Romans 5:12 and conversation with the Greek Text

---Why this text? Because it is the locus classicus for original sin.

---Original Sin? Yes. Augustine’s hobby-horse.

---Did he invent it? No. Scholars are saying it is coming from the Pseudepigrapha.

2 Esdras 3 or Pseudographical

Source: Turpin, S. (2016, July 25). "Original Sin: How Original Is It? Romans 5:12." Downloaded on the 29th of December 2018 from

https://answersingenesis.org/sin/original-sin/how-original-is-it-romans-5-12/.

---Did you know that Augustine was reading a translation of both the Old Latin and Jerome’s Vulgate on this verse?

---Did you know it was translated in Latin from the original Greek?

---Did you know that Augustine was misled in the wrong translation of the Greek by both the Old Latin and the Vulgate?

---Let me put it clear: The Old Latin and Vulgate translated Romans 5:12 wrongly and Augustine ran away with an idea on the basis of a wrong translation. Got it?

---Ever heard that people said we cannot be perfect because we have original sin in us and will ever have it until Jesus comes on the clouds of heaven?

---It is on the basis of this wrong translation of Augustine that they say that.

--- In quo omnes peccaverunt is a wrong translation of the Greek.

--- Augustine designed his peccatum originale from a wrong translation of the Greek. “in which all have sinned” after 406 when he switched in his debate with Pelagius from a similar to a contra position including peccatum originale = original sin.

--- Luther and Calvin and to a lesser extend Wesley bought this original sin concept from Augustine et al.

---How come these scholars did not see it was a wrong translation? I do not know.

---So far there are four of us crying over the translation of the Greek into Latin here. (S. Turpin 2016; myself, maybe Augustus Meyer in the Victorian period and also Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology. Baker Book House, 1985 pp. 636-639). He complains about Augustine on page 636 in the middle.

---So what is the correct translation? This is my take on it.

5(12) Therefore, just as through one man the sin unto the world, entered unto also through the sin the death, also such unto all men the death entered through, upon which they all have sinned—

---So let us go deeper into the issue.

---[Adventist Sakae Kubo in his Greek Lexicon 1975: 138] 12. διέρχομαι=go through, come; ἐφ’ ᾧ = ἐπὶ τούτῳ ὅτι for this reason that, because.

---“Because” is the wrong reading of the Old Latin and Vulgate here. Augustine and Jerome was wrong here. Says Erickson in 1985: 636 “since the Latin mistranslated the Greek at this point”. Read rather “upon which”.

---Patristics and Victorian Scholars had it different: “in which all have sinned” following the wrong translation of Augustine with in quo Augustine.

---Also Estius, Cornelius a Lapide, Klee, revived by Aberle. Beza, Erasmus Schmid. Compare Church Father Irenaeus Haeresis v. 16, 3.

---It is not followed by Stengel, Reithmayr, Bisping, Maier; “upon that which is Adam”.

---Theophylact with Photius; Quia omnes peccarunt …..Adamo peccante  

---Scholar Bengel as seen correct by scholar Meyer but…;. ipsu actu, quo peccavit Adamus 

---Also by the following scholars Koppe, Olshausen, Philippi, Delitzsch, Kahnis, Klöpper.

---“as then all would besides have well deserved this severe fate for themselves by their actual sins” J. Müller.

---And nearly all churches are walking after Augustine here with his original sin. Adventists do not believe in original sin.

---[Don F. Neufeld Sabbath School Quarterly 1980: 53 notes]:

Commentators have argued more over this passage of Scripture than over most others. Perhaps the reason is, as the S.D.A. Bible Commentary, volume 6, page 529, says, that these commentators "attempt to use the passage for purposes other than Paul intended." One point they argue over is, In what way was Adam's sin passed on to his posterity? Did Adam's descendants share the guilt of Adam's sin, or are they guilty before God because of their own sin? While these may be interesting questions to raise, it is doubtful that Paul was here intending to clarify these deeply theological issues. More likely he is reemphasizing what he has already stated, "for all have sinned" (Rom. 3:23), Adam being the first sinner. Men need to recognize that they are sinners. Only as they recognize this will they see their need of a Saviour. "Many are deceived concerning the condition of their hearts. They do not realize that the natural heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. They wrap themselves about with their own righteousness, and are satisfied in reaching their own human standard of character."—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 320.