Gender-Inclusive Bible Translations -- By: Ron Minton

Journal: Chafer Theological Seminary Journal
Volume: CTSJ 09:1 (Spring 2003)
Article: Gender-Inclusive Bible Translations
Author: Ron Minton


Gender-Inclusive Bible Translations

Ron Minton

A gender-inclusive1 translation seeks to translate Hebrew and Greek gender-generic words, mostly nouns and pronouns, with equally generic English words. For example, Romans 3:28 says, a man is justified by faith,2 but a gender-inclusive rendering might say, a person is justified by faith or one is justified by faith. Here, the Greek word does not mean male as opposed to female. English frequently uses masculine terms generically, but gender-inclusive translations avoid this practice.

The following chart gives an overview of the situation. Most existing translations include examples of all four possible types of renderings. On the other hand, gender-generic translations frequently exemplify Type-3 and Type-4 renderings.

Gender-Specific Greek

Gender-Generic Greek

Gender-Specific English

1. Equally Specific

2. Overly Specific

Gender-Generic English

3. Overly Generic

4. Equally Generic

It is important to emphasize that every translation uses some gender-inclusive language. The use of gender-inclusive language is appropriate when the original text also does so. The problem arises in extreme gender-inclusive versions that go far beyond what the original languages of Scripture allow.3 On the other hand, there are places where mild increases of gender-inclusive language may make a translation more accurate and consistent. For example, a mild form of gender neutrality would change If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever (John 6:51 KJV) to If anyone eat of this bread. In this verse the word man paraphrases a Greek word signifying anyone. The Greek does not distinguish males from females. In this case, however, the generic he renders a generic use of the masculine personal pronoun. Such generic uses of he occur in Hebrew, Greek, English, and many other languages. Some gender-inclusive translations would change he to they.

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