Should We Rename Philly?

With all these exciting and, at times, controversial discussions surrounding gender-accuracy in bible translations, I wonder if we need to reinterpret Philly, you know, Philadephia, that city on the East coast, “The City of Brotherly Love”?

Well, both the NRSV and TNIV have “mutual affection” or something like that for the Greek φιλαδελφία, philadelphia, wherever it appears in the New Testament (Rom 12:10; 1 Thess 4:9; Heb 13:1; 1 Pet 1:22; 2 Pet 1:7).

I’m not saying that they’re inaccurate, but we might need to refer to Philly as “The City of Mutual Affection…”

What do you think?

About T.C. R

A Christ-follower, husband, father, shepherd-teacher, speaker, and a blogger too!
This entry was posted in Bible Translations, Biblical Greek, Miscellanies, Reading Scripture. Bookmark the permalink.

4 Responses to Should We Rename Philly?

  1. Roger Mugs says:

    i think it should drop its heritage altogether and go for what its known for now… just call it:

    steaksandwichwithcheesewizville

    or

    cheesesteakumstown

    or

    new cheesesteak

  2. Nathan Stitt says:

    I second the motion for New Cheesesteak

    Hear! Hear!

  3. Suzanne McCarthy says:

    Frankly I prefer cream cheese but I have blogged on the BBB about why adephoi literally means “brothers and sisters.” As a (sort of) classicist, I get tired of the “oh you must be a feminist” thing. I may be a feminist but when it comes to language I am more of a tedious academic.

  4. Pingback: Pew Bible ponderings: 2 Peter 1:3-9 : He is Sufficient

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