Untitled Sermon

Introduction

One of the most common questions I receive pertains to Bible translations. “What translation do you use?” “Is ________ a good translation?” “Which translation should i use?” etc. With dozens of English Bible translations, it’s no wonder people have questions. Some have grown up reading a particular version, and thus that’s all they use. Others haven’t had a background of reading the Bible, so the choice can be daunting when they try and start.

Disclaimer: I am not a literary expert, nor am I a scholar of Greek or Hebrew. The translator’s job is a very difficult job, and one we should respect and be thankful for. That being said, there are some things we can all know and be aware of to help us in our selection of Bible translations that we use.

Translating the Bible

The Old Testament was originally written in ancient Hebrew, and the New Testament was written in an ancient style of Greek. Neither is still spoken or used today, so they are both dead languages. Thus, for us to be able to read the Bible, we must have it translated.

The practice of translating Scripture is a very old practice. In fact, in the days of Jesus, most Jews used a Bible translation called “The Septuagint” which was a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. The Bible is God’s Word in whatever language it is translated into, not just the original languages.