Matt 28:19 NKJV: 'Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.'
This post is in reply to the article by Greg Strawbridge that Joe posted. Strawbridge suggested that a better translation would be, 'Disciple all nations, baptizing them.....'. He claimed that 'them' agrees with 'nations.'
'Matheteusate panta ta ethne' could indeed be translated, 'Disciple all the nations' so why do all the serious translations (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV) not translate it that way? [Obviously, we know by the analogy of scripture that all the nations are not going to become disciples, only certain people out of the nations]
'Ethnos' meaning 'nation' is a neuter noun. In Greek, all adjectives and pronouns have to agree with the noun in number and case. 'Panta ta' agrees in just that way with 'ethne' which is the plural of 'ethnos.' but when we get to 'baptizing them', the word 'autous', which means 'them' is not neuter, it is masculine; therefore the 'them' referred to is not 'all the nations'. If it were then it would be 'auta' to agree with 'ethne'. So who are the 'autous', the 'them'? In the context, it can only be those who have been discipled. It is they, and they alone, who are to be baptized.
This is the reason that all the translations render 'matheteusate pants ta ethne' as 'make disciples of all the nations'; to throw the emphasis on the discipling rather than on the nations, because it is the disciples who are to be baptized and taught.
Blessings to all,
Steve <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/coffee2.gif" alt="" />
