Why the Italics?

When I first started to read the Bible decades ago, I thought words in italics meant those words were to be emphasized. I was wrong. When we read the Scriptures – whatever translation we use – words that appear in italics are NOT found in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek manuscripts. The words in italics are IMPLIED by the text.

 

Usually that is not an issue. However, in some cases what the translators of the Bible consider ‘implied’ can be misleading. For example, in most English translations we read in John 8:24:

 

“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

 

Notice the word ‘He’ in your Bible is (probably) in italics. That’s because most translators consider the word ‘He” implied by the Lord’s statement. However, in this case it is far more accurate to leave off the ‘He’ and translate it as the original Greek rendered it: “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.”

 

Jesus’ statement, “I am”, is a direct reference to God's words to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3:13-14 – “Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

 

In other words, Jesus was telling the religious leaders that He is God incarnate.

John 8:24 is not the only time Jesus referred to Himself as the “I Am.” Another example is in John 8:58-59, which comes at the end of His discussion with the religious leaders: “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”

 

The reason the religious clerics picked up stones to execute Him was because they fully understood Jesus was applying to Himself God's statement to Moses in Exodus 3. In other words, Jesus was again telling them that He is God incarnate.

 

Finally, when the mob gathers in the Garden of Gethsemane to capture Jesus, He asked them who they wanted. When they said, ”Jesus of Nazareth,” Jesus responded, “I am.” Again, English translations supply the pronoun, ‘he’ – but that word is NOT in the original Greek. Jesus actually said to them, “I am.”

 

I believe that is why the mob fell backwards to the ground. The power of Almighty God must have momentarily overwhelmed them (John 18:4-5). (I have always wondered why they simply got up, brushed themselves off, and went ahead and arrested Him).

 

So, while the italics in our English Bibles often clarify meanings and nuances as the translators moved from Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic to English, sometimes – as in the above examples – those clarifications serve only to muddy the meanings.