch, Greek, Italian | Message 1 of 9 20 August 2009 at 7:25pm | IP Logged | |||||
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The greek word αποστασια (apostasia) as used in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 in the original Koine Greek New Testament, causes a lot of difficulty vis-à-vis translation into other languages. In English, it is generally either simply transliterated as “apostasy” or translated as “a falling away” i.e., from the faith. However, the word actually appears to mean departure (see Amplified Bible footnote below). When translated as departure, it makes much more sense theologically as it would then clearly refer to the rapture of the church (which must precede the Day of the Lord—the end times prophecies).
I have studied this out in all of the languages I know and they all either transliterate it or translate it as a falling away from the faith. If there are any Greek scholars who can shed some light on the etymology of the word, or if anyone cares to add additional languages and highlight the word or phrase that pertains to apostasia and provide a translation, I would be appreciative. Original Greek: μη τις υμας εξαπατηση κατα μηδενα τροπον οτι εαν μη ελθη η αποστασια πρωτον και αποκαλυφθη ο ανθρωπος της ανομιας ο υιος της απωλειας English: Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (NASB) Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition (NKJV) A possible rendering of the Greek apostasia is "departure [of the church]." (Amplified Bible footnote). French: 1. Que personne ne vous séduise d'aucune manière; car il faut que l'apostasie soit arrivée auparavant, et qu'on ait vu paraître l'homme du péché, le fils de la perdition, (Louis Segond) 2. Que personne ne vous égare d'aucune façon. Car ce jour n'arrivera pas avant qu'éclate le grand Rejet de Dieu, et qu'apparaisse l'homme de la révolte[a] qui est destiné à la perdition, (La Bible du Semeur) 1. Transliteration 2. The great rejection of God breaks out German: 1. Lasset euch niemand verführen in keinerlei Weise; denn er kommt nicht, es sei denn, daß zuvor der Abfall komme und offenbart werde der Mensch der Sünde, das Kind des Verderbens (Luther Bibel 1545) 2. Lasst euch von niemandem so etwas einreden! Denn bevor Christus kommt, werden sich sehr viele Menschen von Gott abwenden. Dann wird ein Mann auftreten, der die Gebote Gottes mit Füßen tritt. Doch er ist dem Untergang geweiht. (Hoffnung für Alle) 1. Falling Away, Decay, Decline, etc.. 2. Many people will turn away from God Dutch Laat u door niemand iets wijs maken. Want die dag komt pas als twee dingen zijn gebeurd: Eerst zal de grote ontrouw aan God komen en daarna zal de 'mens van zeer grote zonde' opstaan, die voortkomt uit de goddeloosheid. (Het Boek) First the great unfaithfulness toward God will come Spanish: 1. Que nadie os engañe en ninguna manera, porque no vendrá sin que primero venga la apostasía y sea revelado el hombre de pecado, el hijo de perdición, (La Biblia de las Américas) 2. No permitan que nadie los engañe. Ese día no llegará hasta que los enemigos de Dios se rebelen contra él y haya aparecido el hombre malvado, que será destruido. (Biblia en Lenguaje Sencillo) 1. Transliteration 2. Until the enemies of God rebel against him Italian 1. Nessuno v'inganni in alcuna maniera, perché quel giorno non verrà se prima non sia venuta l'apostasia e prima che sia manifestato l'uomo del peccato, il figlio della perdizione, (La Nuova Diodati) 2. Non lasciatevi ingannare in nessun modo.Il giorno del ritorno del Signore non arriverà prima che siano accadute due cose: il periodo in cui molti si allontaneranno da Dio, poi l'apparizione dell'uomo del peccato, quello che è destinato a perire. (La Parola è Vita) 1. Transliteration 2. The period in which many move way from God Edited by JW on 20 August 2009 at 7:27pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| metafrastria Diglot Newbie Turkey Joined 5702 days ago 20 posts - 24 votes Speaks: English, Russian* Studies: French, Turkish, Ancient Greek | Message 2 of 9 21 August 2009 at 1:40pm | IP Logged | |||||
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I'm not a classicist, but here are my two cents. Liddell & Scott's Greek Lexicon gives the following definitions for ἀποστασία:
1. defection, revolt; esp. in religious sense, rebellion against God, apostasy (Jo.22.22, 2 Ep.Th.2.3) 2. departure, disappearance. 3. distinguishing. 4. distance. It also identifies ἀποστασία αs a late form for ἀπόστασις, which is defined as follows: A. causing to revolt, “συμμάχων” Th.1.122; “Ἰώνων ἀπὸ τῆς Λακεδαιμονίων συμμαχίας” Arist.Ath.23.4. B. (ἀφίσταμαι) emanation, “εἰδώλων -σεις” Epicur.Fr.320. 2. slackness, of bandages, Gal.18(2).806. 3. defection, revolt, “ἀπό τινος” Hdt.3.128; “τὴν Κυπρίων ἀ. πρῆξαι” Id.5.113; “τὴν Αἰγύπτου ἀ. παρασκευάζεσθαι” Id.7.4; “ἀ. ἐκ τῆς ξυμμαχίας” Th.5.81; “ἀ. πρός τινα” Id.1.75; “διπλῆν ἀ. ἀποστήσεσθαι” Id.3.13; ἀ. τῶν Ἀθηναίων, for ἀπὸ τ. Ἀ., Id.8.5; but τὰς “Μεσσηνίων ἀ.” Pl.Lg.777c. 4. departure from, “βίου” E.Hipp. 277; separation of effect from cause, Procl.Inst.35; giving up, cession, “ἀ. τῶν κτημάτων” D.19.146; desisting from, disuse of, “φάσεως” S.E.P.1.192; “τῶν ἀπροαιρέτων” Arr.Epict.4.4.39. 5. distance, “ἁ ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀ.” Archyt.1; “ἀφεστάναι τῇ αὐτῇ ἀ. ᾗπερ . .” Pl.Phd.111b; “ἀπόστασιν ὅσην ἀφεστηκὼς γίγνεται” Id.R.587d,cf.546b; “ἐκ μικρᾶς ἀ.” Arist.Aud.800b7; “τῇ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀ.” Id.HA503a21; ἐκ τῶν ἀ. according to their distances, Id.Cael.290b22; of time, “κατὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸ νῦν ἀ.” Id.Ph.223a5; ἐξ ἀποστάσεως at a certain distance, Plb.3.114.3; “ἐν ἀποστάσει” Id.3.113.4, Phld.Herc.19.25; “κατ᾽ ἀποστάσεις” Hanno Peripl.13. 6. Rhet., employment of detached phrases, Hermog.Id.1.10, Aristid.Rh.1p.462S., Philostr.VS1.9.1(pl.), Ep.73. 7. lapse, declension, Plot. 1.8.7,5.1.1. The LSJ lexicon gives additional definitions of the latter, but they appear to be irrelevant in your context. In the Russian Synodal translation of the Bible the passage reads as follows: "Да не обольстит вас никто никак: ибо день тот не придет, доколе не придет прежде отступление и не откроется человек греха, сын погибели" The word отступление [otstupLIEnie] literally means "stepping away" (or departure). Hope you find this helpful. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| JW Hexaglot Senior Member United States youtube.com/user/egw Joined 6122 days ago 1802 posts - 2011 votes 22 sounds Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Ancient Greek, French, Biblical Hebrew Studies: Luxembourgish, Dutch, Greek, Italian | Message 3 of 9 21 August 2009 at 6:08pm | IP Logged | |||||
Interesting. The Lidell and Scott meaning #2 seems to be the one used by the Russian Synodal translation. This is in contrast to the Western European translations I cited above who all seem to be using the Lidell and Scott meaning #1 (by the way, neither Thayer’s Lexicon nor Arndt and Gingrich’s lexicon give departure as a possible meaning). It seems possible that the western translators may have been guilty of eisegesis rather than exegesis and that the Russian translators were not influenced by the Western bias. I would be interested to see how other non-western translations interpret this passage. Edit: By the way, the first scripture citation in the Lidell and Scott meaning #1 appears to be wrong. I think it should be Acts 21:21. The Gospel of John only has 21 chapters and αποστασια only occurs in 2 Thes 2:3 and Acts 21:21 Edited by JW on 21 August 2009 at 6:17pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| metafrastria Diglot Newbie Turkey Joined 5702 days ago 20 posts - 24 votes Speaks: English, Russian* Studies: French, Turkish, Ancient Greek | Message 4 of 9 21 August 2009 at 7:47pm | IP Logged | |||||
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The reference in Liddell & Scott is to the book of Joshua, not John, it seems. :)
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| JW Hexaglot Senior Member United States youtube.com/user/egw Joined 6122 days ago 1802 posts - 2011 votes 22 sounds Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Ancient Greek, French, Biblical Hebrew Studies: Luxembourgish, Dutch, Greek, Italian | Message 5 of 9 21 August 2009 at 8:17pm | IP Logged | |||||
Ah, of course the Septuagint! I was thinking New Testament. That clearly fits Lidell and Scott’s meaning #1 as it translates the Hebrew מרד (Mered). It also clearly fits the context: ο θεος θεος εστιν κυριος και ο θεος θεος κυριος αυτος οιδεν και ισραηλ αυτος γνωσεται ει εν αποστασια επλημμελησαμεν εναντι του κυριου μη ρυσαιτο ημας εν ταυτη The Mighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the LORD do not save us this day! (NASB) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Gusutafu Senior Member Sweden Joined 5521 days ago 655 posts - 1039 votes Speaks: Swedish* | Message 6 of 9 14 November 2009 at 11:17am | IP Logged | |||||
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Old Church Salvonic has always been very good at translating rather than transliterating Greek words. In this case though, Swedish can take pride in the fact that a person committing apostasy is an "avfälling", a faller away.
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| JW Hexaglot Senior Member United States youtube.com/user/egw Joined 6122 days ago 1802 posts - 2011 votes 22 sounds Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Ancient Greek, French, Biblical Hebrew Studies: Luxembourgish, Dutch, Greek, Italian | Message 7 of 9 14 November 2009 at 2:22pm | IP Logged | |||||
That seems to be a cognate of the German "Der Abfall" which means the falling away. In Dutch there is a word "De Afval" and in English "Offal" but they both mean garbage rather than falling away. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Gusutafu Senior Member Sweden Joined 5521 days ago 655 posts - 1039 votes Speaks: Swedish* | Message 8 of 9 14 November 2009 at 3:04pm | IP Logged | |||||
It is probably rather a translation-loan from German, many of our abstract words are like that! 1 person has voted this message useful |
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