Bible Translations

I love you and I am not trying to win an argument or even start one for that matter. I am honestly wanting to help you understand things a bit clearer - and this is a lot more confusing that many may realize.

My goal is help you make informed decisions about what version of the Bible you study.

My Motive is Truth. And you cannot assume that just because something is printed - it is truth.

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Here is an example. This is our federal government hard at work.

This is an expiration date - and what is that the FDA is warning us no use past the expiration date???

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Distilled Water.

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So just because something is printed does not mean it is trustworthy.

Even when it is printed in a book or in leather.

So just because something says it is the Bible - Does not mean it is the Word of God.

I asked people to submit Bible questions and I only got a couple responses.

One was not really a Bible question so I responded to that one directly.

But this was a good question, I thought:

Anonymous:

Love different bibles. Which is the best bible to do a bible study from? Which bible is the best to use as a BASE when comparing bible translations. Should we even read or study different bibles if they have errors. Are there publishers who favor one translation over another. The dead sea scrolls, explain importance. When and Why apocrypha books taken out? Paraphrasing bibles, Value? Chronological or reader style bibles, Value?

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Would you please message me at

jeremyv@flfc.church?

I would love to answer your question thoroughly. I will answer a lot of this as we go today. But some I will not - because it will just take too long.

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Connie:

I read there are 2500 different versions of the Bible in many different languages. There are 450 English translations. If the Bible continues to be translated will it lose its authenticity. Has it already done so? — Connie

Ok I don’t even know how many translations there are, even in English. BibleGateway is one of my go to sources for online bible verses - and after several seconds of research I can tell you there are exactly - a lot of translations and versions. I didn’t see the point of trying to count so I didn’t. There are a lot of versions and translations out there. And mostly the differences are nuance and minor phrasing.

So let me answer the second part of her question which is:

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"If the Bible continues to be translated will it lose its authenticity. Has it already done so?”

Not necessarily - and yes of course. Future translations do not guarantee a loss of accuracy and has it already done so - I some cases yes.

So why are there so many versions of the Bible? Very simple.

MONEY MONEY MONEY

The Bible is #1 selling book in Human history

According to Business Insider.com

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-top-10-most-read-books-in-the-world-infographic-2012-12#:~:text=The%20most%20read%20book%20in%20the%20world%20is%20the%20Bible.&text=He%20found%20that%20the%20Bible,with%20400%20million%20copies%20sold.

Writer James Chapman created a list of the most read books in the world based on the number of copies each book sold over the last 50 years.

He found that the

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Bible far outsold any other book, with a whopping 3.9 billion copies sold over the last 50 years. "Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung" came in second with 820 million copies sold, and "Harry Potter" came in third with 400 million copies sold.

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Wow - that is pretty cool.

So imagine you are a book publisher and you realize you can cash in on the Bible book sales by creating a slightly different version or translation and you can sell millions of books - for relatively little effort.

Nobody owns the content of the Bible - so every version is a copywriter product of the publisher - that is 100% the reason why there are so many - and why you will continue to see so many in the future.

That is also why you will see more UNIQUE versions of the Bible like the Message and the Passion because these are marketed not only as the Bible - but truly different.

So as those who strive for uniqueness as a marketing strategy - Yes they will loose its authenticity.. . As others strive not for uniqueness but greater accuracy - in that case no. new Bible translations may very well remain very accurate in the future.

So that is why there are so many. Lets talk about the differences

Which should bring you some comfort. The addition of more translations is not because it is so uncertain. It is because of money.

I want to break in down for you in 3 categories.

Christian Bibles

Sectarian Bibles

Fictional Bible - Paraphrases.

Now that is NOT meant to be an insult. It is ok to paraphrase the Bible in your own words as you understand it. If you put that paraphrase into a book - well you would have another version of the Bible.

Let’s start with Christian Bibles, these are the majority of Bibles that will say basically the same thing with small nuance differences.

King James Bible, New King James, New American Standard Bible, the NIV (New International Version, ESV the English Standard Bible, the NLT or New Living Translation and the CSB which probably the newest on this list and that stand for Christian Standard Bible and more...

Let me talk about the King James Bible. Is that the “real” Bible and is that the most accurate version of the Bible. No it is not.

In fact I would go so far as to tell you that the King James Bible is less accurate than some of the newer translations and versions of the Bible.

The King James Bible has a stigma about it as a - purists Bible.

The King James is one of the oldest ENGLISH Versions of the Bible. There. Have been many manuscripts found since the printing of the King James Bible - giving a greater number of manuscripts in support of newer versions.

Dead Sea Scrolls which were found in the late 1940’s...

There is definitely a loyalists following for the King James Bible and you will be hard pressed to convince those people it is not THE Bible and everything else is a “new-fangled-parahrase”.

I will say there is nothing bad about the King James. I think if you really like that version - then read away.

When it comes to real (Christian) Bibles there are basically two methods of interpretation. Formal Equivalence and Dynamic Equivalence.

Formal Equivalence means - Word for word translation.

Dynamic Equivalence means - Thought for thought.

Virtually all Christian Bibles fall on a variable scale BETWEEN Word for Word and Thought for Thought. ALL OF THEM.

KJV - mostly Word of Word - Formal Equivalence.

NKJV - is an modernized version of the King James. Easier to read but some interpretation.

NASB - Formal Equivalence, one of f the hardest to read.

NIV - Dynamic Equivalence

NLT - Dynamic Equivalence

AMPLIFIED BIBLE. Is every possible interpretation of nearly each word. I used to call the Amplified the Exaggerated Bible - but that is not accurate.

In my option - the best Bible if you are going to study is the ESV.

Just read - NLT.

Overall - best value - NLT.

Next Sectarian Bibles - these are bibles that are NOT CHRISTIAN but are part of a different religious sect.

Mormon Bible - Different Jesus, different God, different Gospel and plan for Salvation.

Catholic Bible I longer and included a lot of book that are considered apocryphal.

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures - Jehovah Witness’s Bible

The Passion Translation

The only book on this list that is likely to be considered by any of you is the Passion. It is new and hugely popular.

Listen the Passion is so much worse than you think! It is not just a paraphrase - it is a full blown sectarian Bible that is largely fictitious and man made.

Most Bibles are translated by a TEAM of qualified translators - working from the original texts to give you an accurate and accountable version of the Bible. Any translation created by one man - alone is a HUGE RED FLAG. And you should run, not walk from that translation.

The Author of the Passion Bible is one man - named Brian Simmons. And this Bible is not a new translation from original text - it is a Highly Subjective interpretation done with the intent of reinforcing the sectarian version of Christianity known as the NAR - which is the New Apostolic Reformation.

Here is the bottom line the Passion Translation - is NOT the Bible. You should not trust it as a credible reflection of what the Bible says.

So what is so bad about the Passion?

It is translated by one person.

The translation is not only subjective it is additive.

Example:

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Psalm 19:1 (ESV)

The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

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Psalm 19:1 (TPT)

God’s splendor is a tale that is told,

written in the stars.

Space itself speaks his story

through the marvels of the heavens.

His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky,

showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship.

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Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me

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Galatians 2:20 (TPT)

My old identity has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, dispensing his life into mine!

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3. The name

the name of the Passion Translation is not called that because of the Passionate Nature of the book. In Brian Simmon’s own words - Passion was the name of the angel that appeared to him and was given to him to help him with this translation.

I could go on and on - my advice is to avoid the Passion it is not a translation of the Bible, it is not even a paraphrase of the Bible it is a Sectarian rewrite to support a different version of Christianity all together.

Lastly Paraphrases of the Bible or Fictional Bibles.

Not that sounds like I am being harsh - but I am not.

I like the Massage - but I would never call it the Bible. It is not - it is human paraphrase of the Bible. And from what I have seen that is what Eugene Petterson claims it is. Nothing more.

You have almost never seen me quote from it - I probably never will. I value academic scholarship and accuracy. But as long as you understand that the Message is a paraphrase and read it that way - I don’t see a problem with that.

That are other, The Story I think it is called - the Bible written as a story. I don’t know much about it - But I think any paraphrase written as a paraphrase is clearly subjective and you can take or leave it.