How is this verse to be translated? Most versions say week but there is at least one that says Sabbaths. This interests me because I'll be talking to a sabbatarian in person tonight and it may be useful though I'm not one to debate.
Acts 20:7 Week or Sabbaths?
- Thread starter brianb
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brianb said:
The primary meaning of the word sabbaton is "sabbath," but figuratively it also means "week," and is used in this manner in multiple places in the Bible: for example, Matt. 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 18:12, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, 1 Cor. 16:2. The Luke 18:12 reference is especially notable since "I fast twice every Sabbath" would make no sense.
It's an idiomatic expression since the Hebrews only had a proper name for the sixth and seventh days of the week: the day before the Sabbath is the prosabbaton or paraskeue (preparation day, the day explicitly said to be the day Jesus was crucified), and the seventh day is the sabbaton. Hence the first day after the Sabbath is the first day of the week.