HADES AGAIN | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 14, 1881

HADES AGAIN.

THE “Companion to the Revised Version of the English New Testament,” with much other interesting information gives the following concerning the work of the American Committee. It proposed to give demon instead of devil in all cases where it was found in the original. The “Companion” says:—

“The Bible knows only of one devil, but of a great many evil spirits. The English Revision acknowledges the distinction in the margin, but not in the text, which will continue to mislead the reader not acquainted with the Greek.”

We found this fault with the Revision when first it fell into our hands. It is not sufficient to correct it in the margin, for none but such as are acquainted with the Greek can certainly know that the marginal read-ing is the better one. Where there is chance for a choice of renderings the preferable one should always have its place in the text; the second should be put in the margin. In this case the text is clearly wrong. It should be demon or demons, and devil should not even be put in the margin, as coming from this word. The “Companion” further says:—

“The two Committees had a similar conflict about “hades” and “hell.” The American insisted on the start on the restoration of the important distinction between hades, i. e., the spirit-world or the realm of the dead, and gehenna, i. e., the state and place of torment or hell—a distinction which is obliterated in King James’ Version, so that the fearful word hell occurs twice as often in it as it does in the Greek Testament. The English Revisers, from conservative regard to old usage, opposed the insertion of “hades” and persistently retained “hell” until they reached the Apocalypse, when the American suggestion was adopted. Habit is strong, but truth is stronger and will prevail at last.”

All who love the Bible and Bible truth can but be thankful for the part taken by the American Committee in bringing to the notice of all readers of the English New Testament the distinction between “hades” and “the place of torment.” Words so dissimilar in signification as hades and gehenna should not be translated by the same English word. In this respect King James’ Version has too long been the means of misleading the honest but uneducated reader. We might add that it has also been the means of aiding those who were not over scrupulous in their methods of sustaining unscriptural theories in regard to the nature and destiny of man.