How the Bible Came to Us

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How the Bible Came to Us

• Recent Translations of the English Bible

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Text Types for Different English Versions
KJV (1611)
ERV (1885) ASV (1901)
Douai (1610)
RSV (1952) NASB (1971) ESV (2001)
NKJV (1982)
NIV (1978) NET (2005)
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Introductory Remarks

• We looked in an earlier lesson at successors of
  the KJV
• ERV (1885)
• ASV (1901)
• RSV (1952)
• NASB (1971)
• NKJV (1982)
• In this lesson we want to look at other English
  translations since 1950. (See Wegner for a more
  complete listing).

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The Living Bible (1971)

• History
• Kenneth Taylor first realized the need for a new
  translation as a speaker for InterVarsity in
  America and Canada.
• He later had 10 children of his own and saw
  firsthand their difficulty in understanding the
  KJV.
• The translation was so well received that he
  started Tyndale House to promote and publish his
  work.
• Policies of the Translator
• Taylors goal was to paraphrase, in his own
  words, the ASV of 1901. He did not work from the
  original languages.
• A revision was done in 1996 (New Living
  Translation) which was based directly on the
  original languages, and employed dynamic
  equivalence translation rather than paraphrase.
• Translation
• Its strength is clear and easy to understand
  language. Yet it often goes way beyond the actual
  text with explanatory comment.
• Evaluation
• While this paraphrase has aroused broad interest
  in reading the Bible, it frequently sacrifices
  accuracy in the process of making the Bible
  understandable.

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Good News Bible (1976)

• History
• By 1976 the NT edition of this translation had
  already sold fifty-two million copies.
• Policies of the Translator
• The goal was to achieve an accurate,
  understandable translation of the original texts.
• Not a paraphrase, but uses dynamic equivalence
  rather than a more literal method of translation.
• Generally an elementary-school reading level.
• Translation
• Goal to give todays readers maximum
  understanding from the content of the original
  texts.
• Produced with great care and with fewer mistakes
  than TLB.
• Evaluation
• Attempts to simplify translation from the
  original texts without adding additional words
  like TLB.

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New International Version (1978)

• History
• Arose from dissatisfaction among evangelicals
  with existing translations.
• Backed by the Christian Reformed Church and the
  National Association of Evangelicals.
• Produced by more than 110 evangelical translators
  from many English-speaking countries and about
  thirty-four denominations used English that is
  internationally recognized.
• Policies of the Translator
• Attempted to bridge the gap between word-for-word
  and dynamic-equivalence translations.
• Sought accuracy and clarity as well as a degree
  of formality.
• Translation
• Removes many Hebrew idioms such as and it came
  to pass.
• Does not use archaic forms of second person
  pronouns because they are no longer contemporary
  English.
• Contains more than 3350 footnotes with textual
  variations, other translations, cross-references,
  and explanatory notes.
• Evaluation
• It has been well received and acclaimed as the
  top-selling Bible version in 1999. One of the
  most popular versions today.

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The Message (2002)

• History
• Attempts for the 1990s what the Living Bible did
  for the 1970s it is a fresh rendering from the
  original languages.
• While serving as a pastor for 29 years in
  Maryland, Peterson began translating the
  Scripture into the idiom of todays generation.
• Policies of the Translator
• A paraphrase translation whose aim is to convert
  the tone, the rhythm, the events, the ideas, into
  the way we actually think and speak.
• Translation
• The argument is made that just as the NT was
  written in the common, informal Greek of the day,
  so should an English translation be.
• Evaluation
• Though it was ranked sixth among best-selling
  Bible versions of 1999, this version should not
  be depended upon for serious Bible study.

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The English Standard Version (2001)

• History
• A revision of the 1971 edition of the Revised
  Standard Version. About 6-7 of the text was
  changed from the RSV.
• Underwent a minor revision in 2007, which the
  publisher chose not to identify as a revision.
• Policies of the Translator
• Based on the original languages and the latest
  editions of BHS (OT) and UBS and Nestle/Aland
  (NT).
• Translation
• Employs formal equivalence (more literal) rather
  than dynamic equivalence, though there are
  exceptions in some passages.
• Evaluation
• A good, mostly literal translation, and preferred
  by many as more literary and readable in style.

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The New English Translation aka The NET Bible
(2005)

• History
• A completely new translation, not an update of an
  earlier translation.
• Produced by twenty biblical scholars working from
  the original languages.
• Policies of the Translator
• commissioned to create a faithful Bible
  translation that could be placed on the Internet,
  downloaded for free, and used around the world
  for ministry.
• Since it is not limited by a print edition, it
  includes an immense number of study
  notes...16,025 in the NT alone.
• Translation
• The text is dynamically equivalent for
  readability, with the notes often providing a
  more literal rendering.
• The NET Bible is also available in Chinese.
• Evaluation
• An innovative approach that takes advantage of
  the power of the internet and employs extensive,
  scholarly study notes.

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Reading Ability Scale

• This scale gives an idea of the reading level
  necessary for different translations.
• NLT 6.3
• KJV 12.0
• NASB 10.0
• TLB 8.3
• NIV 7.3

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Next Time

• How to Choose a Bible Version