Titus 1:1-4

Although this is pretty elementary to most Bibliobloggers, I'm posting my translation of Titus 1:1-4. We had to do this for extra credit over spring break for my NT Greek II class.


Original Text:

παυλος δουλος θεου αποστολος δε ιησου χριστου κατα πιστιν εκλεκτων θεου και επιγνωσιν αληθειας της κατ ευσεβειαν 2 επ ελπιδι ζωης αιωνιου ην
επηγγειλατο ο αψευδης θεος προ χρονων αιωνιων 3 εφανερωσεν δε καιροις
ιδιοις τον λογον αυτου εν κηρυγματι ο επιστευθην εγω κατ επιταγην του
σωτηρος ημων θεου 4 τιτω γνησιω τεκνω κατα κοινην πιστιν χαρις και
ειρηνη απο θεου πατρος και χριστου ιησου του σωτηρος ημων

Μy translation:

Paul, slave of God, Apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the chosen of God and knowledge of truth, according to godliness, upon hope of life eternal, the promise of the truthful* God before time eternal. But at the proper time made known His word with the message with which I was trusted according to the command of God our savior. Titus, my genuine child according to shared faith, grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

*As far as "truthful" goes, I took αψευδης to be an attributive adjective (as it falls after the article). I originally rendered it "the non-lying God" or "the undeceitful God". I was unsure of how exactly to translate it literally, so I translated it "truthful" for a more natural reading. I consulted NASB after I did my translation and that particular section reads "God, who cannot lie,..." Am I way off in trying to keep it simple? Should I take αψευδης as being "who cannot lie"?


********3/3/07 Editor's Note********

So, after some reading and scratching my head, I've decided to change it to "who cannot lie" on the basis of a few lexicons rendering αψευδης "that cannot lie" or "who cannot lie". I still can't figure out the rationale behind it, though.


********3/6/07 Editor's Note*********

After going back and reading over my notes, I realized I made some translation errors. Here is my revised (and final) translation of Titus 1:1-5 (I translated 5 as academic penance for messing up previously).


Paul, a slave of God, Apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the chosen of God and knowledge of truth, according to Godliness, upon hope of life eternal, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time eternal, but at the proper time made known His word with the message with which I was trusted according to the command of God our savior. Titus, my genuine child according to shared faith, grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior. For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order that which is wanting and appoint presbyters in the city as I myself commanded you.