According to the NIV and TNIV, Apollos was a Jew and an Egyptian (Acts 18:24), while the GNB says he was a Jew, but born in Alexandria. Which is correct?
Question:
According to NIV & TNIV, Apollos was a Jew & an Egyptian (a native of Alexandria) (Acts 18:24) but GNB says he was a Jew but born in Alexandria. Is NIV & TNIV correct to say a Jew is also an Egyptian?
Answer:
Now, that is an easy one. In the first century Alexandria was the capital of Egypt. So, a native of Alexandria is an Egyptian. Some people say I am a native of Connecticut. Others say I am a native of the United States. Which is correct? Both. The Good News Bible is a paraphrase, so it is not as precise a translation. Therefore you can assume that the actual original Greek is closer to the NIV or TNIV, but clearly there is no important distinction between the two translations.
John Oakes
