What’s all the fuss over Bible translations?

Have you ever wondered why we have so many different Bible translations today? Are you confused because you’ve heard someone reading from a version of the Bible that sounds so different to your own?

Background to Bible translation

The Bible was not originally written in English. It was written in either Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), with a few chapters of Daniel being written in Aramaic. Consequently, in order to produce an English copy of the Scriptures, a process of translation had to take place, to translate from the original languages into English. This has been a lengthy (and often contentious) process that has taken place over many hundreds of years, involving scores of Biblical scholars and theologians, many of whom lost their lives to produce what we have in our churches today.

When God spoke to the original authors of the Bible (for example, men like Moses, David, Luke, John etc…), He used them to write down his written Word for all mankind. Those first (original) copies of Scripture were ‘inerrant and inspired by God,’ which means they were holy, true and accurate, without any error or mistake of any kind. As the years passed however and those original books (which are known as ‘autographs’ of Scripture) were copied and circulated to a much wider audience, some minor differences began to creep into the text as it was copied over and over again. Consequently, some differences began to arise between the reproduced manuscripts, and today, depending on which manuscripts are used, minor word differences will arise in translation.

 Which Bible translation should I use?

To determine which type of English Bible translation is best suited for your own personal use, you must first ask the question, ‘Do I want a Bible that more accurately reflects the original languages, or do I want a Bible that is easier to read?’ This is important, because sometimes it can be difficult in translating from Greek and Hebrew into English, and a more literal Bible translation can sound a little ‘wooden,’ when compared with a more ‘dynamic’ (easier to read) version. Although a literal translation may sound slightly more formal to read, it is a much more reliable and accurate representation of what the original text said.

Examples of literal translations include the English Standard Version (ESV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the New English Translation (NET). Examples of dynamic (easier to read) translations include the New International Version (NIV) and Good News Bibles. An additional group of Bibles, known as ‘paraphrases,’ are sometimes the easiest of all to read, however these are not really translations at all, but have instead paraphrased thoughts and concepts into contemporary language. Examples of modern paraphrases include the New Living Translation (NLT), the Contemporary English Version (CEV) and The Message.

Which version do our Pastors at FBC Rockwall use?

Both our Senior Pastor and our Assistant Pastor use the ESV, whether for preaching and teaching, or for their own personal devotional use. Steve and Martin also refer to other Bible translations of course, as well as referring back to the original languages of Scripture, when preparing their sermons. They feel however that the most reliable translation available today, which maintains an accurate reflection of the original languages while keeping a style that is both readable and understandable, is the ESV.

Why not the NIV?

Did you know that the NIV has recently been completely revised? The current edition of the NIV is now known as the 2011 NIV, and this is what most Christian booksellers now have on their shelves. The previous version of the NIV was known as the 1984 version, and while it was perhaps not completely accurate in every instance, it was on the whole a solid and reliable version of the Bible. However, the new 2011 NIV has embraced a distinctly different translation philosophy, and has re-translated a number of passages in ways that are now causing disagreement among conservative Christians.

For example, they have embraced a ‘gender neutral’ approach in many instances, choosing to replace the traditional word of ‘father’ with the more politically correct ‘parent.’ Although this may attempt to bring Scripture in line with modern cultural thinking, it has the unfortunate effect of (among other things) removing the reader from an understanding of the patriarchal system of Scripture, as well as undermining the divine role of God as ‘the Father.’

The 2011 NIV has also changed the meaning of a number of passages that teach on a woman’s role in the church, to the extent that a liberal theology has now regrettably become clear in certain passages. It is for these (and other) reasons that the Southern Baptist Convention recently took steps to distance itself from the 2011 NIV, recommending that its churches and members do not use the translation. We at FBC Rockwall agree with this decision, and would recommend our members use the ESV in priority to other Bible translations.

Further reading

There are of course additional reasons why our staff prefer the ESV over other translations. There are some excellent resources for you to consider if you would like to look into this issue further. For more information see “Why our church switched to the ESV” by Kevin DeYoung, as well as the article discussing changes in the 2011 NIV written by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood at http://www.cbmw.org/Blog/Posts/CBMW-Responds-to-New-NIV2011.