Subject: What is the most accurate version? |
Bible Note: Kalos You said, “Also, I think we can safely say that there is a real way to judge which translations are more literal and which are less.” Yes we can but how do we determine which is the MOST literal Most Accurate? How do you determine short of knowing the original language and original word usage(some have been lost and are unknown) and having the original manuscripts which translation is the most literal? Better yet how do you determine which manuscript is most correct? Some are older but they also show signs of what many believe to be tampering that the newer manuscripts don’t. Mark 16 case in point. Also word choice is personal and can effect the literalness of the translation. For instance. Paul said he saw a huge cow in Greek but let just say there is no word for huge in English. One translator may choose large and another big which one is the most literal? Is one more literal? Is one more accurate? How do "you" determine this? In Hebrews 9:4 there is word translated in some texts as golden censor and in others as altar of incense. Which is correct? You might want to know the debate rages among theologians and has yet to be settled yet when and if it is we can say that translation was more literal than the others. Your statement "This statement itslef -- "The claim to which is most accurate is nothing more than opinion and sales hype" -- is an opinion (in my opinion). :-)" Correct me if I'm wrong I would think if it were provable there would be some court cases since nearly all Bible translations which make the claim to literalness have also made the statement "most" literal translation or most accurate translation or most closely represents what the actual speaker said. I have seen NKJV say it, along with NASB, along with ESV and KJV. Now if was provable not mere opinion or sales pitch one or the other would insist the others cease and desist. Kalos as far as literalness some Bible readily admit they have sacrificed literalness for readability or understandability. So no not all Bibles are literal translations nor do they pretend to be. Your statement, “If there is no such thing as the most accurate translation, then it would follow that all translations are equally accurate -- from The Message to the KJV.” Takes liberties with what I said. I said, “There is no real way to judge “THIS” since translation and interpretation is more an art than a cut and dried science. Some passages are ill handled in one translation and others in another.” My emphasis on THIS added to show that my answer was referring back to the question, “which translation is the most accurate version.” EdB |