I was looking at Matt 18:18 about
the sealing power Christ promised to His disciples. It seems like there are two different ways
this scripture has been translated. They have great implications for doctrine.
Reading
#1
King James Bible
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
New International Version
"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
New Living Translation
"I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. [My thought: Forbidden? Permitted? What? Authority to make new commandments?]
"I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. [My thought: Forbidden? Permitted? What? Authority to make new commandments?]
GOD'S WORD® Translation
I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.
I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you imprison, God will imprison. And whatever you set free, God will set free.
New American Standard 1977
“Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
“Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Reading #2
Berean Literal Bible
Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven.
I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven.
NET Bible
"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
Aramaic Bible
in Plain English
And truly I say to you, everything whatsoever you will bind in the earth will have been bound in Heaven, and anything that you will release in the earth will have been released in Heaven.
And truly I say to you, everything whatsoever you will bind in the earth will have been bound in Heaven, and anything that you will release in the earth will have been released in Heaven.
King James 2000 Bible
Verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be what has been bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be what has been loosed in heaven.
Verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be what has been bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be what has been loosed in heaven.
World English Bible
Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
International Standard Version
"I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven. [Prohibit? Permitted? Already?]
"I tell all of you with certainty, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven. [Prohibit? Permitted? Already?]
Note that half of these translations say that people on
earth are binding what has already been
bound in heaven. If this were the case,
then all a priesthood holder would need would be simply revelation to know what
was bound or loosed and then communicate it.
But the interpretation that we believe in is the one in
which the priesthood holder declares the binding or loosing, and the heavens
ratify the action and honor it. This
power is much greater, and also requires great holiness, doing what the heavens
and God would do anyway if they were here.
We read this as referring not only to church discipline, but
also to the joining of a man and woman in matrimony for eternity and for the
sealing of their children to them. When the sealing power was given to Joseph
Smith, the meaning and significance of binding and loosing expanded. It no
longer can be seen as only having to do with a person’s individual relationship
with God, but also as a medium of creating and cementing eternal family bonds
and ultimately a more ordered and stable society, not just here, but beyond the
grave.
Because I'm teaching the adult Sunday School class this year I bought a copy of "The New Testament: A Translation for Latter-Day Saints" by Thomas A. Wayment, published by BYU and Deseret Books. I like it for the clarity and the modern language.
ReplyDeleteMatthew 18:18 "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth, it will be bound in the heavens, and whatever you undo on earth it will be undone in the heavens."
The author's footnote says "See note for Matthew 16:19. In the earlier reference, the saying is delivered to Peter directly, whereas here it is to the group of disciples in the second-person plural. The promise found in this verse is again promised in Doctrine and Covenants 124:93 (compare Helaman 10:7; Doctrine and Covenants 1:8; 127:7; 128:8, 10)
Note to Matthew 16:19 Jesus promises Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The idea of binding on the earth is built on the Greek word deo, a word that can mean to tie, fasten, or be married to. When used in an abstract sense, the word implies a contractual obligation to a partner. In a concrete sense, the verb describes tying shoes or a rope.
I really appreciate the authors explanations; it has helped a great deal in my teaching.