[1]

I was given a new Bible for my birthday. My brothers-in-law, Billy and Ben, gave me this beautiful cranberry-colored leather compact English Standard Version Bible. I am excited about owning a compact Bible because I like to take my Bible with me most anywhere. I read from the MacArthur Study Bible which is rather large being about 10×7 inches and probably a good couple of inches thick. I like to carry my Bible in my purse, so you can imagine how my purse style has changed from cute little clutches to more of the tote style. With this new Bible I was excited about having the convenience of carrying it with me at all times for reading on the go, but would still be able to keep my study Bible at my office or home for when I’m spending time in study.

I am aware that there is no perfect and flawless translation of the Scriptures. We will not agree on one translation in every detail. But I like to be careful to avoid the somewhat trite paraphrases and cultural translations. I’m often perplexed by how many varying translations and versions exist on the bookstore shelves. I want to be certain that the Bibles I read, including my new copy, stand in the category of most accurate translations. So yesterday I opened my new Bible hoping to find out just what “English Standard Version” means. In reading the preface I was able to learn that the ESV is an “essentially literal” translation. Not knowing exactly what this meant I did some research on Bible translation and learned some new things.

Scripture is translated most commonly in one of two ways. The first is “word for word” translation. This philosophy of translation focuses tightly on exact wording and grammar it seeking to be as close to the original text, “letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.”(gnpcb.org) Versions translated with this philosophy would include the NASB and the NKJV.

The second philosophy used is a “thought for thought” translation which holds what translators call the “dynamic equivalence” approach. This philosophy of translation focuses more on the readability and meaning of the Scripture rather than strictly accuracy. Often being more of a paraphrase, these versions are much more subjective as they reflect more of our cultural influences and often the interpretive opinions of the translator. Versions translated with this philosophy would include the NIV and the NLT.

I was interested to find that the ESV seeks to integrate some of the factors of “thought for thought” into a “word for word” philosophy of translation. Grammatically the ESV seeks to smooth out the reading by altering some of the punctuation, paragraphing and by dividing long sentences so as to read more clearly in English. Some of the gender language is changed for smoother reading. For example “anyone” is written where other translations say “any man” also “people” rather than “men”. Despite some of these changes, the ESV translation “objective has been transparency to the original text, allowing the reader to understand the original on its own terms rather than on the terms of our present-day culture.”(ESV preface)

I was also interested to read that the ESV at its base has been translated not as an altered form of previous versions, but rather directly from the latest collection of the Hebrew and Greek documents. This can clearly been seen as a strength of this new translation. There are also a few points that could be considered weaknesses of the ESV. For example, some earlier translations such as NKJV and NASB used italics to indicate when words were being added to the text for clearer reading. The ESV does not do this. Also in some passages specific words are translated too generally where the Greek word allowed for a more specific translation. The ESV translates the Greek word porneia as “sexual immorality” where the NASB has translated more literally as “fornication”. Though the ESV has some weaknesses, as do other translations, it seems to be an accurate and literal translation for the English language and can serve well for reading and study.

Before this study on translations I was unsure if the version I read or my church taught from really mattered in the scope of all things. I assumed that God’s Word is essentially preserved even in paraphrases. Surely the translators aren’t paraphrasing so much as to greatly alter the meaning of Scripture of put a blasphemous spin on it… But last night I was enjoying coffee with Missy and Katie discussing this very topic when the paraphrase “the Message” came up. The Message is a newer version and increasing in popularity especially among teens, which is each of our area of ministry in our church. Being at Borders Bookstore it was easy to locate a copy and the three of us were appalled by what we found. Having just studied the Beatitudes for our high school small groups, that was the first passage we turned to. Here is an example of how drastically varying versions can be:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NKJV)

“Blessed are you when you’re at the end of your rope.
With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” (The Message Remix)

“Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.” (NKJV)

“You’re blessed when you get your inside
world–your mind and heart–put right.
Then you can see God in the outside world.” (The Message Remix)

I was surprised and sickened to see such liberty taken with God’s Word. The paraphrase comes across as light, shallow and even disrespectful. Other passages were just as concerning, such as Psalm 1, 1 Corinthians 13 and Romans 5. It quickly became clear that translation does matter. We must do what we can to study the most accurate representation of God’s Word, without compromising on issues of cultural relevancy and readability.

We find often that the writer’s of Scripture defend it’s authenticity as God’s Word. In the Psalms the writer praises and adores Scripture. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and is a song all about the beauty and truth of Scripture. Below are two of my favorite New Testament verses proclaiming the value of Scripture:

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction and instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Both of these verses hold a high perspective of Scripture, not just as the very words from God’s mouth, but also in view of what those words are capable of in the lives of man. Scripture says what God wanted us to know no matter how we alter it to say what we want to hear. We may want to think that all we’ve got to do is get our “inside world” together to see spiritual things, but this is man speaking, not God. I have read that some of these translators are simply trying to make the Bible more approachable for teens or palatable to non-believers. This is a dangerous venture because Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.” Having some trendy magazine Bible or a vastly altered paraphrase is not going to change or save anyone. To those who are being saved the Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to open the eyes and transform the heart.

If you wrote a letter to my church and I stood up before the people to read it and instead of saying what you wrote I said what I thought you meant, you would be very upset. You would tell me, “No, read them what I wrote.” In the same way we should never lessen or alter God’s Word in any way. We should not culturalize it or insert our interpretation and then call it God’s Word, but rather should humbly and diligently search the Scriptures just as they were written, praying constantly for the Spirit to open our eyes to it’s meaning. Let’s not have a casual or flippant attitude about the Bible but instead say with the Psalmist, “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97)

As the meadow is to the cow,
The house to the man,
And the nest to the bird…
So is the Holy Scripture to the believing soul.
-Martin Luther

[1]

I was given a new Bible for my birthday. My brothers-in-law, Billy and Ben, gave me this beautiful cranberry-colored leather compact English Standard Version Bible. I am excited about owning a compact Bible because I like to take my Bible with me most anywhere. I read from the MacArthur Study Bible which is rather large being about 10×7 inches and probably a good couple of inches thick. I like to carry my Bible in my purse, so you can imagine how my purse style has changed from cute little clutches to more of the tote style. With this new Bible I was excited about having the convenience of carrying it with me at all times for reading on the go, but would still be able to keep my study Bible at my office or home for when I’m spending time in study.

I am aware that there is no perfect and flawless translation of the Scriptures. We will not agree on one translation in every detail. But I like to be careful to avoid the somewhat trite paraphrases and cultural translations. I’m often perplexed by how many varying translations and versions exist on the bookstore shelves. I want to be certain that the Bibles I read, including my new copy, stand in the category of most accurate translations. So yesterday I opened my new Bible hoping to find out just what “English Standard Version” means. In reading the preface I was able to learn that the ESV is an “essentially literal” translation. Not knowing exactly what this meant I did some research on Bible translation and learned some new things.

Scripture is translated most commonly in one of two ways. The first is “word for word” translation. This philosophy of translation focuses tightly on exact wording and grammar it seeking to be as close to the original text, “letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.”(gnpcb.org) Versions translated with this philosophy would include the NASB and the NKJV.

The second philosophy used is a “thought for thought” translation which holds what translators call the “dynamic equivalence” approach. This philosophy of translation focuses more on the readability and meaning of the Scripture rather than strictly accuracy. Often being more of a paraphrase, these versions are much more subjective as they reflect more of our cultural influences and often the interpretive opinions of the translator. Versions translated with this philosophy would include the NIV and the NLT.

I was interested to find that the ESV seeks to integrate some of the factors of “thought for thought” into a “word for word” philosophy of translation. Grammatically the ESV seeks to smooth out the reading by altering some of the punctuation, paragraphing and by dividing long sentences so as to read more clearly in English. Some of the gender language is changed for smoother reading. For example “anyone” is written where other translations say “any man” also “people” rather than “men”. Despite some of these changes, the ESV translation “objective has been transparency to the original text, allowing the reader to understand the original on its own terms rather than on the terms of our present-day culture.”(ESV preface)

I was also interested to read that the ESV at its base has been translated not as an altered form of previous versions, but rather directly from the latest collection of the Hebrew and Greek documents. This can clearly been seen as a strength of this new translation. There are also a few points that could be considered weaknesses of the ESV. For example, some earlier translations such as NKJV and NASB used italics to indicate when words were being added to the text for clearer reading. The ESV does not do this. Also in some passages specific words are translated too generally where the Greek word allowed for a more specific translation. The ESV translates the Greek word porneia as “sexual immorality” where the NASB has translated more literally as “fornication”. Though the ESV has some weaknesses, as do other translations, it seems to be an accurate and literal translation for the English language and can serve well for reading and study.

Before this study on translations I was unsure if the version I read or my church taught from really mattered in the scope of all things. I assumed that God’s Word is essentially preserved even in paraphrases. Surely the translators aren’t paraphrasing so much as to greatly alter the meaning of Scripture of put a blasphemous spin on it… But last night I was enjoying coffee with Missy and Katie discussing this very topic when the paraphrase “the Message” came up. The Message is a newer version and increasing in popularity especially among teens, which is each of our area of ministry in our church. Being at Borders Bookstore it was easy to locate a copy and the three of us were appalled by what we found. Having just studied the Beatitudes for our high school small groups, that was the first passage we turned to. Here is an example of how drastically varying versions can be: