A study of some transitivity issues in English Bible versions by Wayne Leman A - indicates that the verb in question in that Bible version wording is not used grammatically in my dialect of English. A + indicates that it is. No other translation factors are evaluated in this study. This study focuses on whether or not specific English verbs are used grammatically with reference to their transitivity requirements. A sentential complement is a kind of "sentence" within a sentence, subordinated to a verb within the main part of the larger sentence. 1. John remembered that Peter was a fisherman. In sentence 1 "that Peter was a fisherman" is a sentential complement. It serves as the direct object of the main verb "remembered". This sentential complement is headed by the complementizer (pronoun) "that." In current English, the complementizer can be omitted in some, but not all, contexts, so sentence 2 is acceptable English. But sentences 3-4 are not grammatical English (at least not in my dialect). 2. I know you've been eating the cookies when I haven't been watching. 3. I know you to have been eating the cookies when I haven't been watching. 4. Peter realized them to be fishermen just like him. The verses studied: Matt. 22:3 ("send out" acts as a transitive verb unit in English, except in a few idiomatic uses such as "He sent out for pizza.") + KJV And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding + RSV [he] sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast + ESV [he] sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast + NRSV He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet + NKJV [he] sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding + NASB And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast + HCSB He sent out his slaves to summon those invited to the banquet + NIV He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come + TEV He sent his servants to tell the invited guests to come to the feast + CEV The king sent some servants to tell the invited guests to come to the banquet + NCV The king invited some people to the feast. When the feast was ready, the king sent his servants to tell the people + GW He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the wedding + NLT Many guests were invited, and when the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify everyone that it was time to come. + NET He sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the banquet + ISV He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding John 1:20 deny: transitive (English lexical rules for "deny" require that it has a direct object, either a sentential complement which is the content of what was denied or a pronoun such as "it" or "that" which refers to the content of what was denied.) - KJV And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. - RSV He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." - ESV He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." + NRSV He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." - NKJV He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." - NASB And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." - HCSB He confessed and did not deny, declaring, "I am not the Messiah." (cf. the same intransitive use of "deny" in Acts 3:13, 14) + NIV He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." + TEV John did not refuse to answer, but spoke out openly and clearly, saying: "I am not the Messiah." + CEV He told them plainly, "I am not the Messiah." + NCV John spoke freely and did not refuse to answer. He said, "I am not the Christ." + GW John didn't refuse to answer. He told them clearly, "I'm not the Messiah." + NLT He flatly denied it. "I am not the Messiah," he said. - NET He confessed--he did not deny but confessed--"I am not the Christ." + ISV He spoke openly and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." Acts 4:2 provoked: transitive (To me it sounds odd for "provoked to take a complement which states the cause of the provocation. In such a syntactic context, for me, a synonymn such as "disturbed," "annoyed," "offended," or "upset" is required.) + KJV Being grieved that they taught the people + RSV [they were] annoyed because they were teaching the people + ESV [they were] greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people + NRSV [they were] much annoyed because they were teaching the people + NKJV being greatly disturbed that they taught the people + NASB being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people - HCSB they were provoked that they were teaching the people + NIV They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people + TEV They were annoyed because the two apostles were teaching the people + CEV These men were angry because the apostles were teaching the people + NCV They were upset because the two apostles were teaching the people + GW These religious authorities were greatly annoyed. Peter and John were teaching the people + NLT They were very disturbed that Peter and John were claiming + NET [they were] angry because they were teaching the people + ISV They were greatly disturbed that Peter and Johna were teaching the people Acts 4:13 realize (English lexical rules for "realize" require that it has a direct object, either a sentential complement which is the content of what was denied or a pronoun, such as "it", "this", or "that," referring to that content. If "realize" has a sentential complement, its verb must be finite, not infinitival.) + KJV perceived that they were unlearned + RSV perceived that they were uneducated + ESV perceived that they were uneducated + NRSV realized that they were uneducated + NKJV perceived that they were uneducated + NASB understood that they were uneducated - HCSB realizing them to be uneducated + NIV realized that they were unschooled + TEV to learn that they were ordinary men of no education + CEV knew that these two apostles were only ordinary men and not well educated + NCV understood that these men had no special training or education + GW found out that Peter and John had no education + NLT could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training + NET discovered that they were uneducated + ISV found out that they were uneducated Eph. 4:20 (In my dialect of English "learn" cannot be used transitively with an animate object. In my dialect we can "get/come to know someone." In some dialects "learn" is used as a synonym for "teach".) - KJV But ye have not so learned Christ - RSV You did not so learn Christ! - ESV But that is not the way you learned Christ! - NRSV That is not the way you learned Christ! - NKJV But you have not so learned Christ. - NASB But you did not learn Christ in this way - HCSB how you learned the Messiah + NIV You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. + TEV That was not what you learned about Christ! + CEV But that isn't what you were taught about Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him. (vv. 20-21) + NCV But what you learned in Christ was not like this. + GW But that is not what you learned from Christ's teachings. + NLT But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about Christ. + NET But you did not learn about Christ like this + ISV However, that is not the way you came to know Christ. 1 Thess. 3:5 sent: transitive (Except in a few idiomatic expressions, such as "We sent out for pizza," "send" is only transitive in English, used to refer to sending something or someone.) - KJV I sent to know your faith - RSV I sent that I might know your faith - ESV I sent to learn about your faith - NRSV I sent to find out about your faith - NKJV I sent to know your faith - NASB I also sent to find out about your faith - HCSB I also sent to find out about your faith - NIV I sent to find out about your faith + TEV I sent him to find out about your faith + CEV I sent Timothy to find out about your faith + NCV I sent Timothy to you so I could learn about your faith + GW I sent [ Timothy ] to find out about your faith + NLT I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong - NET I sent to find out about your faith + ISV I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. James 4:2a have: transitive (The English verb "have" is transitive, requiring direct objects. The verb "desire" is also transitive.) - KJV Ye lust, and have not - RSV You desire and do not have - ESV You desire and do not have + NRSV You want something and do not have it - NKJV You lust and do not have. - NASB You lust and do not have - HCSB You desire and do not have. (In my dialect, this is ungrammatical without a direct object.) + NIV You want something but don't get it. + TEV You want things, but you cannot have them + CEV You want something you don't have + NCV You want things, but you do not have them. + GW You want what you don't have + NLT You want what you don't have - NET You desire and you do not have + ISV You want something but do not get it James 4:2b obtain: transitive (English "obtain" requires a direct object, which states what is obtained.) - KJV and desire to have, and cannot obtain - RSV And you covet and cannot obtain - ESV You covet and cannot obtain + NRSV And you covet something and cannot obtain it - NKJV You murder and covet and cannot obtain. - NASB You are envious and cannot obtain - HCSB You murder and covet and cannot obtain. + NIV You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. + TEV you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them + CEV You will even kill! But you still cannot get what you want + NCV [you] are jealous of other people, but you still cannot get what you want + GW You're determined to have things, but you can't get what you want. + NLT You are jealous for what others have, and you can't possess it - NET you murder and envy and you cannot obtain + ISV You covet something but cannot obtain it 1 Pet. 1:20 destined (English "destined" requires a sentential complement, typically headed by the complementizer "for' or infinitival "to.") + KJV Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world - RSV He was destined before the foundation of the world + ESV He was foreknown before the foundation of the world - NRSV He was destined before the foundation of the world + NKJV He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world + NASB For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world - HCSB He was destined before the foundation of the world + NIV He was chosen before the creation of the world + TEV He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world + CEV Christ was chosen even before the world was created + NCV Christ was chosen before the world was made + GW He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed + NLT God chose him for this purpose long before the world began + NET He was foreknown before the foundation of the world + ISV he was foreknown before the foundation of the world 1 John 4:3 confess (English "confess" must be intransitive or, if transitive, it requires a sentential object complement which is the content of the confession or a pronoun which refers to that content. An English sentence which has a sentential complement for "confess" would be: "The man confessed that he had stolen the jewelry from the Rockefeller mansion.") + KJV And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God - RSV and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God - ESV and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God - NRSV and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God + NKJV and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh s not of God - NASB and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God - HCSB But every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God. + NIV but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God + TEV But anyone who denies this about Jesus does not have the Spirit from God. + CEV But when someone doesn't say this about Jesus, you know that person has a spirit that doesn't come from God + NCV And every spirit who refuses to say this about Jesus is not from God. + GW But every person who doesn't declare that Jesus Christ has come as a human has a spirit that isn't from God. + NLT If a prophet does not acknowledge Jesus, that person is not from God. - NET but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God + ISV But every spirit who does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. total examples: 10 results per version: KJV 5/10 = 50% RSV 3/10 = 30% ESV 4/10 = 40% NRSV 6/10 = 60% NKJV 5/10 = 50% NASB 4/10 = 40% HCSB 1/10 = 10% NIV 9/10 = 90% TEV 10/10 = 100% CEV 10/10 = 100% NCV 10/10 = 100% GW 10/10 = 100% NLT 10/10 = 100% NET 5/10 = 50% ISV 10/10 = 100% relative ranking: HCSB RSV ESV/NASB KJV/NKJV/NET NRSV NIV TEV/CEV/NCV/GW/NLT/ISV Revised to include KJV December 8, 2001 Study completed and posted to Bible translation discussion list December 5, 2001: http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation/discuss.htm This study is posted at Internet URL: http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation/transitivity.txt Other studies can be accessed from URL: http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation/studies.htm Bible translation website: http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation