Author: Patrick Krentz Th.M., Managing Editor for Foundations by ICM
There are over 100 different English translations1 of the Bible. That’s a daunting number if you think about it. That’s 100 different options to choose from – 100 different versions that one group or another thought was so necessary that they would spend years of arduous work producing. So, when you pull out your personal copy of Scripture, why do you have that version and not another. More importantly, why do you have that version, and does it matter that you read that one and not another.
Today’s blog will look into some of these issues and hopefully give you some confidence in your own selection. Let’s begin by talking about why there are so many translations, to begin with. Translations typically fall into one of three categories:
- Word-for-Word Translations
- Meaning-for-Meaning Translations
Before you decide what Bible translation to read, you should decide which of these categories will be most helpful to you and your personal study. Each has its own pros and cons.
Types of Translations
Word-for-Word translations seek to translate the original language into English as accurately as possible. They give great attention to grammar and word choice, ensuring that the English you read is as close as possible to the original words.
Pros: Word-for-Word translations are excellent for deep, intentional study, especially when it comes to word studies, grammatical context, and so on.
Cons: These translations can be difficult to read and understand. They can sometimes obscure the meaning of the text when a word or phrase is translated too literally.
Examples: NASB, ESV
Meaning-for-Meaning translations attempt to deliver in English the meaning of the original text as accurately as possible. In these translations, the words themselves and the grammar are not as important as the meaning.
Pros: These translations can be easier to read than Word-for-Word translations. They can also make the meaning of a passage clear when a more complex translation might make the meaning difficult to grasp.
Cons: The quality of the translation depends far more on the translation team and their understanding of Scripture. When you read one of these, you are reading someone’s interpretation of the meaning of a passage, which may or may not be accurate to the passage itself.
Paraphrase Bibles are not true translations as they typically seek to restate the message of Scripture in unique ways. The Living Bible, for instance, uses the ‘in other words’ method of paraphrasing and worked from the American Standard Version from 1901 rather than from the original languages. The goal of a paraphrase is to make the message of scripture easier to understand.
Pros: A Paraphrase Bible is very easy to read. It can be considered a commentary on Scripture, which can be helpful for understanding the meaning of a difficult passage in the same way as reading a Bible commentary.
Cons: A Paraphrase is not Scripture and is not typically a translation; it is one person’s (or a group’s) comments on the meaning of Scripture. A Paraphrase should not be read in place of the Bible. It is tempting to read a Paraphrase because it is easy to read, but it should only be read alongside Scripture. A great way to use a Paraphrase is to read the Bible, then read the same passage in a Paraphrase (the same method for studying Scripture with a Bible Commentary).
Examples: The Living Bible, The Message
As you look over all the translations available on the bookstore shelf, you will find that the vast majority of them fall somewhere between Word-for-Word and Meaning-for-Meaning. There is a spectrum, or sliding scale, between the two.
Does It Matter?
To answer the question, “Does it matter what Bible translation I read?” – yes, it does matter. You will get a different experience with each version. But at the same time, nearly every major translation available today is excellent. If you are reading the NASB, ESV, NIV, NKJV, or many similar translations, you can have full confidence in what you are reading. In fact, there are benefits to reading multiple translations – doing so can help to highlight things you may not have noticed while reading just one version.
On the other hand, there are certainly translations that you should avoid. Many of the lesser used translations are created by groups that, for various reasons, insert a theological slant into the text. The New World Translation, for example, was created for Jehova’s Witness churches. It makes changes to several key passages that identify Christ as God. Others, such as the Queen James Bible,2 are explicitly designed to promote a certain interpretation.
Any Bible version that claims to represent a specific group, identity, culture, or even denomination should be avoided, while most versions that attempt to accurately represent the original text (regardless of the translator’s personal preferences) will make a fine choice.
In conclusion; yes, it matters what translation you read, but as long as you are reading one of the major translations you should have confidence.
1Depending on how you count them, you may come up with nearly 1000 if you count all versions of English translations since the year 1526. If you count only those translations you might find in a bookstore, the number is closer to 60. If you count all English translations in use somewhere in the world today, it’s close to 100.
2The editors of the Queen James Bible state in regard to the eight most notable verses that condemn homosexuality: “We edited those eight verses in a way that makes homophobic interpretations impossible.”
Patrick Krentz, Mhariri Mtendaji wa Foundation by ICM, anasema: Hiyo ni idadi ya kutisha kama wewe kufikiri juu yake. "Hiyo ni ""100 tofauti chaguzi kuchagua kutoka"" 100 tofauti matoleo kwamba kundi moja au nyingine walidhani ilikuwa muhimu sana kwamba wao kutumia miaka ya kazi ngumu ya kuzalisha." Kwa hiyo, unapochukua nakala yako ya kibinafsi ya Maandiko, kwa nini una toleo hilo na si toleo jingine? Jambo la muhimu zaidi ni kwamba, kwa nini una tafsiri hiyo, na je, ni muhimu usome toleo hilo na si toleo jingine? Leo's blog itaangalia baadhi ya masuala haya na hopefully kukupa baadhi ya ujasiri katika uteuzi wako mwenyewe. Hebu tuanze kwa kuzungumza juu ya kwa nini kuna tafsiri nyingi sana, kwa kuanza na. Tafsiri za Biblia zinaweza kugawanywa katika makundi matatu: Tafsiri za Neno kwa Neno, Tafsiri za Maana kwa Maana, na Tafsiri za Tafsiri za Biblia za Kigiriki. Kila moja ina faida na hasara zake. Aina za Tafsiri Tafsiri za Neno kwa Neno hutafuta kutafsiri lugha ya awali katika Kiingereza kwa usahihi iwezekanavyo. Kwa kuzingatia sana sarufi na maneno, wasomaji wanaweza kuamua jinsi ya kuandika maneno ya Kiingereza kwa njia inayofanana na yale ya awali. Faida: Tafsiri za neno kwa neno ni bora kwa ajili ya utafiti wa kina, wa makusudi, hasa linapokuja masomo ya maneno, muktadha wa sarufi, na kadhalika. Hasara: Tafsiri hizo zaweza kuwa ngumu kusoma na kuelewa. Nyakati nyingine zinaweza kuficha maana ya andiko wakati neno au usemi unapotafsiriwa kihalisi sana. "Kama ilivyo katika tafsiri ya NASB, tafsiri ya ESV ""meaning-for-meaning"" inaweka maana ya maandishi ya awali kwa usahihi." Katika tafsiri hizo, maneno yenyewe na sarufi si muhimu kama maana. Faida: Tafsiri hizo zaweza kuwa rahisi kusoma kuliko tafsiri za Neno kwa Neno. Pia, wanaweza kueleza maana ya andiko fulani wakati ambapo tafsiri ngumu zaidi inaweza kufanya iwe vigumu kuelewa maana yake. Ubaya: Ubora wa tafsiri hutegemea zaidi timu ya watafsiri na uelewaji wao wa Maandiko. Unaposoma mojawapo ya maandishi haya, unasoma tafsiri ya mtu fulani ya maana ya kifungu fulani, ambacho kinaweza au kisingeweza kuwa sahihi kwa kifungu hicho chenyewe. Tafsiri za Biblia za kutafsiri si tafsiri za kweli kwa kuwa kwa kawaida zinatafuta kurudisha ujumbe wa Maandiko kwa njia za kipekee. "Kwa mfano, Biblia ya Living Bible hutumia njia ya ""kwa maneno mengine"" ya kutafsiri na ilitokana na tafsiri ya American Standard Version ya mwaka 1901 badala ya lugha za awali." Kusudi la kutafsiri ni kufanya ujumbe wa andiko uwe rahisi kuelewa. Faida: Biblia ya Paraphrase ni rahisi sana kusoma. Inaweza kuonwa kuwa ufafanuzi wa Maandiko, ambayo inaweza kusaidia kuelewa maana ya kifungu kigumu kwa njia ileile kama kusoma ufafanuzi wa Biblia. Hasara: Paraphrase si Maandiko na kwa kawaida si tafsiri; ni maoni ya mtu mmoja (au ya kikundi) juu ya maana ya Maandiko. Tafsiri haipaswi kusomwa badala ya Biblia. Ni jambo lenye kuvutia kusoma Tafsiri kwa sababu ni rahisi kusoma, lakini inapaswa kusomwa tu pamoja na Maandiko. Njia bora ya kutumia Paraphrase ni kusoma Biblia, kisha kusoma kifungu hicho katika Paraphrase (mbinu hiyo hiyo ya kujifunza Maandiko na Maelezo ya Biblia). "Kwa mfano, katika kitabu cha The Living Bible, mwandishi mmoja wa Biblia ya Kikristo alisema hivi: ""Unapotazama tafsiri zote zinazopatikana kwenye rafu za maduka ya vitabu, utaona kwamba nyingi kati ya tafsiri hizo ni za neno kwa neno na tafsiri za maana kwa maana." Kuna wigo, au kiwango cha kuteleza, kati ya hizo mbili. Je, Hilo Lina Maana? "Kujibu swali ""Je, ni muhimu ni tafsiri gani ya Biblia ninayoisoma?"" ni ""Ndiyo, ni muhimu.""" Utapata uzoefu tofauti na kila toleo. Lakini, karibu tafsiri zote kuu zinazopatikana leo ni bora. Ikiwa unakubaliana na tafsiri za Biblia za Biblia za Biblia za Kiingereza, Kiingereza, Kijerumani, Kijerumani, au lugha nyingine, unaweza kuwa na uhakika kabisa katika yale unayosoma. Kwa kweli, kuna faida za kusoma tafsiri nyingi - kufanya hivyo kunaweza kukusaidia kukazia mambo ambayo huenda usingeona ulipokuwa ukisoma tafsiri moja tu. Kwa upande mwingine, bila shaka kuna tafsiri ambazo unapaswa kuepuka. Tafsiri nyingi zisizotumiwa sana zimetengenezwa na vikundi ambavyo, kwa sababu mbalimbali, huingiza mwelekeo wa kitheolojia katika maandishi. Kwa mfano, Tafsiri ya Ulimwengu Mpya iliundwa kwa ajili ya makanisa ya Mashahidi wa Yehova. Inafanya mabadiliko katika mistari kadhaa muhimu inayomtambulisha Kristo kuwa Mungu. Nyingine, kama vile Biblia ya Malkia James,2 zimekusudiwa waziwazi kuendeleza tafsiri fulani. Tafsiri yoyote ya Biblia inayodai kuwakilisha kikundi fulani, utambulisho, utamaduni, au hata madhehebu fulani inapaswa kuepukwa, ilhali tafsiri nyingi zinazojaribu kuwakilisha kwa usahihi maandishi ya awali (bila kujali mapendezi ya kibinafsi ya mtafsiri) zitafanya chaguo zuri. Kwa kumalizia; ndiyo, ni muhimu ni tafsiri gani unayosoma, lakini maadamu unasoma mojawapo ya tafsiri kuu unapaswa kuwa na uhakika. "Kutokana na jinsi unavyozihesabu, unaweza kupata karibu 1,000 ikiwa unahesabu matoleo yote ya Kiingereza tangu mwaka wa 1526.""" Ikiwa utahesabu tu tafsiri ambazo unaweza kupata katika duka la vitabu, idadi hiyo inakaribia 60. Ikiwa utahesabu tafsiri zote za Kiingereza zinazotumiwa mahali fulani ulimwenguni leo, ni karibu 100. "Mhariri wa Biblia ya Queen James anasema hivi kuhusu mistari minane inayohusu ngono kati ya watu wa jinsia moja: ""Tulihariri mistari hiyo minane kwa njia ambayo inafanya tafsiri za chuki dhidi ya watu wa jinsia moja ziwe vigumu."