The Spirit of “It”

I made a quick note yesterday that I can’t endorse the Common English Bible because of the use of “it” in reference to the Spirit in Romans 8. I checked the e-reader version and the online version. Both read that way. When the CEB states in their purpose that they will keep the pronouns of the Godhead as “he,” this is just mysterious. And I say that regardless of the neuter in the passage. Historically this just doesn’t work.

Here is the passage:

26 In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit itself pleads our case with unexpressed groans. 27 The one who searches hearts knows how the Spirit thinks, because it pleads for the saints, consistent with God’s will. 28 We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 We know this because God knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters. 30 Those who God decided in advance would be conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified.

4 responses to “The Spirit of “It””

  1. Gary Zimmerli Avatar
    Gary Zimmerli

    That’s a problem we have with English, you know. The most natural pronoun for “the Spirit” would be “it”. But we know the Spirit is a person, one of the three persons in the Trinity, and so the correct pronoun would be “he”. I agree. But I can understand why they used “it”.

    Personally, I can’t get over “the Human One”. It misses the mark, as far as I’m concerned. Too many problems with that one.

  2. I understand that “it” would be proper in the strictest sense of translation. But historically, this is usually read as “he.” It’s just a shock to the system. And it was downright embarrassing in our public reading yesterday.

  3. You are right, “the Spirit itself” is not an acceptable rendering…. It’s as bad as reading “the wind of God…” in Genesis 1 in the NRSV…

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