Protestantism
English
Let thy fountaines flow foorth, and the riuers of waters in the streetes.
Let your fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places.
Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, [and] rivers of [thy] waters in the streets.
Shall your springs be scattered outward? In the streets, shall there be streams of water?
Should your overflowing springs be scattered outside, like rivers of waters in the streets?
Should your overflowing spring he scattered abroad as rivers of waters in the streets.
Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
So shall thy fountains overflow in the streets, In the wide streets, as streams of water;
Let not thy fountains, flow over, abroad, in the streets, dividings of waters:
Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Catholicism
English
Let your fountains be diverted far and wide, and divide your waters in the streets.12
- 5:16This verse seems to contradict the previous and subsequent verses. The original Douay-Rheims version has a note that relates water to doctrine. My understanding of that note: distribute good doctrine far and wide among men of sincere intention, but not to those who make themselves to be foreigners to the truth.(Conte)
- 5:16The previous verse (5:15) refers to drinking water from ones own well. This can refer to doctrine, as verses 12 to 14 indicate. This can also refer to chastity and marriage, as the subsequent verses indicate. However, verse 5:16 cannot be taken to refer to sexuality, but only to doctrine. It often happens, as Scripture weaves together comments on a variety of related subjects, that some verses are to be understood more narrowly, and others more broadly.(Conte)