NTFE: A Translation with First-Century Eyes

Paleo-Christian Press

Introduction

The biblical scholar N. T. Wright (b. 1948) states:

For too long we have read Scripture with nineteenth-century eyes and sixteenth-century questions. It's time to get back to reading with first-century eyes and twenty-first-century questions (2016, p. 37).

That insight led to the creation of the First Century Christian Faith website, launched in 2017—a year after N. T. Wright's Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision (IVP Academic, 2016) challenged readers to see Paul with fresh eyes. Wright continues this work in the third edition of the New Testament for Everyone (NTFE), urging us to read Scripture through its first-century context so that its truth may shape life in the twenty-first century.

Thesis Question: Did N. T. Wright accurately translate the original Greek into clear, modern English that still reflects its first-century meaning in the New Testament for Everyone?

Courtesy of Zondervan

Analyzing the Translation

Many Christians use certain Bible verses as a "litmus test" to judge a translation's faithfulness. This article examines Matthew 4:19, Matthew 8:20, John 15:13, Acts 18:26, Romans 16:1, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 3:1, and 1 Timothy 3:11. Translators often render these passages in ways that reflect their own doctrinal or denominational leanings. N. T. Wright urges readers to look beyond tradition and read Scripture through first-century eyes, rather than shaping it to fit personal or church agendas. With that goal, I compare the NTFE translation to the Greek–English interlinear text from Bible Hub to recover the original force of the apostolic message.

Matthew 4:19

Greek: Kai legei autois deute opisō mou kai poiēsō humas halieis anthrōpōn.

Literal: And he says to them, "Come follow after me, and I will make you fishers of people."

NTFE: "Follow me!" said Jesus. "I'll make you fish for people!"

Complementarian readers often favor translations such as the English Standard Version, which renders Matthew 4:19 as, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." However, the English Standard Version's own footnote acknowledges, "The Greek word anthrōpoi refers here to both men and women." For this reason, I treat Matthew 4:19 as a "litmus test" for identifying complementarian bias in translation. Jesus called his apostles to reach all people—both men and women—reflected in the noun anthrōpos (G444), meaning "human being" or "humankind." The same Greek root appears in the English word anthropology, the study of humanity.

Conversely, if Jesus had meant to call only men as his disciples, Matthew would have used the noun andros (G435). This root appears in the name "Andrew" and in the word "android." In the NTFE, however, Wright slightly adjusts the literal Greek phrasing by shifting the emphasis from the noun fishers to the verb fishing. He likely does this to move away from the traditionally masculine wording found in many Western translations. Viewed through his own "first-century eyes," this choice seems intended to preserve the passage's dynamic theme of evangelism rather than its grammatical detail.

Matthew 8:20

Greek: Kai legei autō ho Iēsous hai alōpekes phōleous echousin kai ta peteina tou ouranou kataskēnōseis ho de Huios tou Anthrōpou ouk echei pou tēn kephalēn klinē.

Literal: And he says to him—Jesus—"Foxes holes have, and the birds of the air nests, but the Son of Man no has where the head he might lay."

NTFE: "Foxes have their dens," replied Jesus, "and the birds in the sky have their nests. But the son of man has nowhere he can lay his head."

Hardline complementarians are not the only interpreters who sometimes mistranslate the noun anthrōpos. Liberal translators of the New Revised Standard Version and the Common English Bible render the christological title Huios tou Anthrōpou as "the Human One" instead of the traditional "Son of Man." Wright translates Huios tou Anthrōpou correctly as "son of man." Yet, he uses lowercase letters to show that the later christological formulations of Nicaea had not emerged during the New Testament era. Even so, readers can still understand Huios tou Anthrōpou as "Son of Humankind," because Jesus' masculinity was not incidental. The historic creeds and confessions preserve the integrity of biblical doctrine, including Christ's identity as the Son of Man. For this reason, the Nicene Creed states that "he became man," affirming that Jesus entered humanity not only as a person but also as a male.

John 15:13

Greek: Meizona tautēs agapēn oudeis echei hina tis tēn psuchēn autou thē huper tōn philōn autou.

Literal: Greater than this love, no one has that one the life of them should lay down for the friends of them.

NTFE: No one has a love greater than this, to lay down your life for your friends.

Of all the verses I use to evaluate a Bible translation, John 15:13 is the only one without significant controversy. I examine it primarily to see whether translators treat "greater love" as the subject of the sentence or "no one" as the one acting. Wright emphasizes "no one" as the subject and "greater love" as the object, following standard English grammar, which typically avoids passive constructions. However, I prefer to render the first clause of John 15:13 as it appears in Greek, since I believe the author, John, intended "greater love" to stand as the subject rather than the object.

Acts 18:26

Greek: Houtos te ērxato parrēsiazesthai en tē synagōgē akousantes de autou Priskilla kai Akulas proselabonto auton kai akribesteron autō exethento tēn hodon tou Theou.

Literal: He then began to speak boldly in the synagogue, having heard however him, Priscilla and Aquila they took to [them] him and, more accurately, to him expounded the way of God.

NTFE: He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him to one side and expounded the Way of God to him more accurately.

Acts 18:26 often serves as a focal point in discussions among complementarians and egalitarians about women's roles in church leadership. Two Greek verbs stand out: proslambanō (G4355) and ektithēmi (G1620). The New International Version accurately translates proslambanō as "invited him to their home," while the English Standard Version renders it "took him aside." The prefix pros– (G4314) intensifies lambanō (G2983, "to take or receive"), suggesting an active, even assertive, welcome—an intentional lesson rather than a quiet sidebar. Wright opts for a more literal approach, likely recognizing that the background is too complex to capture fully in a single verse.

The second verb, ektithēmi, describes how Priscilla and Aquila explained God's way to Apollos. It literally means "to set forth" or "to explain thoroughly," implying an articulate and confident exposition. This careful and public form of instruction shows that Priscilla and Aquila did not merely pull Apollos aside but instead welcomed him into their house church in Ephesus, where they carefully clarified how John's baptism connected to the Way of God (see "Priscilla & Aquila"). Notably, Wright capitalizes "Way" in Acts 18:26, highlighting its use as an early name for the Christian movement.

Romans 16:1

Greek: Synistēmi de humin Phoibēn tēn adelphēn hēmōn ousan kai diakonon tēs ekklēsias tēs en Kenchreais.

Literal: I commend now to you, Phoebe, the sister of us, being also a server of the church in Cenchreae.

NTFE: Let me introduce you to our sister Phoebe. She is a deacon in the church at Cenchreae.

This verse also plays a key role in discussions of women's leadership in the early church. In Romans 16:1, the English Standard Version translates Phoebe's title as "servant," while other versions, including the New Testament for Everyone, render it "deacon." The Greek noun diakonos (G1249) literally means "servant" or "minister." Yet when Luke uses the related verb diakoneō in Acts 6:2–4, he applies it to those appointed to manage the church's administrative affairs—an early form of structured ministry.

As a scholar of Christian origins, Wright recognizes that the title diakonos carried official connotations in both Scripture and church tradition. Canon 15 of the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) explicitly refers to female deacons, confirming that the office was open to women in the ancient church. Thus, Wright's decision to identify Phoebe as a "deacon" aligns with both the Greek linguistic meaning of diakonos and the historical evidence of early ecclesial practice.

1 Corinthians 6:9

Greek: Ē ouk oidate hoti adikoi Theou basileian ou klēronomēsousin mē plasnasthe oute pornoi oute eidōlolatrai out moichoi oute malakoi oute arsenokoitai.

Literal: Or not know you that [the] unrighteous ones of God [the] kingdom not will inherit? Not be deceived: neither the fornicators nor image-worshipers nor adulterers nor soft ones nor man-bedders.

NTFE: Don't you know that the unjust will not inherit God's kingdom? Don't be deceived! Neither immoral people, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor practicing homosexuals of whichever sort.

This verse quickly shows a translation's bias. The Greek adjective malakos (G3120) means "soft." Matthew and Luke also used it to describe Herod's "soft" robes. Translators rarely use the literal word because "soft" carries different meanings in modern English. In context, malakos refers to an effeminate man or the passive male in a homosexual act (see "Pastoral Response: Homosexuality"). The noun arsenokoitai (G733) refers to the active partner, meaning one who "lies with a man."

Wright translates the phrase dynamically as "nor practicing homosexuals of whichever sort," which reflects both terms accurately. The conservative New International Version renders it "nor men who have sex with men" (1 Cor. 6:9). At the same time, the liberal New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition, broadens it to "men who engage in illicit sex" (1 Cor. 6:9) and claims, "Meaning of Gk [Greek] uncertain." Wright's approach shows intellectual honesty—he studies the words and their history rather than reshaping them to fit modern views.

1 Timothy 3:1

Greek: Pistos ho logos ei tis episkopēs oregetai kalou ergou epithumei.

Literal: Trustworthy is the saying: if anyone overseership aspires to good work, he is desirous.

NTFE: "Here is a trustworthy saying: if someone is eager to oversee God's people, the task they seek is a fine one."

Translators render the Greek noun episkopēs (G1984) as either "bishop" or "overseer," the choice depending on their denominational tradition. High-church translators, such as the Roman Catholic scholars who produced the New American Bible, Revised Edition, prefer, "Whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task" (1 Tim. 3:1). Low-church translators, such as those of the New International Version, render it, "Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task" (1 Tim. 3:1).

The Greek noun episkopēs combines epi– (G1909, "over") and skopeō (G4648, "to look" or "to watch"), expressing the idea "to see over." When Wright translates the term as "overseership" in the New Testament for Everyone, he captures this meaning accurately. Paul emphasizes not the elder's title or rank but his calling to watch over the church.

1 Timothy 3:11

Greek: Gunaikas hōsautōs semnas mē diabolous nēphalious pistas en pasin.

Literal: Women likewise [must be] dignified, not slanderers, clear-minded, faithful in all things.

NTFE: The womenfolk, too, should be serious-minded, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things.

This verse also fuels debate between complementarians, who oppose women's leadership in the church, and egalitarians, who support it. Wright translates gunaikas (G1135) as "womenfolk," meaning "the women in a family or community" (Cambridge Dictionary). In this reading, Paul refers to the women of the congregation rather than the wives of deacons. The Greek noun gunaikas can mean either "woman" or "wife," which is why scholars disagree on whether Paul meant deacons' wives, female deacons, or women serving in the church. Wright chooses the broader interpretation, seeing gunaikas as referring to women in general. The New International Version translates the verse as: "In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything" (1 Tim. 3:11), adding a footnote: "Possibly deacons' wives or women who are deacons."

Paleo-Christian Press

Conclusion

In the New Testament for Everyone, Wright opens a window into the first-century world, letting the apostles' voices speak clearly to the twenty-first century. His "first-century eyes" and "twenty-first-century questions" are more than clever ideas—they invite readers to meet Scripture as it first took shape. His choice to use lowercase for the Holy Spirit and the Son of Man is not a sign of disrespect but a way to show how early believers understood God before later traditions added layers of interpretation. Each translation choice balances accuracy with freshness, bringing out the original message's strength. The New Testament for Everyone stays close enough to the New International Version to be trusted, yet bold enough to challenge modern assumptions and call readers to engage deeply with God's Word.

Ben White

Prayer

Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of heaven and the earth. You give us Scripture to reveal truth and guide our hearts. By your Spirit, help us to read your Word as the early church, seek its meaning for today, and live in faith and obedience. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Bibliography

Byassee, Jason. "Surprised by N. T. Wright." Christianity Today 58, no. 3 (2014): 36. [link].

Percival, Henry R., trans. "The Fourth Ecumenical Council: The Council of Chalcedon." In Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 14. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1899.

Wright, N. T. Justification: God's Plan & Paul's Vision. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016.

⸻. The New Testament for Everyone. Third ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2023.