Them's Fightin' Words

A while ago, I conversed with one of my best friends regarding Bible translations. There are so many translations out there: what one should you pick?

Right from the start, any translation of the Bible lose things on the way from one language to another. To get intellectual here, I'll use the word "dude" as an example. Sure, there are slang words in other languages that more or less fit the English version, but so much would get lost! A surfer's "Dude!", a stoner's "duuuuuuddddee...", "DUDE!" used as an angry exclamation, it could go on and on. A translation could get the literal meaning across; it couldn't possibly get the connotation across.

Thus, not everything translates elegantly. But since we American Catholics aren't fluent in Greek, we have to do our best with the translations we have.

A Scriptural example of a translation problem is 1 Timothy 6:12. "Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition). I'll just focus on the first phrase, "fight the good fight of the faith."

What do the main Catholic translations have?

Douay-Rheims (DR): "Fight the good fight of faith"

New American Bible (NAB): "Compete well for the faith"

New Jerusalem Bible (NJB): "Fight the good fight of faith"

New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (NRSV): "Fight the good fight of the faith"

All consistent except for the NAB. I really hope this was fixed in the revised NAB that came out a few months ago! The translation really bothered me and I decided to investigate it.

1) Literal

Looking it up in the Greek-English interlinear New Testament, there are two words in that phrase that correspond to "fight the good fight." Before going further, I must fully disclose: I can't read a lick of Greek. This won't have anything to do with the literal meanings of these words. But any schmuck such as myself could look at all the squiggly characters and see two very similar words AND that the NAB leaves one of them out. Even if the word "fight" was translated as "compete," the NAB only includes the verb ("compete") and leaves out the noun "fight."

2) Figurative/Behind the Words

The theological dictionary that I consulted about the word "fight" (and its grammatical relatives) described pre-NT uses of the words as well as the scriptural ones. In secular usage, these words referred to the Greek stadium and its varied contests and conflicts. The usage didn't stop there, however. In the writings of some Greek philosophers, the meaning of the "fight" words extended to include exercise in virtue and striving to live a moral life. Those meanings were still around and in use in St. Paul's day. He not only uses the "fight" words but also uses some war-like imagery. More on that later.

3) Fight vs. Compete: other uses in the NT

In Sacred Scripture, St. Paul employed the "fight" words more than once in his letters. Here is a list of the verses where the same word "fight" is used (Strong #75):

Luke 13:24: "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

In this teaching one can assume that striving wasn't something particularly easy. We can also hear echoes of "take up your cross and follow me."

John 18:36: "Jesus answered, 'My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews..."

Here, fighting refers directly to battle.

1 Cor 9:25: "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."

The context here is athletic competition. Paul continues on and uses boxing as imagery. Did you know boxing was in the Bible?

Col 1:29: "For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me."

Striving here again. Feel the weight in St. Paul's words... toil... striving with all the energy...

Col 4:12: "Epaphras, who is one of yourselves, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always remembering you earnestly in his prayers..."

Without knowing Greek, the use of the word "remembering" sounds a little odd, given the preceding verses. Still, the tone of the adverb "earnestly" goes along with striving.

1 Tim 4:10: "For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe."

Striving again, just like in Colossians and Luke.

2 Tim 4:7: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

This echoes the verse in question (1 Tim 6:12). Interestingly, the NAB is consistent: it translates "fought the good fight" as "competed well."

Words can mean a variety of things depending on the context. Striving, fighting... the Greek word (however it's pronounced) seems to carry a lot of anguish with it.

4) The Final Round: the Context of Paul's Letters to Timothy

This comes only from my own reflections; I haven't consulted any commentaries about this. St. Paul's overall tone to Timothy suggests that the protege needs to be a little more bold. Paul uses a lot of verbs in the command form. The tone is so different than Paul's other letters that some scholars (okay, I looked that part up) think that Paul didn't really write them. I don't believe that, however. These two letters were from an experienced veteran to a rookie who was struggling with certain aspects of his ministry. Many of the verbs are in the command form: do, fight, preach, admonish.

Bottom line: I think the NAB castrates 1 Tim 6:12. Their translation could be perfectly valid, but I don't like their omission of "fight" (see above) and I don't think "compete well" fits with the overall context of St. Paul's letters to Timothy. Translators have a tough job, but one of their duties is to not suck the vitality out of the original text.