Richard_oti
Well-Known Member
- Mar 17, 2008
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Just looking at the Greek it is possible. I don't know the language.
As @BreadOfLife already addressed this, I see no need to say much more.
Both my German and my Spanish translations use words corresponding better to the "narrow". But that is not my main reason for going the way I do. One reason why I never seriously consider changing from the KJV as my primary English Bible is that it regularly uses a second word with approximately the same meaning in the same verse to reinforce the message so that even in translations the meaning hopefully won't be lost. Of course, when the two similar words are translated differently it could cause confusion as in this case: hard and narrow instead of strait and narrow.
Some years ago I purchased a book called "The Language of the King James Bible" by Gail Riplinger which goes into this in a lot of detail with many examples. I don't read that book much anymore but I do read my Bible and I am often on the watch for such pairs of words.
I understand your point and were you are coming from. But I also understand BreadofLife's point and where he is coming from. From my perspective, both can work. We could even render it such as narrow : hard.
The KJV renders it strait : narrow.
The ASV narrow : straitened.
Perhaps take a look at Strong's G4728.