Don Johnson

I am busy Sep 19-21, but am rooting for you. One method I try to use is to just get people to study both sides to see who is right ala Proverbs 18:17. As I see it, there are a few things that need to be established.
1. The fact that any translation is a human effort and is subject to human error.
2. The fact that any translation involves interpretation.
3. The fact that we are not the original recipients of the NT letters and that we are, in effect, looking over their shoulders and trying our best to figure out what it meant to them.

That is, it is absolutely essential to establish that one needs to go to the original language in the original 1st century culture. I am sure you know all this. Unfortunately, most people do not know Greek, as in “It’s all Greek to me.”

If you cannot even get this established, then the debate will be settled in your opponent’s mind by those few verses from 1 Tim from his favorite translation.

I would also be very wary if he controls the microphone, this is an unfair advantage.

I will be praying for you.