Lost Found in translations

The topic at this week's Bible study is, well...Bible study. Simply put, it's the need to be reading your Bible daily, letting it soak in and change you. Since I put this together for the group, I thought I'd share it here. In a day or so, I'll put up a comparison of the same verse in each of the different versions, which will illustrate the differences among the translations.

Literal Translations

There are two main categories of literal translations: word for word (formal equivalence) and thought for thought (dynamic equivalence).

Word for word translations are just that: translations that seek to accurately record the actual words used in the earliest available manuscripts for the text. These would be viewed as the most conservative versions, as the translators attempt to stay as faithful to the original test as possible, neither adding nor taking away any content. Examples of formal equivalence translations are the King James, New American Standard and English Standard versions.

Thought for thought or dynamic equivalence translations seek to reflect the thoughts of the text, rather than each individual word. Again, the intent is not to add or subtract from the original text, but to accurately convey the meaning of the original, in a way that is easier to read. The New International version is on the more conservative end of dynamic translations, balancing the desire for an accurate, word for word translation with the need to use a more dynamic approach to make the text more readable. Today’s New International and the New Living version are also dynamic translations, but have been written to be gender inclusive – i.e., in places where the original NIV may use “man” to indicate men and women in general, the TNIV substitutes “human beings”.

Paraphrases

Paraphrases are not direct translations; rather, they are an expanded version of the text, based on the meaning of the passage as it appears to the translator. While the translators in many cases work from the original manuscripts in the original languages, by the very act of paraphrasing they may be changing the meaning of a passage, or obliterating the many shades of meaning that may be found in a single verse. Paraphrases can be useful on occasion, if another point of view is desired, but as a general rule, a literal translation is much better for consistent, accurate Bible study. The Living Bible and The Message* are examples of paraphrases.

That said, the power of Scripture lies in the work the Holy Spirit does in illuminating it for you. The key is to find a translation that you can (and will!) read on a regular basis. While I prefer to use the NASB to study and read on a daily basis, I find it easier to memorize Scripture if I use the NIV or, more lately, the ESV. The most important point is to be in the Word on a regular basis.

*I hesitate to even list this here, as I'm not entirely sure that The Message is anything but a work of fiction. That's a discussion for another day. Suffice it to say, this is the last resort, stuck on a desert island with only this book kind of reference.