Bad Translations
Introduction:
A. KJV; NKJV; ASV; NASV; RSV; NRSV; NIV; Readers Digest.
1. These are but a sampling of the various versions of the Bible
in the english language that are available to us.
2. Which should you use?
B. How do you choose?
1. Many people choose a Bible based on the ease of reading.
a. That sounds reasonable! It makes sense that you should
have a Bible that is easy to read, but, if it is not translated
accurately, you may be able to understand what it says,
but it may not be what God actually said.
b. Some easy to read translations have places in them where
the translators did not accurately translate, and they way
they translated it teaches false doctrine.
c. If we can find an easier to read translation...great, but the
first thing we need to be concerned about is...is it accurate!
2. Other people choose translations based on other things.
a. That is the translation/s sound brethren use & recommend.
b. It's a translation that has been used for generations.
C. What I would like us to do tonight is:
1. Look at some examples of bad translating.
2. Consider how translations are made.
3. Make some suggestions on how to choose a good translation.
I. Bad translating.
A. Something we need to understand concerning translations.
1. All of the english Bibles we have are: translations, versions,
or revisions.
a. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Chaldean,
and the N.T. in Greek.
b. For us to have an english version, therefore, it had to
be translated into english.
2. There is not a translation that does not have some problems.
a. Some translations have a lot more, and a lot more serious
problems than others, but all have problems.
b. There are some I humbly would recommend, and some
I would not.
B. NIV.
1. II Peter 3:10.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The
heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will
be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in
it will be laid bare.
a. The word from which these words are translated means
burned up.
b. There is a major difference in being laid bare, and being
burned up.
c. The wording "burned up" can be easily used by those
who believe that this earth is going to be inhabitated after
Jesus returns (i.e. Jehovah Witnesses).
2. Psalm 51:5.
KJV - Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my
mother conceive me.
NKJV Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin
did my mother conceive me.
NAS - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin
my mother conceived me.
NIV - Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my
mother conceived me.
a. It is easy to see that the NIV transferred the sin from the
mother to the child. Teaching that the child was born
in sin (CALVANISM).
b. But, Ezekial 18:20 says we do not inherit sin from others.
C. RSV.
1. Isaiah 7:14.
Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.
a. This passage is a prophecy about Mary, the mother
of Jesus, who was a virgin, not just a young woman.
b. Matthew makes if very clear that Mary was a virgin,
and that Isaiah prophesied that she would be a virgin
(Matthew 1:23).
c. It's interesting that the translators of the RSV translated
it accurately in Matthew 1:23.
d. The mistranslation of Isaiah 7:14 is a serious one, for it
underminds the deity of Christ. There are other ways
that the RSV is said to do this in other places.
2. Romans 11:20
They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you
stand fast only through faith.
a. By adding the word ONLY they are implying, if not
declaring "salvation by faith only."
b. But, there is no justification for adding the word ONLY.
Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou
standest by faith. (KJV)
II. Things that can affect translating.
A. What was used to translate from?
1. Translating defined.
a. True translating is taking something (Bible) in one
language, and putting it into the words of another
language.
b. The Bible was written in: Hebrew, Chaldean, and
Greek. It had to be translated into english.
2. Therefore, what was used to translate from can affect
what you will end up with.
a. Some translated from Greek texts.
1) Some Greek texts are made up of many manuscripts.
2) Some times the Greek texts they used were only
a few ancient manuscripts.
b. Some of the versions we have today are not really
a true translation, but a revision, and were made from
other transaltions.
3. A translation is affected by what is used to translate from.
a. Some Greek texts leave out verses which is the reason
some translators have left them out.
b. An example is Mark 16:9-20. The translators of the
RSV originally left out these verses, but later on added
them in.
c. They originally left them out because they are left out
of 2 ancient manuscripts. But, it is interesting that a
multitude of others include them, yet they still left them
out, but it shows how what is used to translate from can
affect the translation made.
4. The wording in Greek texts may even differ, which can
affect the translation made.
a. When one looks at the difference they are very miniscule,
and most of them are a matter of spelling.
b. One group of translators may decide to go with one text,
and another group of translators may go with another one.
B. Theology can affect translation.
1. II Timothy 3:16-17.
a. Some believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God,
while others (even translators) believe it to just be the
work of men.
b. One who believes the Bible to be the word of God is not
going to be as apt to take liberties with it than one who
believes it is just the work of men.
2. You can also see the translators religious beliefs sway how
they translated.
a. Many of those who have been involved in translating
have Calvinistic beliefs, and have allowed their beliefs
to affect their translating.
b. Calvinism:
1) Man is born into sin.
2) God has chosen some to be saved/ some to be lost.
c. Romans 7:18 NIV.
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my
sinful nature.
SINFUL NATURE implies that man is born sinful, but
there is no justification for translating it that way. It is
translated from the word SARX, and should be "flesh."
C. Philosophy of translation can affect translation.
1. There are two basic types of translating philosophies:
a. Formal equivalence = The translator tries to stay as
close as possible to the meaning of the words in the
source language while making it readable in the
receptor language.
b. Dynamic equivalence = The translator is less concerned
with the exact wording of the source language, but is
trying to convey the meaning of the text as the original
reader would have received it from the text.
2. When one seriously thinks about these 2 philosophies
it is easy to see how it can affect translation.
a. Translators who follow the formal equivalence
philosophy are going to translate more literally what
God originally said, and leave it up to the reader to
interpret what God made.
b. Translators who follow the dynamic equivalence
philosophy are going to do the interpreting for the
reader, instead of just translating.
III. How do we know which translation to use?
A. We can get help in deciding.
1. None of us are Hebrew or Greek scholars, so to some
extent we are going to have to rely on those who are.
a. But, we need to consider who we are listening to,
and what they are saying.
b. We need to consider what they say very seriously,
and not just accept it blindly.
2. There are many sources of information on the subject.
a. There are books written on the subject we can read.
b. There are lectureships on this very subject.
c. There are tracts written on the subject.
d. We can ask them personnally.
B. We can do a lot on our own.
1. It is all connected with studying.
a. II Timothy 2:15.
b. I Peter 2:2.
2. As you study:
a. Do word studies.
1) Interlinear.
2) Thayers Greek English Lexicon.
3) Vines Expositor Dictionary of Biblical Words.
* This way we can see what the words mean for ourselves.
b. Compare.
1) As you study the Bible you use, look at other
versions (especially one that are considered reliable).
3. Make notes on what you find.
a. If you find a difference or inaccuracy make a note of
it in your Bible.
b. This will save you from having to cover the same
ground again, or at least give you a head start.
c. It might also help you in studying with someone else.
C. This will take a lot of time, and a lot of work, but...
1. If you were going to buy a house wouldn't you...
a. Go down in the basement and look at the walls?
b. See how old the wiring was, or how well it was wired?
c. Look at the furnace?
2. If you are going to put that much effort into buying a
house, how much more should you be willing to put
in to making sure you have a good translation?
a. We are going to be judged by this book - John 12:48.
b. Are eternal fate is dependant on our understanding
it, a doing what it says - Matthew 7:21.
Conclusion:
A. There are a lot of translations to choose from, but we need
to be careful in the Bible we choose.
B. There is not a translation w/o it's problems, but some of them
have more serious problems.
C. Some of the things we can do is:
1. Get help.
2. Study carefully.