Why Does Translation Matter? “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the...

Why Does Translation Matter?“In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a

god.”John 1:1 (NWT)

WINTONBURY STATEMENT OF FAITHThe Word of God: We believe that the

whole Bible is the Word of God, verbally inspired and without error in the original

manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of

faith and conduct.

How We Got Our Bible1. Inspiration – God breathing into

human authors; original autographs2. Transmission – Human authors

copying older manuscripts3. Translation – Transferring message of

one language into another

God Human Author

Original Autograph

God Human Author

Original Autograph

CopiesCritical

Text

God Human Author

Original Autograph

CopiesCritical

Text

Translator(Cmte)

English Translation

Me

King James I1611

• Sought to satisfy factions

• Goal to make available to ordinary folk

• Severely attacked

“KJV Only” Common Beliefs• No errors or problems of translation in KJV• Any changes of words of the KJV

constitutes changing God's word• The KJV translators were divinely guided• All other translations are inspired by Satan• All translators and readers of new versions

have ulterior motives

“KJV Only”Textus Receptus

• Erasmus’ Greek text published in mid-1500s

• Based on 12th century manuscripts• Hundreds of scribal errors included –

(but none doctrinally important)• KJV revised several times between

1611 and 1769

Dead Sea Scrolls1947Bedouin Discoverers

Qumran Cave 4

Dead Sea Scrolls1947Professor Eleazar Sukenik,Hebrew University

Dead Sea Scrolls“My hands shook as I started to unwrap one of them. I read a few sentences. It

was written in beautiful biblical Hebrew…I looked and looked, and I suddenly had

the feeling that I was privileged by destiny to gaze upon a Hebrew scroll

which had not been read for more than 2,000 years."

Professor Eleazar Sukenik,Hebrew University

Dead Sea Scrolls: Why Important?• Every book of the OT except Esther• Date between 200 BC and 100 AD• Previous oldest OT was Masoretic Text

of 1008 AD• Proves the reliability of the scribes

Reliability of Scribal Transmission

“Estimates suggest that at least 97 percent, if not more, of the original NT can be reconstructed from the existing manuscripts beyond any measure of doubt. The percentage for the OT is lower, perhaps about 90 percent.”

Klein, Blomberg, Hubbard, “Biblical Interpretation”

Textual Criticism

“A technical discipline that compares the various copies of a biblical text in an

effort to determine what was most likely the original text.”

Duvall and Hays, “Grasping God’s Word”

Translation: Two Main Approaches

Formal FunctionalTry Word for Word Try Thought for

Thought

Stay close to structure/words

Stay close to meaning

Can be awkward – miss meaning

Can be too interpretive

1. Use Multiple Translations1 Corinthians 7:36

KJV - But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin,NASB - But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter,NIV - If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to…

2. Use Valid Translations• Avoid Doctrinally-Slanted Translations:• New World Translation (Jehovah’s

Witnesses)

2. Use Valid Translations“In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a

god.”John 1:1 (New World Translation)

Jehovah’s Witnesses

2. Use Valid TranslationsJohn 1:1

2. Use Valid Translations• Avoid Doctrinally-Slanted Translations:• New World Translation (Jehovah’s

Witnesses)• Avoid Misleading Translations:• Amplified Bible

3. Don’t Miss the “Point”“I’m not quite sure what you meant about “silly adventure stories without any point.” If they are silly, then having a point won’t save them. But if they are good in themselves, and if by a “point” you mean some truth about the real world which one can take out of the story, I’m not sure that I agree…

3. Don’t Miss the “Point”…At least, I think that looking for a “point” in that sense may prevent one sometimes from getting the real effect of the story in itself — like listening too hard for the words in singing which isn’t meant to be listened to that way (like an anthem in a chorus).”

C.S. Lewis, “Letters to Children”

3. Don’t Miss the “Point”“You study the Scriptures diligently

because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to

come to me to have life.”John 5:39-40