The new translation

Mr. Hal Taussig lauds the 10-year effort to bring “new meanings to biblical texts” in the “updated edition” of the NRSV Bible (called the NRSVue). Based on his one example, I am less enthusiastic.

In Mark 14:69 the NRSVue changes “servant-girl” to “female servant.” Taussig believes this improves the translation by bringing a “feminist consciousness to take away a demeaning translation that calls a woman a girl.”

Does this improve the translation? Upon consulting the Greek New Testament and Analytical Greek Lexicon, I find the Greek word used here is (pardon these transliterations) “paidiske” (pie-dis-kay), a feminine diminuitive of “pais,” commonly translated as “child.” A number of other words have “pai” as the root in the Greek New Testament. “Paidarion” is a little boy. “Paideia” is instruction. “Paideutes” is a teacher. “Paideuo” is to educate. “Paidzo” is to play. “Paidagogos” is a governor of children. Based on this word family, “servant-girl” still seems the better translation.

There are times in the Greek New

Testament when a pais-based word refers to an adult, but the “pais” person is always implied to be “lesser-than,” as it is in a servant-master relationship. The “paidiske” of Mark 14:69 may be a woman, but that would be deduced, not from “paidiske,” but by asking questions about the scene and consulting historical sources. Would a child be out at this time of night? Would a child be so insistent to point out Peter as one of Jesus’ disciples? Would a child be the servant of the high priest? Are there synonyms that could have been used for “paidiske”?

And one more. If “paidiske” is a woman, is she lesser-than with the agency of a first century servant, or a 21st century time-traveling woman with an enhanced “feminist consciousness”?

RICHARD MITCHELL

Jacksonville