Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
Those who are haughty are brought low. So God does not reveal his words as haughty to those who are haughty. He brings them low. He opposes what they are rather than responding in kind.
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Well I am biased by the KJV translation (I grew up on it). Actually it seems to be kind of interesting to translate this section, so let's do a word study:
Quote:
New International Version
to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
New Living Translation
To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.
English Standard Version
with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
New American Standard Bible
With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the perverted You show Yourself astute.
King James Bible
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
with the pure You prove Yourself pure, but with the crooked You prove Yourself shrewd.
International Standard Version
In the company of the pure you demonstrate your purity. In the company of the perverted you will appear to be perverse.
NET Bible
You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.
GOD'S WORDŽ Translation
with pure people you are pure. [In dealing] with devious people you are clever.
Jubilee Bible 2000
With the pure thou art pure, and with the perverse thou art an adversary.
King James 2000 Bible
With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the devious you will show yourself shrewd.
American King James Version
With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the fraudulent you will show yourself unsavory.
American Standard Version
With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; And with the perverse thou wilt show thyself froward.
Douay-Rheims Bible
With the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted.
Darby Bible Translation
With the pure thou dost shew thyself pure; And with the perverse thou dost shew thyself contrary.
English Revised Version
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the perverse thou wilt shew thyself froward.
Webster's Bible Translation
With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt contend.
World English Bible
With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd.
Young's Literal Translation
With the pure Thou shewest Thyself pure, And with the perverse Thou shewest Thyself a wrestler.
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It seems to match the NT adage, "if you forgive you'll be forgiven, but if you don't forgive it won't be forgiven you." Or, "If you don't show mercy, no mercy will be shown you." Of course God is merciful - but if you don't give it you don't get it. What you do is what you get.
The first part is easy: with the pure God shows Himself as He is. "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God." God is holy, and we are to be holy, as God is. But what if we're perverted? God will suddenly reveal something different to us. Not that God is perverted, or that we can make God perverted. But the sudden torment of our path will reveal the torment that was hidden within.
If we come to a large and heavily-cited section of scripture and declare it to be essentially dead letters, what does that show about our interpretative style? Perhaps God is using the Bible to reveal the heart of the interpreter. If the Bible expositor says that the Bible has degraded sections, or is partly fallen and natural writings, then I say that arguably the interpreter's ministry has degraded parts. And these are being revealed to all, by God.
But my poetic license probably didn't carry too well. Probably some of my writing that I think the point is clear, many people go, "Huh? I don't get it". Thanks for pointing out how easy it is to mis-read my ideas.