Matthew 1:18--lost in translation

There are many reasons not to like the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, which we use at St Alban's. It is a problematic translation, and this Sunday's reading is a good example of that. Point in case, Matthew 1:18.

The NRSV reads: "Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit."

Now, I'm not one to attack a translation as evil or say that there's a conspiracy to mislead or conceal the truth. I just think this one is a poor translation. The problems in this case come from the highlighted words, "engaged" and "lived together." They are both give the wrong impression due to what we are familiar with in our society and how we use those words today.

It would be more accurate to say that they were betrothed. This is very different from what we know as the modern marital engagement, which began around the 1200s. Mary and Joseph are not fiancée and fiancé, they are "wife" and "husband." Joseph is contemplating "divorce," not a "breakup."

The other problem is the translation that this is "before they lived together," which given that they are only "engaged" in the NRSV, makes it sound like they are planning to shack-up. But they are not planning anything sinful. It is a reference to "before the wedding." The marriage is finalized by a great celebration and the wife moving in with the husband and consummating the marriage. Hence, Matthew assures the reader that Mary did move in with Joseph, but that they did not consummate the marriage. It would better to say, "before they came together."

A lesser problem with this verse (less problematic than an oddity) is also the translation of "Jesus the Messiah" in the first sentence. It should be "Jesus the Christ." While it is true that Messiah and Christ are equivalent, Messiah is a Hebrew word and Christ is a Greek word. This is a translation of the Greek New Testament into English, not into Hebrew.

Here is Matthew 1:18 in some other translations:

Young's Literal Translation
"And of Jesus Christ, the birth was thus: For his mother Mary having been betrothed to Joseph, before their coming together she was found to have conceived from the Holy Spirit."

King James Version
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost."

Revised Standard Version
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit."

New American Standard Bible
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit."

English Standard Version
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit."

New International Version
"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit."

New Jerusalem Bible
"This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit."

New American Bible
"Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit."