WHAT IS MY BIBLE?
MY BIBLE!!
Welcome to the
section of bible study; Iam Mr. Nkukurah, Daudi a Home Bible student living in
Tanzania (Mwanza-city) in East Africa in the basin of lake Victoria.
Introduction to bible
translations.
There are hundreds of options in
Bibles. Some are better for reading or devotionals, some for study, and others
for children. There are Bibles with wide margins, compact travel versions,
study Bibles with notes of explanation. . . the list goes on and on.
The Bible was originally written in
Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and has been translated into English. The
differences in translations vary in reading levels and in style.
There are basically 3 types of Bible
translations:
1) Literal --
This is a “word for word” translation. It follows the Hebrew or Greek as
closely as possible. Therefore, a literal translation will be the closest
English translation of the original text. Drawback: Some of the wording may
sound awkward in today's English
2) Dynamic-equivalent ---
This is a “thought for thought” translation that translates the biblical words
and phrases into clear and contemporary English equivalents. The priority is on
the intended meaning along with comprehension. These translations are easy to
read and faithful to the original message. Drawback: In a few instances the
original meaning of the text is not conveyed clearly.
3) Paraphrase or
free translation -- These translations are more concerned with clarity
than exact wording. They are easy to read, but can give the impression that the
Bible was written in the 20th century. For example in Psalm 119:105
"lamp" in KJV and NAS is translated "flashlight" in
TLB. Obviously there were no flashlights a few thousand years ago! Drawback:
Compromises on the original meaning of the text.
Dear friend; welcome to this section,
relax and enjoy some of Bible types and their translations.
1: Word - For - Word
NASB - New American
Standard Bible
AMP - Amplified Bible
ESV - English
Standard Version
RSV - Revised Standard Version
KJV - King
James Version
NKJV - New King
James Version
2: Thought - For - Thought
HCSB - Holman Christian
Standard Bible
NRSV - New Revised
Standard Version
NAB - New
American Bible
NJB - New
Jerusalem Bible
NIV - New
International Version
TNIV - Today's New
International Version
NCV - New
Century Version
NLT - New
Living Translation
3: Paraphrase
NIrV - New International
Reader's Version
GNT - Good News Translation
(also Good News Bible)
CEV - Contemporary
English Version
TLB - The Living Bible
MSG - The Message
Wahoh! we hope you
are good now!!!.
Do you
know changes due to these translations?
Don’t worry my dear, here down,
they are already done for you.
Take your chair, seat relaxed,
start enjoying.
1. CHANGES IN BIBLE
TRANSLATIONS THROUGH TIME ~ PROVERBS 18:24
Original Masoretic Hebrew
(English translation from the Interlinear Bible)
A man [who has] friends must show himself friendly and there is
a friend [that] sticks closer than a brother.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a
brothir.
(A man friendly in fellowship shall be more a friend than a
brother.)
Tyndale (1525) and
Coverdale Bible (1535)
A frende that delyteth in loue, doth a man more fredshipe, and
sticketh faster vnto him then a brother.
(A friend that believes in love does a man more friendship and
sticks closer to him than a brother.)
Geneva Bible (1560)
A man that hath friends, ought to shew himselfe friendly: for a
friend is neerer then a brother.
Douay-Rheims Bible (1582,
from the Latin Vulgate. Revised 1750)
A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.
King James Version (1611,
revised 1769)
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is
a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
What are the major shift in meaning and emphasis
of the translations at this point?
English Revised Version
(1881), American Standard Version (1901)
He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction: but
there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Revised Standard Version (1952)
There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a
friend who sticks closer than a brother.
New American Standard
Bible (1971)
A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend
who sticks closer than a brother.
Living Bible (1971)
Paraphrase translation by Kenneth N. Taylor.
There are “friends” who pretend to be friends, but there is a
friend who sticks closer than a brother.
New International Version
(1984 version)
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend
who sticks closer than a brother.
New International Version
(2011 version)
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is
a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Contemporary English
Version (1995)
Some friends don't help, but a true friend is closer than your
own family.
The Message (2002)
Paraphrase translation by Eugene Peterson
Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you
like family.
Common English Bible
(2012) Gender neutral, politically correct translation
There are persons for companionship, but then there are friends
who are more loyal than family.
2: CHANGES IN
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS THROUGH TIME ~ JOHN 12:25
Original Masoretic Hebrew
(English translation from the Interlinear Bible)
The [one] loving the life of him loses it and the [one] hating
the life of him in the world this to life eternal will keep it.
Tyndale (1525) and
Coverdale Bible (1535)
He that loueth his life, shal lose it: and he that hateth his
life in this worlde, shal kepe it vnto life
euerlastinge.
King James Version (1611,
revised 1769)
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his
life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
New International Version
(1984 version)
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates
his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Holman Christian Standard
Bible (1999)
The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates
his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
New International Version
(2011 version)
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates
their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Open English Bible (2013)
A person who lives her life loses it; while someone who hates
her life in the present world will preserve it for life through the ages.
Note progression: One / him —
He / his — The man / his — One / his — Anyone / their — A person / her
3: CHANGES IN
BIBLE TRANSLATIONS THROUGH TIME ~COLOSSIANS 2:9-10
Original Masoretic Hebrew
(English translation from the Interlinear Bible)
For in him dwells all the fullness of the Diety bodily and you
are in him complete who is the head of all rule and authority.
King James Version (1611,
revised 1769)
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And
ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Weymouth New Testament or
New Testament in Modern Speech (1903)
For it is in Christ that the fulness of God's nature dwells
embodied, and in Him you are made complete, and He is the Lord of all princes
and rulers.
Holman Christian Standard
Bible (1999)
For the entire fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ,
and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and
authority.
The Message (2002)
Paraphrase translation by Eugene Peterson
Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear
him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to
realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him.
When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power
extends over everything.
New Living Testament
(2004)
For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So
you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over
every ruler and authority.
4: TRANSLATION
PROBLEMS ~ The Lord’s Prayer ~ Matthew 6:9-13
“And forgive us
our _________, as we forgive __________.”
The Lord’s Prayer appears in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4.
There are some differences between the two version with Matthew’s being
slightly more expanded. There are also differences in the various Bible
translations, the main one being in the line about forgiveness.
In that line, Matthew and Luke diverge slightly. Matthew states
a request for debts to be forgiven in the same manner as people forgive those
who have debts against them. Luke, on the other hand, makes a similar request
for sins to be forgiven. The word “debts” does not mean financial obligations
but implies failures to obey God and to love one another, in other words acts
of omission, of not doing what we should do. In contrast, “sins” is generally
understood to mean acts of commission, of doing what we should not do.
Interestingly, the first five commandments lay out what we should do
(obligations or debts) while the last five tell us what we should not do (sins
or trespasses).
The difference between the forgiveness word used by Matthew and
Luke probably arises from the fact that in Aramaic, the original language of
the prayer, the same word is used to mean both debt and sin. So we
see that Jesus was actually saying that forgiveness applies to both debts and sins. Where
did the word “trespasses” come from? It is not
in any modern Bible, yet millions of people
have learned the line as, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us.” When the Lord’s Prayer began to be translated into
English, different words were used.
Wycliffe (1395) used “debts,” while Tyndale (1526) used
“trespasses.” When the Book of Common prayer was first published (1549),
“trespasses” was used, and as such became the standard word used in many
liturgies (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.). Also added at this
time was the closing, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.” Other more recent Bible translations in an effort to deal
with the sins/debts word have come up with several solutions. The most widely
used word is “wrongs,” while some Bibles don’t use any word at all.Here are
some translations of that line:
Book of Common Prayer: “and
forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
King James, ASV, NIV etc: “and
forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
Living Bible, NLT: “and forgive us our sins, just as we have
forgiven those who have sinned against us.”
Today’s English: “Forgive us
the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.”
Contemporary English: “Forgive
us for doing wrong, as we forgive others.”
The Message: “Keep us
forgiven with you and forgiving others. “
The Lord’s Prayer ~ Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Our Father in heaven, help us to honor your name. Come and set
up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you, as you are obeyed in
heaven. Give us our food for today.
Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others. Keep us from
being tempted and protect us from evil. Amen
Translation Differences ~ The Lord’s Prayer ~ Matthew 6:9-13
King James
9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
(Added) For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer (Catholic, Anglican, Episcopal,
Lutheran)
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against
us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
[For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.]
New International Version
9 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven,
11 Give us today our daily bread,
12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil
one.
The Living Bible
9 Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name.
10 We ask that your kingdom will come now. May your will be done
here on earth, just as it is in heaven.
11 Give us our food again today, as usual,
12 and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who
have sinned against us.
13 Don’t bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil
One. Amen.
New Living Translation
9 Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.
10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on
earth, just as it is in heaven.
11 Give us our food for today,
12 and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who
have sinned against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the
evil one.
Today's English (Good News)
9 Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honored;
10 May your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it
is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need.
12 Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs
that others have done to us.
13 Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the
Evil One.
New Century Version
9 Our Father in heaven, may your name always be kept holy.
10 May your kingdom come and what you want be done, here on
earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us the food we need for each day.
12 Forgive us for our sins, just as we have forgiven those who
sinned against us.
13 And do not cause us to be tempted, but save us from the Evil
One.
[The kingdom, the power, and the glory are
yours forever. Amen.]
My word of advice:
“Be foolish stay hungry” grasp all 3 types of translations. But, literal and dynamic-equivalence translations are good
choice because they contain the basic original
meaning of the passage.
I hope you are now a good home-bible
student.
Goodbye meet you in the following
section soon….
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