The Holy Scriptures - Versions & Translations

Lesson Title: 5 The Holy Scriptures - Versions & Translations

Text: Deut 4:2; Prov. 30:5,6; Luke 16:17; 1 Cor 7:1

"Translating [the Bible] is certainly not everybody's business, as the mad saints imagine; it requires a genuinely pious, faithful, diligent, God-fearing experienced, practiced heart. Therefore, I hold that a false Christian or a sectarian spirit is unable to give a faithful translation." Martin Luther

The average Christian who walks into a typical Christian bookstore would be confused at the translation, versions, combinations and permutations of the Bible available. Which version or translation would be the most appropriate for our personal quiet time, our study of the Bible or for reference?

In recent times, the topic of translations and versions have engendered much venom and debate among many English speaking Christian groups. This issue has even caused division among Christian groups.

The issue of Bible translation is complex and cannot be adequately handled in one study alone. Furthermore, since this author is not a student of ancient Greek, Hebrew and ancient documents, one gets an intense sense of the inadequacy in dealing with such a sensitive topic. However, by the grace of God, the author seek to shed some light and general principles on the issue of translations and versions for the benefit of Christians who are serious about studying God’s Word.

Background of Manuscripts & Translations

1. Key Factors Affecting Translation of the Bible

1. Translation Principle - Word or Thought

"This principle of complete (or formal) equivalence seeks to preserve all of the information in the text, while presenting it in good literary form.... Complete equivalence translates fully, in order to provide an English text that is both accurate and readable" (KJV preface)

At no point did the translators attempt to interpret Scripture through translation. Instead, the NASB® translation team adhered to the principles of literal translation. This is the most exacting and demanding method of translation, requiring a word-for-word translation that is both accurate and readable. This method follows the word and sentence patterns of the original authors in order to enable the reader to study Scripture in its most literal format and to experience the individual personalities of those who penned the original manuscripts. For example, one can directly compare and contrast the simple eloquent style of John with the deep complexity of Paul.

(NASB preface)

"The first concern of the translators has been the accuracy of the translation and its fidelity to the thought of the biblical writers. … . At the same time, they have striven for more than a word for word translation. Because thought patterns and syntax differ from language to language, faithful communication of the meaning of the writers demands frequent modifications in sentence and constant regard for the contextual meanings of words (NIV preface).

The preface of translations below reveals a lot about the approach of the different translators. Th first factor is the translation principle: Should Scriptures be translated word-for-word vs. thought-for-thought? Formal/ literal equivalence or word-for-word translation method is adopted by groups like the KJV, NASB, and NKJV translators. The NIV, Good News Bible and most modern translation follows the approach of though-for-thought or dynamic equivalence. Other less common translation principles include the paraphrase and amplification method. A comparison of the translation methods is given below.

1. Sources

Another important factor of translation is the source manuscript used for translation. In the previous study, it is noted that Textus Receptus (TR)/ Majority Text (MT) and Critical Text (CT) are the two main group Greek text that the NT is translated from. The TR agrees with the MT 99% of the time in handling its variants while and CT agrees with the MT 98% of the time. Moreover, if the variations due to spelling of words, word order, and other less significant variants are removed, the number of variants are reduced dramatically.

It is noteworthy to know that "Bible readers may be assured that the most important differences in English New Testaments of today are due, not to manuscript divergence, but to the way in which translators view the task of translation. How literally should the text be rendered? How does the translator view the matter of biblical inspiration?" (KJV/NKJV Parallel Reference Bible, preface).

2. Values & Views About Scripture

The underlying assumptions and presumptions of translators are critical, it is worthwhile note the views of the translators in the following areas. Often these views are expressed by the translators or publishers in the preface of the bible translation they publish.

• The Bible is the verbal, plenary, infallible and unlimited inerrant inspiration of the Word of God. – If the whole Bible is inspired, then it is important to include every word and "tittle" in the translation. (Luke 16:17)
• Do we treat the Bible like any other text? – Should we treat it like any ancient text or do we believe that God preserved it through the ages?
• Is every word and concept important? – This assumption would affect our decision to translate each word, sentence structure, etc of the writer or to translate the idea he tries to convey.
• Can we add, delete or modify certain portions to make it more understandable in a different language and context? – This answer depends on the how we understand, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, ..."Deut 4:2

1. Does the Translation make matters?

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Prov. 30:5,6

Some people tend to believe that the any translation is acceptable. They believe that the key goal is to have people read their Bible, and understand it. They argue that what matter is the individual’s heart for God rather than exact words they read. Does each word make a difference?

If every word of God is pure, we should have a responsibility to ensure that we translate every word where possible and not add additional thought or interpretation to the translation. This is especially true in relation to doctrinal and practical issues.

In 1 Cor 7:1, we have the Apostle Paul make reference to a question raised by the Corinthians in a letter to him. Despite of much effort and postulating, no one knows for sure what the question was. So Paul answered a question that no one, except the Corinthians, knew. Listed below is a sample of how different translators render this segment of the Bible.

The Formal translations are consistent in the translation of this verse. However, the other translations pose some significant issues and questions. Is Paul encouraging or promoting celibacy? Is the Catholic Church correct on celibate priests? (NEB, NCV, GNB, Wuest, Gspd,LB). Is he really saying have nothing to do with woman? What about the women in the Bible that Paul knows? Can I have friends of opposite sex? (NEB, NAB). Can I shake hands with a woman? (Amp, NEB, Phi) Is it o.k. to cohabit without getting married? (Amp.) Did the Corinthians ask this question? (Mesg.)

As is evident above, when using the dynamic equivalence, paraphrase or amplified approach, the distinction from translation and interpretation blurs. This is a difficult challenge, especially, it is difficult to ascertain the exact meaning of the writer. For this reason, translations based on these translation principles are less preferable to formal equivalence.

0. Preference for KJV

1. Conclusion

The author’s first Bible was the NIV. As a young Christian, he had been greatly blessed from personal study of the Bible. However, as he grew in the Lord, he found that there are other bibles that provide a better and more accurate translation on certain portions of Scripture.

In selecting an appropriate translation, one should remember the following issues:

• The Bible is the verbal, plenary, infallible and unlimited inerrant inspiration of the Word of God.
• The Bible is not just another book and thus should not be treated as one. Every word, and dot (tittle) is put there for a reason.
• God warned us not to add or take away from His Word
• Formal equivalence is the best method of translating the Bible although non-formal versions may be easy to read and understand.
• Translation based on TR manuscripts may be more reflective of the original inspired Word and thus is preferred.

If the aforementioned issues are important, then one should look for translations that are based on the following translated based on Formal Translation principles, preferably based on TR and work done by godly Christians who are committed rather than just reputable intellectuals.

Some of the better translations using Formal Translation principles are KJV, NKJV and NASB. The NASB have been acclaimed as the best literal translation of modern age. However, because the NT is translated from the CT, it is less preferred by those who are committed to Formal Translation.

Regardless how good a translation is, it is important to remember that it is not the inspired. It is the work of faithful saints who seek to provide a faithful translation of the original Word of God.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

Life Applications

What are the key factors affecting the translation of Scriptures and how does it shows the underlying view of the translators? Do you thinks it is suitable to select "any translation that suit are comfortable with" when deciding which translation to use? Martin Luther said "Translating [the Bible] is certainly not everybody's business, as the mad saints imagine; it requires a genuinely pious, faithful, diligent, God-fearing experienced, practiced heart. Therefore, I hold that a false Christian or a sectarian spirit is unable to give a faithful translation." Do you agree with this statement? The issue of Bible translations have caused much division and debate among Christian groups, how should we handle this issue with love while not compromising the integrity of God’s word?