Bible Question: Which Bible is toe most correct, word for word and why. Please give an answer that is enough detail to understand, and defend why you believ as you do. |
Bible Answer: Hello, Hank is right on the money with his explainations. Allow me to add to what he said. As Hank mentioned, there are two schools of approach when it comes to translations: Word for Word and Thought for Thought. His analogy of the german phrase is an accurate description of what a translator goes through. I remember something my professor in college told me in my greek class. "What makes sense in english may not make sense in greek, and what makes sense in greek may not make sense in english." That is possibly the most important lesson any person who studies the Bible can learn. By keeping that in mind, you force yourself to separate your personal beliefs from the teachings of the Bible. Your personal beliefs are what makes sense in english, or your native culture. However, what the Bible teaches makes sense in Greek, or the culture of that period. Understand? Now, let's apply this in a different matter. When it comes to Bible translations, you have the two main schools, which are listed above. The First school, Word for Word, attempts to present the Bible as close to what the original text says, with as little influence from the readers language as possible. In other words, they say it as it is written. Now, the problem with this approach is that many of the terms, translations, and phrases can take on a meaning other than what the original author intended. Some meanings of phrases can be lost this way. Now, the second school at attempts to present the original text in a manner in which the readers could understand the inherant meaning. In other words, they attempt to present the text as it would have been if written today. The problem with this is that many people have different ideas about what the text "should" say. It is too easy to incorporate teachings which the Bible doesn't really hold to. Also, it is easy to turn relatively powerful and dominant passages into passive understandings. It is also really easy to distort the true meaning of the text. So, as you can see, both schools have their flaws. However, with proper study and a proper approach to scripture, the word for word approach is the best because you are limiting yourself to what the original authors said and limiting the outside variables of another man's ideas. Now, which translations fall into which category. Of all the ones available, The NASB is the most literally accurate translation to date. The NKJV is a close second. The old KJV is also relatively accurate. It's main problem is it's usage of old english, which isn't spoken any more. The meanings of certain words have changed since the KJV was first translated. A couple other translations that fit here are the ASV, and the RSV. As for the thought for thought translations, you need to "take them with a grain of salt", as it were. The ones I use on a regular basis are the CEV and NIV. The NRSV I don't like because it was one of the first "Gender neutral" translations to come out. Another translation I hate is the New Living Translation. This translation is mis-translated in numerous areas. The Holman Christian Standard, which is new on the scene, fits here also. Most of the professors and bible scholars I know don't like it. Overall, I'd recommend staying away from these types of translations. Now, in closing, you are probably curious as to how and why I say some of the critical things I have said about these translations. First off, I used to sell Bibles for a living. After a while, you learn things. Also, my major in college was biblical greek and hebrew. For three whole years, I used nearly every major translation in my studies in the original languages of the Bible. After my first semester, I learned which ones were reliable and which ones weren't. The NASB and NKJV were at the top of my list, and still are. Jesus Loves You! Jesusman |