I am curious about this passage. In the NIV it reads Avoid every kind of evil. This appears to imply that we should not do anything that is wrong. Similar translations can be found in a number of other translations. For example:
hold aloof from every form of wickedness - Darby
abstain from every form of evil - American Standard
Stay away from every form of evil - Holman
But now let's read this same apparently unremarkable passage in the King James Bible, where it reads: Abstain from all appearance of evil. This is so different. It seems to imply not merely that we should not do anything wrong, but that we should not do anything which could be construed as wrong. Suddenly it becomes one of the most challenging passages in the Bible.
But is the King James correct in its translation? Similar translations can be found in a few other versions:
from all appearance of evil abstain ye - Young's Literal
Keep away from everything that even looks like sin - New Life Version
The New Life seems pretty clear on this point.
My question is simply this: Which translation is correct?
Thank you in advance for your reply.
Dear Quentin: They are ALL correct. The word translated "appearance" in King James and others is the Greek word "idos" and it is translated: "shape" (Luke 3:22); "fashion" (Luke 9:29); "sight" (II Cor. 5:7); and "appearance" (I Thes. 5:22).
The Greek word "idos" is define as: " a view, that is, form (literally or figuratively): - appearance, fashion, shape, sight" (Strong's Concordance # 1491).
The word "form" means: "The body or outward APPEARANCE...." (American Heritage College Dictionary).
God be with you,
Ray
