[Bill]

While listening to a radio program called "To every man an answer" hosted by Mike Kessler (CSN), I heard him talk about how he has been using the NKJV version but he had found a verse that he considers mistranslated in the NKJV. Matthew 17:15 talks about a "lunatick" who threw himself into the fire and water (apparently suicidal). The NKJV says the boy was "epileptic." Thiis change from lunatick to epileptic is a change in meaning because lunatick refers to a moon worshipping occult and epilepsy is a medical malfunction of the brain. Mike seems to trust the KJV most and is aware of the difference between theTR and Alexandrian manuscripts. The NIV says "seizure" which is a medical condition but the NASB agrees with the KJV and says lunatick. Does anyone know if this change is derived from the alexandrian manuscripts or if it is an example of individualized "dynamic equivalence" by translators.

[Tmonk]

Its a translation issue. The Greek word σεληνιαζεται G4583strongs sel-ay-nee-ad'-zom-ahee
Middle or passive voice from a presumed derivative of G4582; to be moon struck, that is, crazy: - be lunatic.

King James - Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

NASB - "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.

NIV - "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

NKJV - Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.
footnote - literally moonstruck

Not a good translation since verses 14-21 state that Christ did get a demon/devil out.

[Will Kinney]

Lunatic or Epileptic?

Matthew 17:14-15 in the King James Bible we read: "And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for HE IS A LUNATICK, and sore vexed..."

This man's son was possessed of a devil, which caused the lad's mental illness. Jesus then casts out the devil and the boy is cured in that very hour. The word correctly translated as LUNATICK is the Greek word from which we get the word "moon" or "luna". Thus in English we have the lunar cycle. Lunatick means literally "moon-struck", and has to do with mental illness or madness. It is not the physical affliction of epilepsy.

Bible versions that correctly translate this word as Lunatick are the Vulgate in 425 A.D, Wycliffe 1395, Coverdale 1535, Bishop's Bible 1568, Geneva Bible 1599, Wesley's translation 1755, Webster's 1833, the Douay-Rheims, Rotherham's Emphasized bible 1902, Darby, Young's, the KJV 21, Third Millenium Bible, and Green's Modern KJV.

Also agreeing with the correct King James Bible reading of “lunatic” are the Spanish Sagradas Escrituras 1569, the Spanish Reina Valera 1909, 1960 and 1995 - “lunático”; the Italian Diodati of 1649 and the 1927 Riveduta - “lunatico”; the French Martin 1744, the Louis Segond 1910 and the French Ostervald of 1996 - "lunatique". Luther’s German bible of 1545 and the 1905 Elberfelder both have “mondsuchtig” or “moonstruck”.

The NASB is interesting in that from 1960 to 1973 it translated this word as "for he is AN EPILEPTIC", with a footnote telling us that the word literally means moonstruck. But then in 1977 and again in the 1995 Update, the NASB now reads "he is a LUNATIC".

Versions like the NKJV, RSV, NRSV, ESV tell us he was “an EPILEPTIC”, while the NIV says: “he has seizures”. Big Hint - Epilepsy is not caused by devils but lunacy can be. Even the 2002 paraphrase called The Message got closer to the truth than the NKJV; it says: “he goes out of his mind. The King James Bible is always right.

Will Kinney

[Tmonk]

Will Kinney wrote,
"The NASB is interesting in that from 1960 to 1973 it translated this word as "for he is AN EPILEPTIC", with a footnote telling us that the word literally means moonstruck. But then in 1977 and again in the 1995 Update, the NASB now reads "he is a LUNATIC"."


It had it because the ASV 1901 read epileptic. The 95 update was big. Quite a few minority reads become footnotes at the bottom of the page(Vaticinus/Sinaiticus especially). Digital sources don't reflect this on sites such as biblegateway.com, I guess because they are in print only most of the time.

NASB made a correction obviously. I agree "lunatic / Lunatick" is correct by translation and context. I do think the NIV "sits on the fence" too much.

[Josh]

I think anything besides God's perfect, inspired, preserved, error free Word, the Authorized King James Bible, is way over the fence and into the bonfire.

[Will Kinney]

Originally Posted by Josh

I think anything besides God's perfect, inspired, preserved, error free Word, the Authorized King James Bible, is way over the fence and into the bonfire.

Agreed. If not the bonfire, they can also be used to line the bottom of bird cages;-)

Will K