Good News for All

Is the Bible we have today a good translation ?

Some languages have only a single translation available, but in English we are blessed with an abundance of translations. New translations are produced for a variety of reasons. Occasionally new manuscript material becomes available. Scholarly opinion can change on matters of text or translation. Archaeological and historical studies can turn up evidence that changes our understanding in a way that matters. It can be our own society or language that alters in ways that make an existing translation out of date, misleading or confusing. For any of these reasons translators may feel justified in making another version of the Bible available.

There are five basic approaches to producing a modern Bible translation from the scholarly texts in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.

• 1. Try to do a word for word translation (verbal equivalence).
• 2. Try to do an idea for idea translation that is closely similar in structure of phrases and sentences (dynamic balance).
• 3. Mix these two approaches above using whichever seems most appropriate for the circumstances (hybrid).
• 4. Expand the translation with synonyms to provide the widest possible scope of meaning.
• 5. Try to convey the original meaning as well as possible without much care over equivalence in wording or structure while providing any interpretive features that seem appropriate (paraphrase).

Each of these approaches has its merits and problems. Word for word translation sounds likea great idea, but in practice a word in one language does not always mean exactly the same as its best equivalent in another, especially when used in an idiomatic manner. The French will say , "Bonjour," literally, "Good day," but unless you use the Australian, "G'day" the more usual English usage would be, "Good morning," "Good afternoon," or "Good evening," depending on the time of day, or the ubiquitous, "Hello." These sort of differences between languages complicate word for word translation. Idiomatic usages commonly frustrate them. Consistent use of words for specific important concepts can be important, making translations of this type particularly useful for study puposes.

Idea for idea translation is especially helpful with the more idiomatic language commonly found in poetry, proverbs and prophecies. It can also serve well in clarifying cultural differences and with some flexibility in sentence structuring allows for a more flowing, natural sounding translation. Using an approach that blends these two methods by doing word for word translation where it is possible and makes good sense, but employing idea for idea methods when word for word does not work so well. This places considerable extra responsibility on the translators to choose for methods as well as words.

The Amplified Bible works around the translator's problem of choosing the best word by giving all of the suitable potential meanings, in preferred order if possible, so the reader can decide. This can be very helpful to Bible students, but care is needed to avoid developing marginal ideas through lack of appropriate linguistic, historical, or cultural knowledge.

The final type of translation, a paraphrase, is the one most free of restrictions in method, aiming only to convey the fundamental meaning of the original. A parapharase is more often the work of a single author or a small group of collaborators. They can use the paraphrase to present to present their particular viewpoint or a fresh insight, or expand the text to add some explanation that improves understanding, while keeping faith with the general meaning of the original. A paraphrase can be welcoming for light reading as opposed to serious study, or to gather fresh thought and insight on well known passages.

Though I personally read the old Hebrew and Greek, resorting to translation for Aramaic, I often find it valuable to consult a range of different English translations for insight into other peoples' ideas. I sometimes turn to looser translations or paraphrases for devotional reading. A word for word translation is good for study, and a mixed approach is particularly useful for poetic material. The best suggestion I can offer is to pick a version you like and stick with it, but refer to others if you have difficulty understanding something. A good choice may be to go with the translation which is generally used in the church where you fellowship. Scolars have used their best efforts to provide us with high quality and reliable translations. Each has its particular uses and benefits.

A Quick Guide to Translations

At present the most widely used version remains the King James Version (KJV) of 1611, though there are numerous easier to read and more modern versions available. Some of the other versions we can recommend, in no particular order, include:

• NIV (New International Version) a very widely used and modern hybrid translation highly regarded for its accuracy and adherence to the original text. Another hybrid using simpler language is the CEB (Common English Bible).
• NASB (New American Standard Bible) is another excellent translation focused on verbal equivalence that is nevertheless easy to read and understand.
• NKJV (New King James Version) is an upgrade to the KJV that uses more modern words and expressions to make it easier to read, while remaining faithful to the textual basis employed in the earlier 1611 KJV.
• ESV (English Standard Version) is a revision of the 1971 RSV (Revised Standard Version), and is a verbal equivalence translation in the tradition of the earlier 1901 ASV (American Standard Version).
• TLB (The Living Bible) is a simple and easy to read paraphrase that is particularly good for the Psalms. It is not a translation, but makes a useful reference or devotional read.
• AMP (Amplified Bible) is a popular paraphrase that emphasises expanding on the meaning of some of the more difficult words and phrases. It is a good study aid to read alongside your favourite version, but probably not a good substitute.
• NLT (New Living Translation) is an easy to read translation that relies heavily on dynamic balance rather than verbal equivalence, and is more useful for reading than study. Other dynamic balance translations include GNB (Good News Bible), TEV (Today's English Version), and CEV (Common English Version – not to be confused with the verbal equivalence CEB).