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Sep 23, 2024 · In this article, we will compare various Bible translations to help inform your choice. They will be compared in these seven categories: (1) translation philosophy, (2) reading level, (3) notable features, (4) origin, (5) manuscript tradition, (6) most popular Study Bible, and (7) translators.
- Translation Philosophies: Formal Or Functional?
- Translations from Antiquity
- The Bible in English
- Theking James Version
- Revising The KJV
- New Versions
- Conclusion
The goal of translation is to reproduce the meaning of a text in one language (the source or donor language) into another (the target or receptor language). How best to do this? The primary issue concerns whether to translate according to the form of a text or according to its meaning (function). Formal equivalence, also known as literal or word-fo...
A comprehensive survey of the history of Bible translation would include thousands of versions into the many languages of the world (the Bible has been translated, in whole or in part, into 3,350 languages; see the Wycliffe websitefor more information)—a task far beyond our scope. Instead, we will note two great translations from antiquity followed...
John Wycliffe
The first English translation of the full Bible was completed around 1382 under the direction of Oxford theologian John Wycliffe. Wycliffe spent much of his career challenging the authority of the Pope and the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. His motivation for translation was his belief that the Bible was a Christian’s highest authority and that everyone should be able to read and hear God’s Word. While Wycliffe oversaw the work of translation, most of the work was likely done by his...
William Tyndale
A century and a half after Wycliffe, William Tyndale produced the first printed English New Testament translated directly from the Greek (Wycliffe’s work had been translated from the Latin Vulgate). Yet the ban on vernacular versions was still in force and Tyndale faced severe opposition. Harassed by his enemies, he fled from England to continental Europe, where his New Testament was published in 1526 and smuggled back into England. The people loved it; it was both accurate and readable. Yet...
Tyndale’s powerful and idiomatic translation had a profound effect on English versions that followed, including the Coverdale Bible (1535), Matthew’s Bible (1537), the Great Bible (1539), and the Authorized, or King James Version (KJV), the most influential English version of all time. The KJV arose in the context of two competing versions, the Bis...
The KJV remained the most popular English version for almost 400 years. Yet in time a revision became necessary, both because of its archaic language and the inferiority of its Greek text. In 1870, the Church of England commissioned a revision, resulting in the Revised Version (RV) published between 1881–85. Its American counterpart, the American S...
In addition to revisions in the KJV line, there are many new versions produced directly from the Hebrew and Greek. At the turn of the 20th Century a number of common language versions began to appear. The majority of these were produced by individual scholars: The New Testament in Modern Speech (R.F. Weymouth; 1903), The New Testament: A New Transl...
The task of translation is never finished. This is because languages change over time and there are constant advances in biblical scholarship. Furthermore, the imprecision and ambiguity of language itself means there is always room to improve a translation in terms of its accuracy, precision and clarity. We are spoiled in the English-speaking world...
Jul 15, 2024 · Which is the most accurate Bible translation? Explore the history and accuracy of this topic, from Wycliffe to modern versions such as the NRSV, emphasizing the importance of original Hebrew and Greek texts.
Sep 12, 2024 · Each translation of the Bible follows certain translation principles that will affect the final work. Some translations try to be “literal,” aiming for an exact, word-for-word correspondence as much as possible.
Jan 31, 2024 · These five translations are considered to be accurate and readable, and present a clear picture of who God is, how we can know Him, and what it means for our lives. They are easily accessible and come in excellent study Bible versions.
Almost all scholars agree that the New American Standard Bible (NASB) gets the crown for being the most accurate English Bible translation. But does it matter? And why?
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Jun 12, 2024 · Ever wonder why there are so many Bible versions — or how to choose one? Here's everything you need to know about Bible versions and translation.
