When reading Scripture, from time to time, I wonder why some words are translated the way that they are. Of course, sometimes the answer is as simple as our understanding of the meaning of the word in English is morphing and changing as the underlying Greek remains the same. In the Lukan account of the blind man on the roadside, Bartimeus cries out: “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” The underlying word is eléos – I would not have chosen to translate it as “pity” – the meaning is “to show mercy,” indicating a response roused by an underserved affliction in others. It denotes a kindness resulting from a relationship. Continue reading →