Aldersgate SG 2020 ¢ The Rev Dr Gordon Wong was re-elected President of Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC) in 2016 for a second quadrennial term, but is primarily grateful to God for the gift of his wife Lai Foon and two children Deborah and Jeremy.
Worshipping
in spirit and in truth
I
n John 4:24, Jesus is recorded as saying: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (2011 NIV)
Do you notice the minor difference from the following earlier translation? “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (1984 NIV) The 2011 NIV adds a capital “S” to Spirit, implying that Jesus is referring to the Holy Spirit. It also adds the definite article “worship in the Spirit”. The 1984 edition uses a small “s”, implying spirit as in one’s inner being or soul or spiritual fervour. The earliest Bible texts used large capital letters throughout—no small letters at all. So translators have to guess whether Jesus meant Holy Spirit (capital “S”), or spiritual energy or fervour (small “s”). Unlike the 2011 NIV, most English translators adopt the small “s” for spiritual energy. One supporting reason for this is that the Greek Bible text does not include the definite article “the” before “spirit”. Personally, I think the 1984 NIV and most English
