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2 TIMOTHY 3:16

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 10, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 35.

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2 TIMOTHY 3:16.

By Rev. Samuel Hutchings, D.D.

The Authorized Version's Rendering Examined and Defended.

BY REV. SAMUEL HUTCHINGS, D.D.
IN a former article in the Observer, on "Verbal Inspiration," I quoted the text in 2 Tim. 3:16 as given in the Authorized Version, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." The rendering of the Revised Version is, "Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable." As this to my mind is erroneous, and is cited in support of the new views of inspiration now current, I desire to offer a few remarks upon it.
Before giving my reasons against this new rendering, I would call attention to the meaning of the word here translated Scripture. The idea of the revision is that the word graphe, literally writing, is used in its secular sense, and that the qualifying adjective theopneustos alone determines its sacred meaning, that is, "Every writing which is inspired of God is profitable," etc. According to the Authorized Version, the word graphe in itself conveys the sacred meaning. The word, whether in the singular or plural, is used many times in the New Testament, fourteen by Paul. In all of them it has the sacred meaning and refers without exception to the Jewish Scriptures. Among those passages these occur: "Thus saith the Scripture," "According to the Scripture," "Not knowing the Scriptures," "Search the Scriptures," "While he opened to us the Scriptures," "They searched the Scriptures daily," "The place of the Scripture which he read," "To-day this scripture is fulfilled in your ears." In all these passages graphe, in the singular, or grammata (the plural), is used without a qualifying word.
In verse 15, the one previous to that under examination, the apostle uses the plural, grammata, writings,—"From a child thou hast known the Scriptures,"—that is, the Scriptures of the Old Testament, as is admitted by the best commentators, ancient and modern. Bishop Middleton, an acute critic and judicious expositor, says, "The word graphe in the singular is the same as the 'sacred writings,' grammata, in verse 15," and that the sense is, "The whole of such Scriptures is divinely inspired."
The word "sacred" is prefixed to grammata, and theopneustos, God breathed, to graphe, not because there was doubt of their divine inspiration, but merely for emphasis.
My first objection to the rendering of the new version, "Every Scripture inspired of God," is the implication that some Scripture is not inspired, whereas the Jews considered all their Scriptures as given by divine inspiration. . . .
2. As the rendering, "Every writing divinely inspired is profitable," leaves it undecided what books are inspired, "it communicates," says Dr. Dick, "no specific information, and is as superfluous as it would be to tell us that the sun gives light. It would never have entered the mind of any man to suppose that a book really inspired was of no use."
3. The construction of the sentence is against this rendering of the New Version. This makes but one clause,—"Every inspired Scripture is profitable." To my mind it is evident that the passage contains two clauses, in which are two predicates. Thus, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable," the two predicates connected by the conjunction kai, and both agreeing with the subject, "all Scripture." "No example," says Dr. Dick, "can be produced where two adjectives are thus joined of which one belongs to the subject, the other to the predicate. Had Paul meant to express the idea which these critics attach to his words, he would have left out the conjunction." Now it is worthy of note that when this new rendering first appeared, it was supported by a defective text which omitted the conjunction kai. But all critics now admit that the conjunction belongs to the text. The question is, How shall it be rendered? Obviously not and, if the revised form be adopted. The revisers, perceiving this, translate kai here "also," "Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable." But this, in the view of the best scholars, is not allowed by Greek usage.
Since now the conjunction must be retained and be rendered "and," not "also," it is evident that the Authorized Version, which makes two clauses connected by kai, "and," is the correct one.
To render the sentence complete, the neuter verb to be must be supplied. There is no verb in the original. The omission of the neuter verb is very common both in the Hebrew and the Greek. But where in this passage shall it be inserted? The revisers, making only one clause, put it before the adjective, "profitable." The Authorized Version, making two clauses, puts it before "given by inspiration of God," and the word "profitable," connecting the two clauses. That is, every one of the writings referred to in the previous verse under the designation of Holy Scriptures, is divinely inspired, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness.—N. Y. Observer.