Doing Something Creative
Resource Pages
Pages in this section: 1 |
2 | 3 | 4 |
Writing a Paraphrase
A paraphrase is not a translation. While a paraphrase may start from
the original biblical languages, its goal is to put a biblical text
into a particular vernacular rather than to translate the biblical
languages with attention to verbal or dynamic equivalence. Because
of this, a paraphrase has limited value for biblical study and for
use in public worship.
On the limitations of paraphrases, including part of
an interview with the writer of The Message, Eugene Peterson,
see this brief
article.
Even though paraphrases are limited in their usefulness, I have included
this page as part of the unit on Doing Something Creative
because paraphrasing a text can help you notice things about the text
that you would not see if you were not trying to put it into your own
words.
How to Write a Paraphrase
1. Read the text in Greek and/or in at least three English
translations.
Before you write anything, you need to read the text
you will be working on. If you can read the text in Greek, do that,
and check multiple English translations to see what text and translation
problems the text might have. Mostly what you are looking for, however,
is anything that seems to need explaining. A paraphrase is an interpretation
at least as much as it is a translation of the text
2. Decide who your paraphrase is for.
You may remember that in the unit on Comparing
Translations,
I said that the target audience for a translation influences the
content of the translation. The same is true for paraphrases.
Consider
two paraphrases of 1 Corinthians 1:18-24. The first is by Clarence
Jordan, written in the American South in the 1960s. The second is
by Eugene Peterson, published in 2003 and written using "the
same language you might use to talk to a friend on the phone or write
an e-mail" (from the introduction to The
Message Remix [Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress,
2003] 13). I have put the New American Standard version next to these
paraphrases so you can compare a translation with them.
| New
American Standard | 1 Cor 1:18-24 |
18 For the word
of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For
it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the
wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside." 20 Where
is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater
of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the
world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the
world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God
was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message
preached to save those who believe. 22 For
indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but
we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block,
and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those
who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God and the wisdom of God.
|
The Cotton
Patch Version of the New Testament by Clarence Jordan
Excerpt
from A Letter to the Christians in Atlanta |
To the so-called "practical" people,
the idea of the noose is a lot of silly talk, but to
those of us who have been let in on its meaning, it
is the source of divine power. It’s just like
the Scripture says:
I will tear
to bits the dissertations of the Ph.D’s;
I will pull the rug from under those who have all the answers.
Then what becomes
of the "bright" boy? What does this do to the "egghead"?
Where does the worldly-wise professor wind up? Hasn’t
God made human reasoning appear utterly ridiculous?
Therefore, since the world with all of its learning
was unable to understand God, God in his own wisdom
decided to save, through the "folly" of the Christian
message, all those who put their trust in it. So, while
the church people are always demanding some miraculous
display and the scientists are looking for intellectual
answers, we go right on proclaiming a lynched Christ. To
be sure, this is an insult to some churchmen, and so much
bunk to the non-Christians, but to those in the fellowship,
whether they are churchmen or scientists, white or black,
Christ is God’s
power and God’s wisdom. |
| The
Message by Eugene Peterson | 1 Cor 1:18-24 |
The Message that
points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness
to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the
way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the
way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's
written,
I'll turn conventional
wisdom on its head,
I'll expose so-called
experts as crackpots.
So where can you find
someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent
in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious
nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never
had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his
wisdom took delight in using what the world considered
dumb--preaching, of all things!-to bring those who trust
him into the way of salvation.
While Jews clamor for miraculous
demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom,
we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews
treat this like an anti-miracle--and Greeks pass it off
as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God
himself--both Jews and Greeks--Christ is God's ultimate
miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. |
3. Consult the Experts
As you prepare your paraphrase, talk to people in your
target audience. Get their advice on how to write the text for
them. If your paraphrase is for children or teens, talk to them about
the text. What needs explanation? What ideas do they have for another
way of saying difficult parts of the text?
Next: Praying a Text 
|
