![]() The old saying that one Bible is as good as another simply does not hold true. What Should We Use?Ĭlearly, there are substantial differences between the different translations. The Message takes what it considers to be the main idea, namely that anyone absorbed in self is displeasing to God, and amplifies this point while omitting any direct reference to the flesh or sinful nature. The basic meaning is preserved although some key words are added and deleted. In contrast, the dynamic equivalence translations replace the word “flesh” with “sinful nature” and make explicit that which is only implied in the original, namely that those who do not please God are under the control of the sinful nature. The essentially literal translations are closest to the original text as they take the actual Greek words and basically rephrase them into grammatically acceptable English. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored” (Message). That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. “Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God.“That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God” (NLT).“Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God” (NIV).“So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (KJV).“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (ESV).Illustrating the different translation approaches when translated strictly word for word, Romans 8:8 reads as follows: “And the in the flesh being God to please cannot.” Here is how it reads using representative translations from each of the three categories: Nevertheless, these categories are a useful way for the average Bible reader to differentiate from the plethora of translations available. For example, the NIV is generally more literal than other dynamic equivalent translations, while The Message makes bigger departures from the original text than The Living Bible or The Clear Word. Within each of these categories, there is significant variation. The best-known paraphrases are The Clear Word (Clear Word), The Living Bible (TLB), and The Message (Message). Free paraphrase: Paraphrases take great liberty with the biblical text and seek to convey the meaning of the author using contemporary phrases and metaphors.Translations in this category include New International Version (NIV), Today’s New International Version (TNIV), New International Reader’s Version (NIrV), New Living Translation (NLT), New Century Version (NCV), and the Contemporary English Version (CEV). Concepts and metaphors less widely known to modern-day readers are frequently rephrased. Dynamic equivalence: These translations employ a “thought-for-thought” approach that conveys the essential meaning of the original authors. ![]() Translations in this category include King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), English Standard Version (ESV), and the Revised Standard Version (RSV). Essentially literal: These translations retain much of the form and structure of the original language and provide a word-for-word translation to the greatest degree possible.Types of TranslationsĪt the risk of oversimplification, there are three main categories of Bible translations. In order to achieve a functional translation, the grammatical structure needs substantial modification. As a result, there is more to Bible translation than simply converting individual words from the original language into our language.įor example, a literal word-for-word translation from Greek into English of John 3:16 reads: “For thus loved God the world, so as the Son the only begotten he gave, that everyone believing in him may not perish but may have life eternal.” As we can see, a simple word-for-word translation is virtually unreadable to most people. Why should translating the Bible be any different? The answer is that, unlike modern-day languages such as French or Spanish, the biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, are fundamentally different from the English language. However, if Bible translation is just a matter of converting ancient languages into English, why are there so many different versions available? After all, the Canadian government regularly translates documents from French into English and vice versa without much difficulty. Knowing this, we are privileged to have a number of different English translations available as they make it possible for us to have more direct access to God’s Word than most Christians in earlier centuries possessed. Since most of us are unable to read Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, we are dependent on language scholars to translate the Word of God for us. Walk into the average Christian bookstore and you will find many different Bible translations available for purchase. When looking at the vast array of Bibles, many Christians wonder how to select the best one for them. ![]()
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