Bible Translations:

[irishcowboy]

we all know there are many Bible Translations, that are availible in English.

for one person to research each and every one of them would be very time consuming, and then we have one persons thoughts on them.

so, if you can think of, of know of different Bibles, that have been published, please list them and the Good points on each....... this may or may not be benificial for others that maybe seeking a different translation.....

( something to think about also, is several people can see one peticular event, but if you ask each to discribe what happened, you will get a different view from each, simular to a family going on vacation, and each member of the group having their own camera, if, for instance, you take a picture of Pikes peak, ( the mountain ) with the family in the foreground, each picture is different for each picture is missing a different person ( the one taking the picture ) and each would also be different by the angle of the shot, and how much of Pikes Peak we see in the picture....... The Gosples are the same way, you have four people writing about the same things that happened, and they all over lap, but none of them have the entire picture of the Lord Jesus, just chosen segments of Him and His time here on earth, and even the same story was seen from different angles, with the same results, it is the story of Jesus' life and who He is.) so the different translations ( english versions ) could be as such also....... I know there are some that diss all but King James version..... I know that some will not like other versions. that is not what i am after here, what I am looking for, is the different versions that are availible for purchase, and the good points of them all......

thanks........

your friend and brother, always forever

mike

[The Journey]

Good Morning!!

This happens to be my favorite topic on Worthy Boards as many have noted!!

I don't have an exhaustive list but I love to share about two of my favorites.

The English Stadard Version is a new translation that had J.I. Packer (author of many books including Knowing God) as its general editor. Its is extremely accurate yet very readable. They looked at all available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts while preparing the translation. Here is the link:

http://www.gnpcb.org/home/esv/

My other favorite is the New Living Translation. Now it is not perfect but the editors are accepting input as to improvements in the translation and will publish a revision later.

The NLT really does a good job with some dificult passages.

I love how it translates John 1:18: "No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart; he has told us about him."

I think that beautifully translates the very difficult Greek phrase monogenes theos. The point of the Greek is that Jesus was not just a messenger or a human prophet...He was One just like the God He came to tell us about!!!! He is One of them!!!! Coming down to become human flesh to be like one of us!!!

Amazing!!! But not very clear in some translations.

Sorry for the thread hijacking but I love this topic!!

- Steve

P.S. The NIV is a great translation. But it really, really, really needs a revision. There are just passages that could be translated better. Its a shame that monetary concerns keep that from happening.

[myrockJesus]

just pulled this list of printed bibles the other day:

500 BC: Completion of All Original Hebrew Manuscripts which make Up The 39 Books of the Old Testament.

200 BC: Completion of the Septuagint Greek Manuscripts which contain The 39 Old Testament Books AND 14 Apocrypha Books.

1st Century AD: Completion of All Original Greek Manuscripts which make Up The 27 Books of the New Testament.

390 AD: Jerome's Latin Vulgate Manuscripts Produced which contain 80 Books (39 Old Test. + 14 Apocrypha + 27 New Test).

500 AD: Scriptures have been Translated into Over 500 Languages.

600 AD: LATIN was the Only Language Allowed for Scripture.

995 AD: Anglo-Saxon (Early Roots of English Language) Translations of The New Testament Produced.

1384 AD: Wycliffe is the First Person to Produce a (Hand-Written) manuscript Copy of the Complete Bible in English (80 Books). Wycliffe had no access to Greek or Hebrew manuscripts and was thus totally reliant on the fourth century Latin translation of St. Jerome.

1455 AD: Gutenberg Invents the Printing Press; Books May Now be mass-produced Instead of Individually Hand-Written. The First Book Ever Printed is Gutenberg's Bible in Latin.

1516 AD: Erasmus Produces a Greek/Latin Parallel New Testament.

1522 AD: Martin Luther's German New Testament.

1526 AD: William Tyndale's New Testament; The First New Testament to be Printed in the English Language. (Worms edition)

1530 AD: Tyndale's translation of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament is Printed.

1531 AD: Tyndale's translation of the Book of Jonah is Printed.

1534 AD: Tyndale's revised New Testament is Printed.

1535 AD: Myles Coverdale's Bible; The First Complete Bible to be printed in the English Language (80 Books: O.T. & N.T. & Apocrypha).

1537 AD: Matthews Bible; The Second Complete Bible to be Printed in English. Done by John "Thomas Matthew" Rogers (80 Books).

1539 AD: The "Great Bible" Printed; The First English Language Bible to be Authorized for Public Use (80 Books).

1560 AD: The Geneva Bible Printed; The First English Language Bible to Add Numbered Verses to Each Chapter (80 Books).

1568 AD: The Bishops Bible Printed; The Bible of which the King James was a Revision (80 Books).

1609 AD: The Douay Old Testament is added to the Rheimes New Testament (of 1582) Making the First Complete English Catholic Bible; Translated from the Latin Vulgate (80 Books).

1611 AD: The King James Bible Printed; Originally with 80 Books. The Apocrypha was Officially Removed in 1885 Leaving 66 Books.

1782 AD: Robert Aitken's Bible; The First English Language Bible (a King James Version without Apocrypha) to be Printed in America.

1791 AD: Isaac Collins and Isaiah Thomas Respectively Produce the First Family Bible and First Illustrated Bible Printed in America. Both were King James Versions.

1808 AD: Jane Aitken's Bible (Daughter of Robert Aitken); The First Bible to be Printed by a Woman.

1833 AD: Noah Webster's Bible; After Producing his Famous Dictionary, Webster Printed his Own Revision of the King James Bible.

1841 AD: English Hexapla New Testament; an Early Textual Comparison showing the Greek and 6 Famous English Translations in Parallel Columns.

1846 AD: The Illuminated Bible; The Most Lavishly Illustrated Bible printed in America. A King James Version.

1885 AD: The "Revised Version" Bible; The First Major English Revision of the King James Bible.

1901 AD: The "American Standard Version"; The First Major American Revision of the King James Bible.

1971 AD: The "New American Standard Bible" (NASB) is Published as a "Modern and Accurate Word for Word English Translation" of the Bible.

1973 AD: The "New International Version" (NIV) is Published as a "Modern and Accurate Phrase for Phrase English Translation" of the Bible.

1982 AD: The "New King James Version" (NKJV) is Published as a "Modern English Version Maintaining the Original Style of the King James."

didn't find anything after 1982.

I'm looking for the oldest , least tampered bible I can get.

follow the old paths, the new versions have taken out too many words

that are deeply meaningful, shame.

hope this is of use to someone................little rock

[JesusisGod2]

Good Morning!!

This happens to be my favorite topic on Worthy Boards as many have noted!!

I don't have an exhaustive list but I love to share about two of my favorites.

The English Stadard Version is a new translation that had J.I. Packer (author of many books including Knowing God) as its general editor. Its is extremely accurate yet very readable. They looked at all available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts while preparing the translation. Here is the link:

http://www.gnpcb.org/home/esv/

My other favorite is the New Living Translation. Now it is not perfect but the editors are accepting input as to improvements in the translation and will publish a revision later.

The NLT really does a good job with some dificult passages.

I love how it translates John 1:18: "No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart; he has told us about him."

I think that beautifully translates the very difficult Greek phrase monogenes theos. The point of the Greek is that Jesus was not just a messenger or a human prophet...He was One just like the God He came to tell us about!!!! He is One of them!!!! Coming down to become human flesh to be like one of us!!!

Amazing!!! But not very clear in some translations.

Sorry for the thread hijacking but I love this topic!!

- Steve

P.S. The NIV is a great translation. But it really, really, really needs a revision. There are just passages that could be translated better. Its a shame that monetary concerns keep that from happening.

Hey Journey,

What are your thoughts on the New American Standard? I think it is written very well,

But I also like the Amplified,

King James, I find myself liking this version more and more, it is fast becoming my favorite, especially the Scoffield Bible

The living ( although it really misses the point in some areas such as the word virgin, it uses young woman)

and a few others, its good to read several versions, you get a fuller picture of what God is saying.

I am not too fond of the NIV either.

In Jesus

Kevin

[The Journey]

I'm looking for the oldest , least tampered bible I can get.

follow the old paths, the new versions have taken out too many words

that are deeply meaningful, shame.

myrockJesus,

If you looking for the oldest and least tampered with manuscripts then you will have to go with the newer translations. P66 which is a papyrus manuscript dates about 150AD. P66 is one of the key manuscripts containing John and most of the Pauline epistles used in the newer translations. The KJV is based upon Byzantine manuscripts over 1000 years later. The "too many words" taken from the "new versions" represent additions over those 1000 years as they were copied thousands of times. It is miraculous that despite all that time they are really identical. The additions and harmonizing done over those 1000 years change nothing with the Mere Christianity of history. It is wrong to take away from God's Word but it is also wrong to add to it!

JesusisGod2,

Yeah, I love the NASB. I use it to help me with the Greek texts because it is so close its almost an interlinear. It is a little to choppy for me. I like the flow of the ESV and the NLT. The NASB is probably the closest word for word translation available today.

The KJV is majestic in language. I grew up on the KJV and thus when I quote Scripture it is mainly the KJV that I recite. However, it is not a perfect translation. There are problems with the TR and sometimes the scholars just translated poorly. The NKJV is a temendous improvement. I actually like the NKJV and refer to it quite frequently. However, it is gradually being completely replaced by the ESV.

- Steve

PS If you like the Living Bible then check out the New Living Translation. It is awesome and nothing like the Living Bible.

[RGR]

"A New Accurate Translation of the Greek NEW TESTAMENT into simple Everday American English" translated by Julian G. Anderson.

I came across this little jewel at a yard sale-it was given to me! It's simple enough for children to read w/o a problem, but it still commands respect as being worded good enough to keep your attention. Mine is the 8th printing from 1994, copyrighted 1984. The gentleman is Lutheran, but he doesn't hold back-he translates it like it is when it comes to same sex relationships, etc.!

[jesussaves]

Still clinging to my KJV. I use the NKJV as well, but mostly the KJV. It is so sound that I never have to wonder if something is out of line and then have to check it out.

Thank You Lord for Your Word!

[boblandis]

The KJV and NKJV are my favorites. I have a greater concern though. How man people that consider themselves Christians pick up any Bible and read it? We need to take them off the shelves and quit letting them become dust collectors.

[endure4salvation]

You may find me strange, but when I read the Old Testament, I prefer to use a straight Jewish translation.

I think that sometimes when Christians translate the OT, they try a little too hard to bring out the Messianic prophecies and it takes away from it some. I use the JPS Bible that is available at any Barnes & Noble or Borders. I am in Deuteronomy right now. Good stuff!

[The Journey]

Still clinging to my KJV. I use the NKJV as well, but mostly the KJV. It is so sound that I never have to wonder if something is out of line and then have to check it out.

Thank You Lord for Your Word!

jesussaves,

Actually you will have to "check up" on the KJV as it has lots of verses poorly translated.

Here are some of the changes that have taken place in your KJV:

There was the Wicked Bible which omitted "not" from 7 of the 10 Commandments.

The Vinegar Bible with its parable of the vinegar

The Unrighteous Bible where the unrighteous inherit the kingdom

The Ears to Ear Bible and an assortment of others

Early editions used either "he" or "she" at Ruth 3:15

Between 1611 and 1644 there were 182 editions

1629 edition omitted the Apocrypha

1638 edition by Goad, Ward, Boyse and Mead

1659 William Kilburne found 20,000 errors in 6 different editions made in the 1650's

1660 marginal references introduced

1683 Dr.Anthony Scargood added 7,250 references

1727 thousands of errors were amended by the King's Printer

1762 italics extended by Therold and Paris and modernized the language

1769 extensive revision by B.Blayney

The 1795 edition(Murderers Bible) rendered Mark 7:27 as "Let the chidren first be killed" (instead of filled).

Blayney's edition became standard until....

1873 the Cambridge Paragraph Bible edited by Scrivener

The 1611 edition had, "Then cometh Judas" at Matthew 26:36, today's KJV has "Then cometh Jesus"

The point is that there is not one translation into English of the Word of God.

The English text may be a bad translation or the translators may have made an error. But the bottom line is that a translation is good or bad based upon how closely it conveys the Greek text into English.

If you would like more we can begin to look at the English KJV text today. Many, many verses poorly translated.

Let me state this again for emphasis:

No translation is perfect. A translation is good or bad based upon how it conveys the underlying Greek or Hebrew into English!

- Steve