LE3 .A278 1999

1999

Perkin, J.R.C.

Acadia University

Master of Arts

Masters

Theology

Acadia Divinity College

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a comparative study of various English translations of the Matthean Beatitudes (Matthew 5. 1-12) from Wyclif (1382) to the Contemporary English Version (1995). The standard Greek text of the New Testament (UBS GNT4) has been used as the basis for comparison of the various translations, for understanding the linguistic features of the "original," as well as for noting significant variants in the texts of the manuscripts. A brief introduction to Matthew's Gospel is provided in Chapter 2, which sets the Beatitudes in the context of the Sermon on the Mount and in the context of the Gospel as a whole. The Beatitudes, as a genre of gnomological literature, are discussed with reference to literary parallels in the Scriptures and in other literature. The heart of the thesis is to be found in Chapter 3, an historical survey of English Bible translations, with special emphasis on the work of William Tyndale as the father of the English Bible. Chapter 4 presents a tabulation ofabout thirty translations representing over 1000 years in the history of the English Bible. The translations presented attempt to be representative of both historical and theological considerations, but the choice has been--of necessity--selective, and has been limited by three factors: awareness, availability, and significance. Chapter 5 briefly discusses the connections between language and theology, tradition and translation, with special emphasis on the effect of intertextuality on the process and results of various translations. Recognising the importance of the liturgical use of the Bible, six criteria for the thoughtful selection of a translation for public reading are offered without implying in which direction these guidelines might lead.

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