Why so many translations?

Why so many Why so many translations?translations?

The Present State of English The Present State of English

Bible TranslationBible Translation

IntroductionIntroduction

For those of us who speak English, For those of us who speak English, we have an embarrassment of we have an embarrassment of riches. riches.

There are more Bible translations in There are more Bible translations in our language than in any other, and our language than in any other, and they are all readily accessible to us.they are all readily accessible to us.

There are new translations being There are new translations being produced even now.produced even now.

IntroductionIntroduction

Is this good or bad? Is this good or bad? Goal for today: Goal for today:

survey the field to show what types of survey the field to show what types of English Bible translations are availableEnglish Bible translations are available

explain why this situation existsexplain why this situation exists offer appropriate responsesoffer appropriate responses

The Current SituationThe Current Situation

There is an embarrassment of riches There is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to English translations.when it comes to English translations.

For the NET Bible preface we count For the NET Bible preface we count twenty-five different English translations twenty-five different English translations of the entire Bible and approximately of the entire Bible and approximately forty of the New Testament. forty of the New Testament. Revisions of existing translationsRevisions of existing translations Original translations which are based only Original translations which are based only

upon the Hebrew and Greek scriptures.upon the Hebrew and Greek scriptures.

The Current SituationThe Current Situation

Some of the major ones:Some of the major ones:

Revised Standard Revised Standard Version (NT 1946; Version (NT 1946; complete Bible, 1952)complete Bible, 1952)

J. B. Phillips’ The New J. B. Phillips’ The New Testament in Modern Testament in Modern English (1958)English (1958)

Amplified Bible (1965)Amplified Bible (1965) Jerusalem Bible (1966)Jerusalem Bible (1966)

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

The Current SituationThe Current Situation There have even been revisions of There have even been revisions of

these versions.these versions. NASB was updated in 1995.NASB was updated in 1995. The NIV has been recently updated with the The NIV has been recently updated with the

TNIV, Today’s New International Version.TNIV, Today’s New International Version. The RSV has been updated with the ESV.The RSV has been updated with the ESV. The Living Bible has been updated with the The Living Bible has been updated with the

New Living Translation, which itself has New Living Translation, which itself has recently been revised.recently been revised.

Currently in production are the NET Currently in production are the NET Bible and the Holman Christian Bible and the Holman Christian Standard Bible.Standard Bible.

Why does Why does this situation exist?this situation exist?

There are different translation philosophies There are different translation philosophies at work.at work. Functional Equivalence: The translation of one Functional Equivalence: The translation of one

language into another retaining as much as language into another retaining as much as possible the original forms of the first language.possible the original forms of the first language.

Dynamic equivalence: The translation of one Dynamic equivalence: The translation of one language into another with a goal of translating language into another with a goal of translating the meaning of the original without regard to the meaning of the original without regard to the forms of the first languagethe forms of the first language

Functional and Dynamic Functional and Dynamic EquivalenceEquivalence

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

Examples of Examples of Extremely Literal Extremely Literal

TranslationTranslation Matthew 1:18Matthew 1:18

tou de ihsou cristou h genesiv outwv hn tou de ihsou cristou h genesiv outwv hn mnhsteuyeishv thv mhtrov autou mariav mnhsteuyeishv thv mhtrov autou mariav tw iwshf prin h sunelyein autouv tw iwshf prin h sunelyein autouv eureyh eureyh en gastri ecousa ek pneumatov agiouen 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.”

Examples of Examples of Extremely Literal Extremely Literal

TranslationTranslation John 4:15John 4:15

legei prov auton h gunh kurie dov moi legei prov auton h gunh kurie dov moi touto to udwr ina mh diqw mhde touto to udwr ina mh diqw mhde diercwmai enyade antleindiercwmai enyade antlein

“Says to him the woman, ‘Sir, give to me this the water that not I thirst nor I come here to draw.”

Comparisons of Comparisons of Functional and Dynamic Functional and Dynamic Equivalence TranslationEquivalence Translation

Romans 3:21Romans 3:21 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”

Comparisons of Comparisons of Functional and Dynamic Functional and Dynamic Equivalence TranslationEquivalence Translation

Ecclesiastes 11:4Ecclesiastes 11:4 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.”


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


English is changing as all languages do.English is changing as all languages do. All languages are in a continuous state of All languages are in a continuous state of

flux. flux. All translations will eventually be out of date.All translations will eventually be out of date. The advent of the internet and all its related The advent of the internet and all its related

applications has created a greater state of applications has created a greater state of flux than in the past.flux than in the past.

English Bible translations need to change English Bible translations need to change as well. (Judges 16:7 in NIV)as well. (Judges 16:7 in NIV)

How should we respond How should we respond to this situation?to this situation?

Our tendency is to exalt one Our tendency is to exalt one translation over another.translation over another. King-James-Only movementKing-James-Only movement

Instead we should recognize our Instead we should recognize our bounty of riches and use it bounty of riches and use it accordingly.accordingly.


Dynamic equivalence translations are Dynamic equivalence translations are good for those who know little or good for those who know little or nothing about the Gospel or the Bible.nothing about the Gospel or the Bible.

Functional equivalence translations are Functional equivalence translations are good for those who understand biblical good for those who understand biblical concepts and want to understand more concepts and want to understand more carefully the exact wording of the text.carefully the exact wording of the text.


Dynamic equivalence translations Dynamic equivalence translations are good for situations where the are good for situations where the public reading and comprehension of public reading and comprehension of scripture has a prominent place.scripture has a prominent place.

Functional equivalence translations Functional equivalence translations are good for situations where the are good for situations where the details of the text are the central details of the text are the central focus.focus.


Recognize that the multiplicity of Recognize that the multiplicity of translations can increase our translations can increase our confidence in the Scriptures.confidence in the Scriptures.

Use this bounty of wealth to your Use this bounty of wealth to your advantage.advantage.

Be gracious, but be educational.Be gracious, but be educational.

ConclusionConclusion There is a sense in which every translation There is a sense in which every translation

falls short of perfectly communicating the falls short of perfectly communicating the original text underneath it.original text underneath it.

More importantly, there is a sense in which More importantly, there is a sense in which every translation contains the word of God every translation contains the word of God and accurately communicates its sense. and accurately communicates its sense.

Be aware of what is out there and how the Be aware of what is out there and how the translations differ, but more than that trust translations differ, but more than that trust the one you have and listen for God’s word the one you have and listen for God’s word to speak to you from its pages.to speak to you from its pages.

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Why so many translations?