Protestant reformers believed the Bible should be accessible to all the faithful so they could access the word of God directly. Conservative authorities believed translating the Bible into the vernacular (everyday language) was dangerous and irreverent. When reformers like Martin Luther undertook to translate the Bible, they found that the way scripture was translated WAS important.
Your assignment is to locate a verse of the Bible that significantly changes meaning according to the translation (Website with multiple translations of the Bible). Post a comment on this blog with your answers to the following questions:
1. Give two translations of the verse that differ significantly.
2. How do the differences between the verses lead to different doctrinal interpretations?
1 Corinthians 2:14
ReplyDeleteNew International Version (NIV)
14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
__________________________________________
This scripture in it's indoctrination, is very open. It states that all who have not rejected spirit, may receive it. Those who reject it, cannot receive it, but it is by their own choice.
__________________________________________
1 Corinthians 2:14
21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
__________________________________________
This is a much less forgiving doctrine. It implies that it is natural to not be in touch with ones own spirituality, almost an instinct or a normal state. So those who have not reached out, and gone against their own nature, are closed off to all spirituality. That's what I gather anyways. Even those with an open mind, are not able to receive the Spirit, simply because they are the natural man, and have not been taught to go against what comes naturally...
King James version
ReplyDeleteWhere there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he
This sounds as if when a people don't have visions/revelations to go by they will suffer through life and die without God. But if they try to keep the commandments they can return.
New international version
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
This one makes it seen that when revelations/visions are gone people become as animals, letting the natural man show forth. But they will prosper if they will use their common sense. Not obedience.
Proverbs 29:18
1 John 5:7
ReplyDeleteKing James Version
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
----------------------------------------------
New American Standard
7 For there are three that testify :
----------------------------------------------
In many of the versions I found, verse 7 says what is said in the New American Standard. It leads to verse 8, which is sort of the same in the KJV. But in verse 7 of the KJV, it adds something that is not said in the other versions. This can be interpreted differently, even within the same translation, when it talks about the trinity being "as one."
Jamie
ReplyDeleteKing James Version
Genisis 17:7
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and they seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
JST Genisis 17:7, 11-12
And I will establish a covenant of circumcision with thee, and it shall be my covenant between me and thee, and they seed after thee, in their generations; that thou mayest know for ever that children are not accountable before me until they are eight years old
And thou shalt observe to keep all my covenants wherein I covenanted with they father; and though shalt keep the commandments which I have given thee with mine own mouth, and I will be a God unto thee and they seed after thee.
The two translations are similar, but the first is missing information that is found in the second. In the first, the Lord is establishing his covenant with the people, and in the second, he still establishes his covenant, but the important part that is not missing is that until you are eight, you are not accountable to his covenants.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete21st Century King James Version: Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, "It is written: `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.'"
ReplyDeleteLexham English Bible: Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.
So these verses are from the part in the Bible where Jesus fasts for 40 days and Satan tries to tempt him. This is his reply to Satan telling him to turn some stones into bread. These verses are practically the same, but notice that after the word ‘written’ on both of them, one has a colon, and the other a comma. A colon signifies that the words after it are the examples proving the first part of the sentence. A comma just separates things. Also, the he’s are different. On the first on it is capitalized, showing more respect to Jesus. The second one has it in smaller case form. Differences in the translation can lead to different interpretations because the smallest things can make the biggest difference. And when translating a text from one language to another is tricky because sometimes there is no direct way to translate something. Then it can also be interpreted different ways.
Deuteronomy 31:6
ReplyDelete21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
6Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the LORD thy God, He it is who doth go with thee. He will not fail thee nor forsake thee."
Deuteronomy 31:6
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
6Be brave and strong! Don't be afraid of the nations on the other side of the Jordan. The LORD your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.
In class we talked about how some churches thought it was wrong to translate the bible to everyday language. These two verses are a perfect example of the difference in impact just changing the wording can make in a verse. The first excerpt to me you can nearly feel the power and meaning in the words. But in the second excerpt because the language has been translated into a more vernacular type of speech i feel as though some of the power or gusto has been lost because of the casual wording.
1 Corinthians 14:35
ReplyDeleteNew King James Version (NKJV)
35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
1 Corinthians 14:35
Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
35 ...for women to rule in the church.
"Rule" and "speak" are two totally different verbs and so, those that follow the NKJV won't let the women speak (ask questions, preach, etc.) but for the churches that use the JST, they will let the women talk, just not rule or govern the people of their church. These two words make a big difference in the laws of different churches.
Matthew 4:1
ReplyDeleteToday's New International Version (TNIV)
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil.
This translation isn't quite clear on exactly who it is leading Jesus in to the wilderness. It could be the Holy ghost but it also sounds like it could be the devil leading him.
Matthew 4:1
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
1The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him.
This translation makes it much more clear on exactly who is leading Jesus down to the wilderness. You know that it is a righteous spirit leading him and not the devil.
Matthew 20:23
ReplyDeleteKing James Version:
“And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.”
Amplified Bible:
“He said to them, You will drink My cup, but seats at My right hand and at My left are not Mine to give, but they are for those for whom they have been ordained and prepared by My Father.”
There are some obvious differences in these excerpts pertaining to the examples Jesus gives, but what interests me most is the line at the end. The KJ version makes me think that Jesus is saying that His Father is the person who judges souls and prepares for them to live with Him. The second excerpt, however, added the word ‘ordain’, implying that The Father has chosen certain people already and is preparing for them now. The first seems to say, “Be my guest to follow my teachings, but I can’t promise you salvation, that’s what you have to work toward,” while the second says, “Be my guest to follow my teachings, but in the end only those that my Father has chosen will make it.”
Matthew 5:48
ReplyDeleteCommon English Bible (CEB)
48 Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete.
This version of the scripture takes it down to a specific meaning for perfect and changes the meaning of the verse significantly when compared with with the King James Version. This interpretation would change ones view to simply loving others more rather than striving for perfection
Matthew 5:48
King James Version (KJV)
48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
This verse suggests a far more strenuous task and a far more insurmountable task and has a dramatically different effect on the reader. While both verses describe a "similar" task, the one leads to the thought that Christ is saying love everyone completely and the other one is a clear statement that Christ is issuing a command to be perfect. These two differ significantly.
John 3:16
ReplyDeleteContemporary english versaion
God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.
King James Version
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
In the CEV, it says that God gave his only son so that we wouldn't ever really die. In the KJV it mentions God's only BEGOTTEN son. In the CEV, it is saying that there is not other child of God than Christ, but the KJV doesn't deny that people are children of God