by Dan Gatlin
It seems like whatever Translation a preacher or preacher uses someone will object.
Many don't like the modern versions (in some cases for good reasons) and others don't like
(he older versions that are more difficult to understand. At the heart of the discussion
are two basic questions:
1) Why are there so many translations? 2) Are all translations of equal value?
It should be noted at the beginning that no one has any of the actual letters written by those inspired by the Holy Spirit. These original letters are known as "autographs," and to the best of anyone's knowledge all of the autographs have disappeared. The original letters were copied and circulated. This can be seen in Paul's statement in Col.4:16:
"and when this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea." In case you're wondering, there is no book entitled "Laodiceans" missing from the Bible. This is thought to refer to the Ephesian letter which was circulating at the time. Scribes copied these letters either alone or in a "scriptorium," where the letter was read aloud and copied by many scribes.1. Manuscripts. It is these scribal copies (or manuscripts) that we have today. There are Greek manuscripts for the New Testament and Hebrew for the Old Testament. These are the most important sources for our modern translations because they are more directly associated with the original letters. Some manuscripts go back to within a very few years of the autographs.
Scribes were very careful in copying the exact text of the autographs. They recognized that the words used by the inspired writers were the words God had chosen (1 Cor.2:12-13). However, there can be some variations in different manuscripts. This is usually the result of a scribal error. These errors were caused by fatigue, or perhaps not hearing a word correctly. All of these variations are minor. There are four major New Testament manuscripts that exist today, and thousands of lesser ones.
2. Ancient Versions. These are early translations of the Greek and Hebrew into different languages. Although ancient versions can be helpful, they are considered less reliable sources. The old saying that "something gets lost in the translation" holds true. For example, English does not have the middle voice or aorist tense that is found in Greek. Preachers and teachers often stop and explain their significance because they can't be accurately translated into English. If one were to make a Spanish translation from an English bible, the Greek significance would be lost even further. It's easy to see why this is a less important source.
3. Patristics. This is simply Bible quotations by early "church fathers." These quotations are from either Greek or Latin writers, and the entire New Testament can be constructed from this source alone. As with the scribes, these writers were careful to accurately quote the scriptures.
Early English Versions The first English version of the Bible was produced by John Wycliff in 1382. His translation was made from the Vulgate, which was a Latin translation. Since his translation did not use any Greek or Hebrew sources, it would be considered less reliable. William Tyndale used both Greek and Hebrew sources for his English translation in 1525. And in 1611, King James gathered a group of scholars to make the King James Version. Some treat this version as though it is inspired. But we must remember that these scholars were not inspired, in truth, they were not even Christians. But the KJV was the most accurate English version produced at the time and for many years to come.It wasn't until (he late 1800's and early 1900's that several other English versions were produced. There were two main reasons for this. First, the English language (like all other languages) was changing. People wanted a translation that reflected modern English usage. Second, three major Greek manuscripts had been discovered and made available. The translators of the KJV had only one. Having four major manuscripts instead of one would allow for a more certain translation.
Why are there so many different translation today? There are several reasons. First, scholarship has improved. More is known about the Greek and Hebrew languages today than was known 400 years ago. Second, there may be a variety of ways to accurately translate a word or phrase. One translation might use "road" while another uses "way." and still another might use "street." Remember, it's the words in the original language that are inspired. As long as those words are accurately translated, our versions are trustworthy. Third, some translations were intended to show a theological bias. Version like the New World Translation (produced by the Jehovah's Witnesses) twist the original language to favor their preconceived ideas. This kind of translation is dangerous since it is more concerned with false doctrine than in staying true to the text.
Are All Translations of Equal Value? The answer to the above question is clearly no! While all translations have their weak points, some are far more accurate than others. The King James, New King James, American Standard and New American Standard are all excellent versions. Here are some general rules for choosing a translation.1. Read the preface to see if a version is a paraphrase or a translation. If it is a translation look at the description of the translation process.
2. Don't choose a translation from an individual or a group with a specific theological persuasion. Their bias is bound to show. The most reliable translations have many scholars with varied theological backgrounds. This is intended to secure an unbiased translation. However. it doesn't always work. For example, the New International Version had Greek and Hebrew scholars from many backgrounds (even from the church of Christ), but it still contains many passages that teach Calvinistic doctrines.
3.Don't choose a paraphrase. Notice the comments from the preface of The Living Bible:
"a word should he said here about paraphrases. What are they? To paraphrase is to say something in different words than the author used. It is a restatement of an author's thoughts, using different words than he did…. There are dangers in paraphrases, as well as values. For whenever the author's exact words are not translated from the original language, there is a possibility that the translator, however honest, may be giving the English reader something that the original writer did not mean to say."
By their own admission they are standing on dangerous ground. Let's not join them. Paraphrases and theologically biased translations may have some value as commentaries, but they are not true to the original text.
Stick with the more reliable translation, but also be informed about their weak points.
Page last updated: March 03, 2003