Which Bible Translations Should Be Avoided
Honorable Mention: Two translations that most Christians know to avoid but should still be mentioned are the New World Translation , which was commissioned by the Jehovahs Witness cult and the Readers Digest Bible, which cuts out about 55% of the Old Testament and another 25% of the New Testament (including
Why Are There So Many Different Versions Of The Bible
One of the reasons for so many different versions of the Bible is the number of manuscripts available. There are more than 5,800 New Testament Manuscripts in Greek, 10,000 Old Testament Manuscript in Hebrew, and more than 19,000 copies of Manuscript in Coptic, Latin Aramaic, and Syriac languages.
To translate the Bible, intellectuals divided these text/ manuscripts into two prominent families:
- Alexandrian text-type- better known as Egyptian or neutral
The Alexandrian text-type focuses on the manuscripts date and its place of origin, while the Byzantine text-type focuses on all manuscripts and decides the final reading by what most of the document talks about.
- Methods of Bible Translation
The Bible was initially written in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. All current available Bibles were translated from these three original languages. The manuscripts were further classified depending on the translation philosophy to use: Literal, dynamic, and free translation.
Literal Translation tries to keep the exact phrases and words of the original text. It is very loyal to the original manuscript, but it can be hard to read and understand. It keeps a regular historical distance. Examples are the Young Literal Version, The Holy Bible in Modern English, the New American Standard Bible , and King James Version
- Types of Bibles
Most versions are available in many different types of Bible. Here are a few of them.
Why Are There So Many Different Translations
1. We use different words in English to refer to the same thing
Even English speakers use different words to refer to the same things. Consider how many everyday objects are referred to in different ways by different English-speaking people !
These variances in language are one reason why there are a variety of English translations.
2. Translations need to be updated for modern readers:
The English language changes over time! Words go in and out of use! When this happens, older translations can end up being really confusing to modern readerswho no longer use certain words in everyday speech.
This is another reason that there are many English Translations: the language of the Bible needs to be updated for modern readers.
For example, in James 5:11, the KJV says God is pitiful. When the KJV was first written, the word pitiful was understood to mean that God is full of pity. But in todays language, pitiful essentially means pathetic!
In an effort to help people better understand what was originally meant, newer translations are developed that use modern language.
This isnt changing the meaning of the text, and its not trying to obscure any doctrines. Its actually trying to make it so that we can better understand what the Bible is saying!
3. There are different translation methods
Not all translations are the same kind of translation.
There is a spectrum of different translation methods, ranging from word-for-word translations, to thought-for-thought translations.
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Bible Versions And Bible Translations
Bible translations and versions of the Bible are terms often used interchangeably, but we should look at these terms as separate. Translations have to do with language, and versions have to do with difference or variety. Therefore, we can have an English translation of the Bible and 50 versions in just that one language.
English speakers have been blessed with many translations and versions of the full Bible. But what about the people who speak one of the other 7,360 living, known languages? According to Wycliffe Global Alliances 2018 data, 1.5 billion people still need either portions or the entirety of the Bible translated into their language.
Wycliffe Global Alliance reported that at least some portion of the Bible has been translated into 3,350 languages. This number includes over 680 languages with complete Bible translations, over 1,500 languages with complete New Testaments, and over 1,000 with some Bible portions and stories.
This tremendous milestone is the result of hard work by all involved. And the hard work continues toward translating the Bible into the remaining living languages to provide the whole world with access to Gods word.
Edward Antonio is the Founder of Elevating Your Life and a student of theology and church history. He lives in Orange County, CA and is part of Harvest Christian Fellowship. Find him on at: or answering Bible questions at: .
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How Many Versions Of The Bible
Muslim: Why do you Christians have so many versions of the Bible. Which is the actual version?
Christian: The answer will surprise many Muslims. There is only ONE version!
Muslim: You lie. How can that be? What about the King James Version, New King James Version, New International Version, English Standard Version, etc. Arent these all different versions of the Bible?
Christian: No. These are not different versions. These are different versions of TRANSLATIONS of the Bible.
Muslims: Whats the difference?
Christian: These are different English translations of the Bible. Not different versions. The message is the same. Different translations of the same message.
Muslims: Why the need for so many different translations then?
Christian: Good question. The first English Bible used old English. Many words are no longer common usage in our daily language.
Muslims: You mean words like Thou, Thee etc?
Christian: Correct. Example, The New King James Version for example, simplifies the English of the original King James version for a more modern reading, substituting words like Thou with You. The message remains intact but the translation makes it easier to read and understand.
Muslim: What about the other versionsI mean.translations like New International Version?
Muslims: Interesting. I didnt know that. But how can you mutilate Gods Word like this?
Muslim: Sounds like changing the Bible to me.
Christian: Do you speak and understand and write Arabic?
Muslim: No
Why Is The King James Bible So Popular
16 May 21
Shakespeare was still alive when this Bible was published.
Shortly after he ascended the English throne in 1603, King James I commissioned a new Holy Bible translation that, more than 400 years later, is still widely read around the world.
This Bible, known as the King James Version , helped King James leave behind a lasting cultural footprint one of his goals as a leader. “James saw himself as a great Renaissance figure who wanted to impart on the world culture, music, literature and even new ways of learning,” Bruce Gordon, a professor of ecclesiastical history at Yale Divinity School, told Live Science.
But given the KJV’s age, why is it still so popular across different Christian denominations?
Related: Why does Christianity have so many denominations?
In short, the KJV’s influence has waxed over the centuries because, Gordon said, it was the version that was most widely read and distributed in countries where English was the dominant language and that its translation was “never really challenged until the 20th century.” In that time, the KJV became so embedded in the Anglo-American world that “many people in Africa and Asia were taught English from the KJV” when Christian missionaries brought it to them, Gordon said. “Many people weren’t even aware that it was one of many available translations,” he added, “they believed the King James Version was the Bible in English.”
But there’s more to the story that goes back to the translation’s inception.
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Legacy And Impact Of The Bible
The sheer diversity of literature in the Bible is one of the secrets of its continuing popularity through the centuries. There is something for all moods and many different cultures. Its message is not buried in religious jargon only accessible to either believers or scholars, but reflects the issues that people struggle with in daily life. Despite their different emphases, all its authors shared the conviction that this world and its affairs are not just a haphazard sequence of random coincidences, but are the forum of God’s activity – a God who is not remote or unknowable, but a personal being who can be known by ordinary people.
Melvyn Bragg believes the King James version of the Bible, first published in 1611, has had a profound effect on human history over the last 400 years.
Why Do You Hide The Faces Of People In Your Photos
The stories that we publish on our website are about real people. Some of these people live in areas where it is unsafe to be a Christian. We believe that we must be as careful as possible, so that we do not cause our brothers and sisters in Christ to be singled out for persecution. For this reason, we blur faces, change names, and do not specify exact locations for some of the Christians in our stories. These brothers and sisters graciously give us permission to tell their stories. We are diligent to not abuse that permission.
Read some of the amazing stories of God changing lives through His Spoken Word.
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Why Do Different Bibles Include Different Books In The Old Testament
How many books are there in the Old Testament? This might seem like a fairly straightforward church trivia night question. But actually the answer can vary depending on which Bible you are reading. The Hebrew Bible has 22 or 24 books. Your English Old Testament probably has 39. Roman Catholic Bibles have 46 Old Testament books. Eastern and Russian Orthodox Bibles have even more. I find this discrepancy often comes up in dialogue with atheists and Muslims about the reliability of the Old Testament.
Your English Old Testament probably has 39. Roman Catholic Bibles have 46 Old Testament books. Eastern and Russian Orthodox Bibles have even more.
Why the difference? If you believe the YouTube sceptic channels it all comes down to shady backroom deals, like the Jewish Council of Jamnia in AD 90, or the fourth session of the Catholic Churchs Council of Trent . Powerbrokers decided what was in and what was out based, we assume, on politics.
They make it sound like a big conspiracy. But is the Bible really as up for grabs as all this sounds? Ill let you make up your own mind on that, and before you do lets slow down take a closer look at the story of how we arrived at the canonical books of the Old Testament.
Father I Keep Getting Mailings From Catholic Groups That Send Me Medals Coins And Other Blessed Things And I Dont Know What To Do With Them I Keep Putting Them In A Box Because I Dont Think I Can Throw Away Anything That Is Blessed Right
I cannot tell you how many times I run into this question: you are not alone!
Right now, as I type this, I am looking at a Ziploc bag of medals, religious coins, bookmarks and crosses that were sent from religious organizations seeking donations.
I am not at all a fan of these practices because people often dont want the things they receive, but dont know how to dispose of them. To help do what I can, I encourage people to give them to me and I do any number of things to properly dispose of them.
First, I work with my local funeral homes and we bury them under peoples caskets. Its a nice way to dispose of potentially sacred things in sacred ground.
Second, I simply collect them and, when I have a large enough collection, I bury them myself out on the Church property or somewhere else that is sacred ground.
Third, I find a Church that is doing renovations and ask them to place them in the ground there, underneath new walls or foundations.
If you can work with your pastor on any of these ideas, great! But its not always practical, and not every pastor has the same level of access to resources. Please dont expect that every priest is able to take your religious medals and dispose of them. If none of these options are available, bury these items in your yard perhaps near a statue of Mary or St. Francis.
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Development Of The Christian Canons
Development of the Old Testament canonDevelopment of the New Testament canonSt. Jerome in his StudyJeromeLatinVulgate
The Old Testament canon entered into Christian use in the Greek Septuagint translations and original books, and their differing lists of texts. In addition to the Septuagint, Christianity subsequently added various writings that would become the New Testament. Somewhat different lists of accepted works continued to develop in antiquity. In the 4th century a series of synods produced a list of texts equal to the 39, 46, 51, or 54-book canon of the Old Testament and to the 27-book canon of the New Testament that would be subsequently used to today, most notably the Synod of Hippo in 393 CE. Also c. 400, Jerome produced a definitive Latin edition of the Bible , the canon of which, at the insistence of the Pope, was in accord with the earlier Synods. With the benefit of hindsight, it can be said that this process effectively set the New Testament canon, although there are examples of other canonical lists in use after this time.
The New Testament writers assumed the inspiration of the Old Testament, probably earliest stated in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God”.
Some denominations have additional canonical holy scriptures beyond the Bible, including the standard works of the Latter Day Saints movement and Divine Principle in the Unification Church.
Ethiopian Orthodox canon
How The Kjv Was Translated
To oversee the translation, James commissioned six committees made up of 47 scholars from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. They were tasked with translating all of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testaments into English. It was a complicated and sometimes contentious process that took seven years to complete. Though we don’t have a lot of the records of those committees, “through our best reconstructions, we understand it was a very rigorous debate with everyone committed to the most accurate translation of the Bible,” Gordon said.
Much of the resulting translation drew on the work of William Tyndale, a Protestant reformer who had produced the first New Testament translation from Greek to English in 1525. “It’s believed that up to 80% of the King James Version stems from the William Tyndale version,” Gordon said.
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How Many Books Are In The Bible
For those within the Christian faith, the Bible is a text of profound significance. A rich book, full of insights and lessons on what it means to live ones life the way God intends, the Bible known as God’s word. It is composed of many different books and includes a vast array of literary styles such as short stories, letters, poetry, and historical accounts combined to form a unified whole.
But how many books are in the Bible? And how did the current list of books come to be? Well offer a brief overview of the Bibles composition and some insights into the history of how the Bible as we know it was established.
Is The Bible A Good Read
It is worth reading because it is so influential and important. As to whether its any good or not Some of the stories, especially in Genesis and Exodus, are pretty good. Its a long read thats worth your time and study but the endless lists of who begot who in the Old Testament get a little tiring.
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So Can We Trust The Translations
So, can we trust these various translations, even though theyre different? The answer is yes, we can. Many Christians even see having multiple translations as helpful for careful Bible study!
Contrary to what many Mormons believe, trusted translators are not trying to sneak in new doctrines, or remove old ones. The goal is to faithfully preserve the basic meaning of the original text as best as possible, so that we can better understand Gods Word.
And thats why there are so many different translations of the Bible.
Verse References
- James 5:11
The goal is to faithfully preserve the basic meaning of the original text as best as possible, so that we can better understand Gods Word.
How Many Versions Of The Bible Are There
December 9, 2020 | Tanya Media
Translated to over 690 languages and selling over 100 million copies each year, the Bible is a collection of holy writing of the Christian religion consisting of New and Old Testaments, and the accurate account of Gods work in the world and his objection for all his creation.
The Bible was written more than sixteen centuries ago, and more than forty writers took part in its creation. Ten writers participated in the New Testament and thirty in the Old Testament.
Today, the Protestant English Bible comprises 66 books, with the old testament consisting of 39 books while the New Testament contains 27 books. The Catholic Bible has a total of 73 books: 43 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
Now that we understand what the Bible is let us see how many versions of the Bible are there.
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