# CEB - Harass vs. Persecute



## PointyHaired Calvinist (Dec 24, 2011)

I recently heard about this "innovative" translation of the word "persecute" as "harass". (See the article here.)

You Greek scholars - is this an accurate translation we should consider, or is this another misintepretation of a liberal translation?


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## toddpedlar (Dec 24, 2011)

PointyHaired Calvinist said:


> I recently heard about this "innovative" translation of the word "persecute" as "harass". (See the article here.)
> 
> You Greek scholars - is this an accurate translation we should consider, or is this another misintepretation of a liberal translation?



First thing, knowing at least one of the translators of the CEB personally, and knowing that he is "down with" the CEB translation committee's general perspectives on Scripture and ecumenism, I wouldn't touch the CEB with a ten-foot pole. 

Second... I'm no Greek scholar, but it seems like harass allows for a far greater range of meaning than does persecute... and therefore it is problematic, regardless of whether the Greek word used there can ever be translated "harass". 

Perhaps the more important question is whether they pronounce "harass" as "Harris" or Ha-RASS"?


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## elnwood (Dec 24, 2011)

διωκω (BDAG)
1. to move rapidly and decisively toward an objective, hasten, run, press on
2. to harrass someone, esp. because of religious beliefs, persecute
3. to cause to run or set in motion, drive away, drive out
4. to follow in haste in order to find something, run after, pursue


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## rbcbob (Dec 24, 2011)

PointyHaired Calvinist said:


> I recently heard about this "innovative" translation of the word "persecute" as "harass". (See the article here.)
> 
> You Greek scholars - is this an accurate translation we should consider, or is this another misintepretation of a liberal translation?



In trying to answer the question of whether harass or persecute is the proper word we must, in the first place understand the meaning of the word in the original language. In one of the passages used in the article referenced (Jn 15:20) the CEB reads “If the world HARASSED me, it will harass you too. If it kept my word, it will also keep yours” (CEB).

The word in the original is διώκω which according to one lexicon means- [Liddel-Scott], Ep. inf. διωκέμεναι, -έμεν: f. ξω and -ξομαι: aor. i ἐδίωξα: aor. 2 ἐδιώκα±θον, inf. διωκαθεῖνass., f. διωχθήσομαι and in med. form διώξομαι: aor. i ἐδιώχθην: pf. δεδίωγμαι: (δίω ii):-TO PURSUE a person, TO CHASE, HUNT, Il., etc.:-so in Med., διώκεσθαί τινα πεδίοιο TO CHASE ONE OVER OR ACROSS THE PLAIN, Hom.:-to be a follower of a person, attach oneself to him, Xen

But there is more to do beyond understanding what the word meant in the original. The next order of business is to find the English equivalent. Does harass or persecute better convey the meaning of the Greek original?

The historic English meaning of persecute has been PERSECUTE-v. A.D. 1450 to pursue in order to harm, torment, oppress.__Chambers Dictionary of Etymology
PERSECUTE v. 14th century. To follow with hostility and malignity. To pursue, chase, hunt – with attempts to catch and kill or injure. - Oxford English Dictionary

The historic meaning of harass has been HARASS- v. early 17th century -to wear out, tire out or exhaust with fatigue; to trouble or vex by repeated attacks; to trouble, worry, distress with annoying labour, care, etc. Oxford English Dictionary.

I believe that “persecute” best carries the meaning of the original. If the apostle had wanted to convey the meaning of our word harass he probably would have used the Greek word κακόω which is used in Acts 12:1 and means , to treat ill, maltreat, afflict, distress, Hom., Aesch., etc.ass. to suffer ill, be in ill plight, be distressed, Hom., etc.; κεκακωμένος ἁλμῇ befouled with brine, Od. [Liddel-Scott]

So it is not enough to know the Greek or Hebrew. One must know his own native tongue well. 

I learned this over thirty years ago when I heard a man in his eighties, who had done translation work on the RSV, complaining about the KJV’s use of REPLENISH in Genesis 1:28. He argued passionately that this was an unacceptable rendering of the Hebrew מלֵא which means to be full, not to fill again. 

His problem was that he didn’t know his English well enough. At the time of the translation work of the KJV the word REPLENISH did not mean to “fill again” but to “fill full”. 

REPLENISH- To fill. The meaning of provide a new supply for is first recorded in Drayton’s Poly-Olion (1612). Chambers Dictionary of Etymology. This tracking of the word is abundantly confirmed by the Oxford English Dictionary.


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## PointyHaired Calvinist (Dec 24, 2011)

"Persecute" certainly does fit the chasing part better than "harass."


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