Bible Question:
There seem to be three main answers to this question. The first would be that the Bible is not really inspired at all. It is merely mankind's attempt to chronicle his experiences with God. The Bible is just an ancient book, which has some good ideas in it which we can learn from. The majority of the world seems to believe this, however, very few people on this forum. The second perspective is that the Bible was originally inspired as each author wrote it. In other words, Moses was inspired by God as he wrote large parts of the Torah. David was inspired by God when he wrote most of the Psalms. Matthew was inspired by God when he wrote his gospel, and Paul was inspired by God when he wrote his letter to the Romans. Therefore due to this inspiration, the Bible was inerrant in its original Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT). However, since that time, men who were uninspired by God have copied, translated, or even paraphrased the Bible, so that there are now some mistakes. This can only be fixed by going back to studying the Bible in its original language, and in context of its original culture. This view seems to be held by the majority of our forum members. The third perspective is that the Bible is God's written message to all people throughout all time. As such God has inspired the people at each step in the process of bringing it to the masses. In this perspective, not only are the original manuscripts inspired, but also the copies, and also the translations. Therefore, when a person reads the NASB today in English, it is equally inspired as the original letter to the Phillipians was when it was read by the church there for the first time. This is the view that I believe. What does everybody think? |
Bible Answer: View #2 is the only one that can be considered. Neither the NASB or any other translations is inspired in the same way as God inspired the holy men who originally wrote His Word as the Holy Spirit gave it to them (2Pe 1:20-21, 2Ti 3:16). To put any translation equal to what God wrote is an insult to God. Translators can be inspired, just as God inspires us all to do a work for Him, but not to the precise perfection as He inspired His Word. 2Pe 1:20 says no prophecy of Scripture is of ANY private interpretation. How can any translation from any language to another be possible without some interpretation going on? However, let me say this. No one studying the bible under the direction of the Holy Spirit will ever be lead astray by not knowing Greek or Hebrew. The NWT of the JW is a RESULT of their false doctrine, not the cause. No, doctrinal beliefs of any Christian religion is based on any particular translation, even KJV onlyism. KJO is a fear issue, not a translation issue. Let me end on this note: God has certainly supernaturally preserved His Word thru the ages. That has only been possible by God’s hand. In Christ Jesus, retxar |