We American Catholics use as our Bible translation the New American Bible (the NAB). Of course, that's not the only translation out there, and not the only one used by Catholics. Catholics in Canada, for example, use the New Revised Standard translation (the NRSV). Who cares, you might say. Aren't they all pretty-much the same? Yes, generally speaking they are. But sometimes there are differences, and the differences really matter. Today's Gospel passage is one of those times (Mt 23: 23-26). We're in the middle of a rant that Jesus is making against the scribes and Pharisees in which He accuses them again and again of hypocracy. His general point is that they care about appearances, but not about what really matters in terms of following God's commandments. In the passage today Jesus points out that the scribes and Pharisees are really good at tithing-- paying the tithe even on the tiny seeds like mint and dill and cumin (which aren't mentioned in the commandments on tithing)-- but neglect the "weightier things of the law." He then says what those "weightier things of the law" are, and that's where the differences in translation get interesting. The NAB renders these "weightier things" as "judgment, mercy and fidelity." The NRSV used in Canada, on the other hand, renders the same phrase as "justice, mercy and faith." OK, "mercy" is there in both translations, and we can see how that is a central principle that informs how the law ought to be understood in its application. We can also see how Jesus often, and properly, criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for failing to recognize the importance of "mercy" in the application of the law. But "judgment" and "justice" seem like two very different things. When we talk about "judgment," what comes to mind is probably God's judgment, or maybe our "judgment" about others. That can be a concept that is pretty harsh and unyielding, at least in the Old Testament context. "Justice," on the other hand, suggests something quite different. When we talk about "justice" we are usually talking about how we treat one another, and about the idea of applying the law even-handedly, equally, fairly. So which one does Jesus have in mind? The same problem arises with the translation of the last word in the list of three "weightier things." The NAB says "fidelity," while the NRSV renders the word used by Jesus as "faith." Again, two quite-different concepts. When we hear the word "faith" come out of Jesus' mouth, we immediately think of faith in God, or faith in Jesus. "Fidelity," on the other hand, connotes being true to one's word, or to other people, or to a set of operative principles. I am sure the people who did the translations that became the NAB and the NRSV would have a great time explaining their thinking, and arguing why their word-choice was right. I have no competence in that area and won't weigh in, other than to say that I would think the choice should be informed by the point Jesus is trying to make-- that literal compliance with external practices is less important than adherence to the principles behind the law-- and that, with that idea in mind, "justice" seems to work better than "judgment," and "fidelity" better than "faith" (so-- one for the NAB and one for the NRSV). One thing this exercise should help us remember-- beyond the fact that translation is an art, not a science-- is that we need to watch out when we're hanging too much on a specific word or phrase in the Bible. Sometimes that comes out as "proof texting," proving a point by taking a few words from one spot and saying that the particular text proves one's point. Hanging one's belief system on a single word or phrase is a dicey proposition, especially since the English rendition that one is using might or might not be universally viewed as the correct rendition of the original Greek or Hebrew. We need to read things in context, and compare what we're reading to what is said elsewhere, in order to understand more fully what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us in any particular verse or phrase. Maybe for today's purposes the best approach is "all of the above." "Justice," "judgment", "mercy," "faith" and "fidelity" all seem like they fit as "weightier matters of the law." We might do well to keep them all in mind.