Why Do Translators Change My Favorite Verses? (Psalm 1:1)

For many of us who are familiar with this verse, hearing “stand in the way that sinners take” might feel a bit off. We’re so accustomed to phrases like “stands in the way of sinners” (as seen in the ESV). When translators make changes to well-known verses, it can be frustrating, but there’s usually a good reason behind it.

In this case, the English phrase “stand in the way of” typically means “to oppose or block,” which isn’t what verse 1 is getting at. Other translations offer phrases like “who does not walk in the advice of the wicked” (CSB), opr “who do not follow the advice of the wicked” (NRSV), both of which are closer to the meaning of the Hebrew.

Some might argue that people can figure out what “stands in the way of sinners” means, but I would guess that the vast majority of people would come to the wrong conclusion.

I was reminded recently of why every word choice matters. I was visiting a church where the preacher was discussing Luke 4:30, the story where people tried to throw Jesus off a cliff. The verse says, “But passing through their midst, He went His way (ἐπορεύετο)” (NASB). The preacher emphasized that Jesus had “His” own way, different from what the townspeople intended for Him. The entire message hinged on the phrase “His way.”

The problem is that this isn’t what Luke meant, even if the general idea—that Jesus had His own path—is true. The phrase “went His way” is translating the simple Greek word ἐπορεύετο, which just means Jesus left the cliff and the town. According to BDAG, the first meaning of πορεύω is simply, “to go, proceed, travel.” What makes this even more problematic is that there is no Greek behind “Him.”

The key takeaway is that every word is important. If we’re not careful with word choices, someone might take away a point that the Bible is not actually making. Perfection in translation is impossible—any word can be misunderstood by someone—but accuracy is more important than tradition. Sometimes, we have to let go of the familiar to better capture the true meaning of the text.

God’s blessing is on the person who doesn’t follow the same path as sinners.