Why so many translations

1
Why so many translations?

• The Present State of English
• Bible Translation

2
Introduction

• For those of us who speak English, we have an
  embarrassment of riches.
• There are more Bible translations in our language
  than in any other, and they are all readily
  accessible to us.
• There are new translations being produced even
  now.

3
Introduction

• Is this good or bad?
• Goal for today
• survey the field to show what types of English
  Bible translations are available
• explain why this situation exists
• offer appropriate responses

4
The Current Situation

• There is an embarrassment of riches when it comes
  to English translations.
• For the NET Bible preface we count twenty-five
  different English translations of the entire
  Bible and approximately forty of the New
  Testament.
• Revisions of existing translations
• Original translations which are based only upon
  the Hebrew and Greek scriptures.

5
The Current Situation

• Some of the major ones

• Revised Standard Version (NT 1946 complete
  Bible, 1952)
• J. B. Phillips The New Testament in Modern
  English (1958)
• Amplified Bible (1965)
• Jerusalem Bible (1966)

• New American Bible (1970)
• New English Bible (1970)
• New American Standard Bible (1971)
• The Living Bible (1971)
• New International Version (1973)

6
The Current Situation

• There have even been revisions of these versions.
• NASB was updated in 1995.
• The NIV has been recently updated with the TNIV,
  Todays New International Version.
• The RSV has been updated with the ESV.
• The Living Bible has been updated with the New
  Living Translation, which itself has recently
  been revised.
• Currently in production are the NET Bible and the
  Holman Christian Standard Bible.

7
Why does this situation exist?

• There are different translation philosophies at
  work.
• Functional Equivalence The translation of one
  language into another retaining as much as
  possible the original forms of the first
  language.
• Dynamic equivalence The translation of one
  language into another with a goal of translating
  the meaning of the original without regard to the
  forms of the first language

8
Functional and Dynamic Equivalence

• quand les poulets aient les dents
• when chicken have teeth
• when pigs fly
• That will never happen.

9
Examples of Extremely Literal Translation

• Matthew 118
• tou de ihsou cristou h genesiv outwv hn
  mnhsteuyeishv thv mhtrov autou mariav tw iwshf
  prin h sunelyein autouv eureyh en gastri ecousa
  ek pneumatov agiou
• Of the but Jesus Christ the birth thus was.
  Being betrothed the mother of him, Mary, to
  Joseph, before or to come together them she was
  found in belly having from Spirit Holy.

10
Examples of Extremely Literal Translation

• John 415
• legei prov auton h gunh kurie dov moi touto to
  udwr ina mh diqw mhde diercwmai enyade antlein
• Says to him the woman, Sir, give to me this the
  water that not I thirst nor I come here to draw.
  

11
Comparisons of Functional and Dynamic
Equivalence Translation

• Romans 321
• NASB But now apart from the Law the
  righteousness of God has been manifested, being
  witnessed by the Law and the Prophets
• NLT But now God has shown us a different way of
  being right in his sight-- not by obeying the law
  but by the way promised in the Scriptures long
  ago

12
Comparisons of Functional and Dynamic
Equivalence Translation

• Ecclesiastes 114
• NASB He who watches the wind will not sow and he
  who looks at the clouds will not reap.
• NLT If you wait for perfect conditions, you will
  never get anything done.

13
Why does this situation exist?

• There is a very heated battle about which is more
  appropriate for Bible translation. There is a
  place for both, though, and their advantages and
  disadvantages should be carefully understood.

14
Why does this situation exist?

• English is changing as all languages do.
• All languages are in a continuous state of flux.
• All translations will eventually be out of date.
• The advent of the internet and all its related
  applications has created a greater state of flux
  than in the past.
• English Bible translations need to change as
  well. (Judges 167 in NIV)

15
How should we respond to this situation?

• Our tendency is to exalt one translation over
  another.
• King-James-Only movement
• Instead we should recognize our bounty of riches
  and use it accordingly.

16
How should we respond to this situation?

• Dynamic equivalence translations are good for
  those who know little or nothing about the Gospel
  or the Bible.
• Functional equivalence translations are good for
  those who understand biblical concepts and want
  to understand more carefully the exact wording of
  the text.

17
How should we respond to this situation?

• Dynamic equivalence translations are good for
  situations where the public reading and
  comprehension of scripture has a prominent place.
• Functional equivalence translations are good for
  situations where the details of the text are the
  central focus.

18
How should we respond to this situation?

• Recognize that the multiplicity of translations
  can increase our confidence in the Scriptures.
• Use this bounty of wealth to your advantage.
• Be gracious, but be educational.

19
Conclusion

• There is a sense in which every translation falls
  short of perfectly communicating the original
  text underneath it.
• More importantly, there is a sense in which every
  translation contains the word of God and
  accurately communicates its sense.
• Be aware of what is out there and how the
  translations differ, but more than that trust the
  one you have and listen for Gods word to speak
  to you from its pages.