Bible Gateway is a wonderful resource and provides opportunity to access most English Bible translations. But I am disappointed that the list in the article doesn't contain the Message, the NEB nor the Jerusalem Bible. This list is dominated by American translations (apart from the so called KJV). Even the KJV isn't correctly named - the correct name is the Authorised Version (1611) authorised by King James1 - but as I heard an American scholar say "It's called the King James Version here, because 'No-one authorises anything for us!". In my childhood the AV (as we knew it) was the only version until Moffat and J B Phillips arrived. Two extremely important (at least historically) versions are missing from the list provided - the New English Bible (a 1960s version by English scholars in England meant to use 20th C English to 'replace' the AV (KJV) and the Jerusalem Bible translated about the same time for use in Catholic Churches. Personally I've gone back to my teen use of the Good News Bible with the beautifully evocative Annie Vallottin drawings. The version has been updated to the Good News Translation and I went back to using it because it uses truly modern English idiomatic expressions to communicate the simple meaning of the text. In 1974 I heard a talk from the chief translator (Dr Robert Bratcher) who began by presenting a list of English words found in the NEB and asking the assembled students whether they knew the meaning of these words. We did not! Then he noted the origin the GNB lay in the restricted vocabulary of the many new Christians in the Africa and Asia for whom English was not their first language, so the Bible Society decided to create a translation for those with a vocabulary of 300 (to my memory!) English words. That meant they had to adopt a new strategy for translating the many Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic words for which there was no equivalent English word. Bratcher and his colleagues decided to use phrases to translate what are single words in the original languages. The strategy was called 'dynamic equivalence'. For example, 2 Cor 5: 18 "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (NIV) - the GNB couldn't use 'reconciliation' or 'reconciled' so the translators came up with "All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also". I find the phrase 'changing enemies into friends' both accurate and helpful. I encourage folks to go to BibleGateway and read the various English versions for 2Cor 5:18 and judge for yourself. I believe Bratcher's leadership truly created a version for the world, not just the English! In a sad footnote the saintly Bratcher was forced to resign from the American Bible Society because of what he said to the Southern Baptists: "'The Scriptures are fine in their place,' Bratcher told the Dallas meeting, 'but that place isn't on the throne; that place goes to Jesus.' He said those who invest the Bible as error-free and infallible in all matters, including science and history, 'is to idolatrize it, to transform it into a false God.' 'No truth-loving, God-respecting, Christ-honoring believer should be guilty of such heresy,' Bratcher said." (UPI archives)
Rodney thanks for this. I know my article was not comprehensive and I deliberately avoided the 2 Cor 5:18 question as it thought it might confuse some people. However I do think it is important to help people understand how decisions are made. I did not know the history of the GNB. Will definitely need to get hold of a copy.
Thank you for a very good and balanced post Christine. Could I add my relational and amazement angle in the words of Rachel Held Evans - just to balance the cerebral approach?
“Our relational God has given us a relational sacred text, one that, should we surrender to it, reminds us that being people of faith isn’t as much about being right as it is about being part of a community in restored and restorative relationship with God. This is how Paul engaged Scripture, after all, and Jesus—both of whom were Jews.”
Jews believe these questions are up for debate, instructive not only when we arrive at an answer, but when the ensuing discussion reveals something important to us about our faith, our community, and ourselves.
While Christians tend to turn to Scripture to end a conversation, Jews turn to Scripture to start a conversation.”
— "Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again" by Rachel Held Evans
Great quote thanks Stephan and I know that this post is very cerebral which is not how the bible should be read. The more I read it the more I appreciate it in this relational way.
I would also recommend the New English Bible. I regularly use the NRSV, but enjoy the NEB as well. Peace, LaMon
There are certainly a lot of possible good choices out there. The Voice is another I have enjoyed.
Bible Gateway is a wonderful resource and provides opportunity to access most English Bible translations. But I am disappointed that the list in the article doesn't contain the Message, the NEB nor the Jerusalem Bible. This list is dominated by American translations (apart from the so called KJV). Even the KJV isn't correctly named - the correct name is the Authorised Version (1611) authorised by King James1 - but as I heard an American scholar say "It's called the King James Version here, because 'No-one authorises anything for us!". In my childhood the AV (as we knew it) was the only version until Moffat and J B Phillips arrived. Two extremely important (at least historically) versions are missing from the list provided - the New English Bible (a 1960s version by English scholars in England meant to use 20th C English to 'replace' the AV (KJV) and the Jerusalem Bible translated about the same time for use in Catholic Churches. Personally I've gone back to my teen use of the Good News Bible with the beautifully evocative Annie Vallottin drawings. The version has been updated to the Good News Translation and I went back to using it because it uses truly modern English idiomatic expressions to communicate the simple meaning of the text. In 1974 I heard a talk from the chief translator (Dr Robert Bratcher) who began by presenting a list of English words found in the NEB and asking the assembled students whether they knew the meaning of these words. We did not! Then he noted the origin the GNB lay in the restricted vocabulary of the many new Christians in the Africa and Asia for whom English was not their first language, so the Bible Society decided to create a translation for those with a vocabulary of 300 (to my memory!) English words. That meant they had to adopt a new strategy for translating the many Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic words for which there was no equivalent English word. Bratcher and his colleagues decided to use phrases to translate what are single words in the original languages. The strategy was called 'dynamic equivalence'. For example, 2 Cor 5: 18 "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (NIV) - the GNB couldn't use 'reconciliation' or 'reconciled' so the translators came up with "All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also". I find the phrase 'changing enemies into friends' both accurate and helpful. I encourage folks to go to BibleGateway and read the various English versions for 2Cor 5:18 and judge for yourself. I believe Bratcher's leadership truly created a version for the world, not just the English! In a sad footnote the saintly Bratcher was forced to resign from the American Bible Society because of what he said to the Southern Baptists: "'The Scriptures are fine in their place,' Bratcher told the Dallas meeting, 'but that place isn't on the throne; that place goes to Jesus.' He said those who invest the Bible as error-free and infallible in all matters, including science and history, 'is to idolatrize it, to transform it into a false God.' 'No truth-loving, God-respecting, Christ-honoring believer should be guilty of such heresy,' Bratcher said." (UPI archives)
Rodney thanks for this. I know my article was not comprehensive and I deliberately avoided the 2 Cor 5:18 question as it thought it might confuse some people. However I do think it is important to help people understand how decisions are made. I did not know the history of the GNB. Will definitely need to get hold of a copy.
Thank you for a very good and balanced post Christine. Could I add my relational and amazement angle in the words of Rachel Held Evans - just to balance the cerebral approach?
“Our relational God has given us a relational sacred text, one that, should we surrender to it, reminds us that being people of faith isn’t as much about being right as it is about being part of a community in restored and restorative relationship with God. This is how Paul engaged Scripture, after all, and Jesus—both of whom were Jews.”
Jews believe these questions are up for debate, instructive not only when we arrive at an answer, but when the ensuing discussion reveals something important to us about our faith, our community, and ourselves.
While Christians tend to turn to Scripture to end a conversation, Jews turn to Scripture to start a conversation.”
— "Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again" by Rachel Held Evans
Great quote thanks Stephan and I know that this post is very cerebral which is not how the bible should be read. The more I read it the more I appreciate it in this relational way.