There are many modern English translations of the Bible. In simpler times we had only one version of the Bible for English readers: the King James Version (KJV). Today there are dozens of English translations that all purport to be more accurate and readable. The most popular of the modern translations is the New International Version (NIV). Is it necessary to have new English translations of the Bible and is it really better to use one such as the NIV?
Many people object to any "modern translation" of the Bible. Tradition holds strong in the hearts of people who were raised in a church using the KJV. The Old English constructs of "thee" and "thou" are foreign to the modern reader - yet they connote a certain reverence toward God. Translating verses without these constructs seems irreverent to those who grew up with the KJV. If the KJV was good enough in previous generations, why change it?
The KJV was and is a beautiful translation. It is, however, difficult for the modern day reader because the content and style of the English language has changed in the 400 years since the KJV was written. Words using unusual spelling ("shewed" instead of "showed") and alternate endings ("knowest" instead of "know"; "doth" instead of "does") make the modern reader uncertain what is being said. In a multi-media generation, the reader has a short attention span. Language must be clear in order to communicate the meaning.
Many words in Middle English of the 1600's actually mean different things to the modern reader - e.g. "replenish the Earth" (Gen. 1:28, KJV) means to "fill" rather than to "refill" as the modern reader would understand it; "the love of Christ constraineth us" (2 Cor. 5:14, KJV) means we are "compelled" by the love of Christ, not bound up as the modern reader would understand it. By the way, both of these verses were updated in the New King James Version with the words "fill" and "compel."
In addition to the obvious language changes, there are a number of other reasons to suggest a new English translations should be created:
· Many biblical manuscripts have been discovered during this time, particularly the Dead Sea Scrolls roughly sixty years ago.
· Computers have made manuscript analysis much more efficient and provide greater insight than was possible in earlier times.
· Different approaches to translations yield different results.
These are strong reasons to work on a new English translation of the Bible. Moreover, people today have a mentality that desires a one-on-one approach to practically everything: "Have it your way" hamburgers, cosmetics with your specific skin type in mind, magazines that fit your specific demographic profile. Having a Bible that speaks to you specifically follows this same pattern. People read at different levels of comprehension. Different styles appeal to different groups of people. As a result, English translations have been created that appeal to readers with modern slang, reading levels that a child could understand, and even a politically-correct vocabulary.
The NIV was created to "produce an accurate translation, suitable for public and private reading, teaching, preaching, memorizing, and liturgical use." 1 The NIV translators used both a word-for-word and thought-for-thought approach to rendering the English text. This is a key difference found between the KJV and the NIV. The KJV translators kept to a word-for-word approach almost exclusively in their English text. While this keeps the English translation fairly close to the original text in terms of the equivalent words used from each language, it is not always the best way to translate a sentence.
Anytime you translate something from one language into another language, there is some degree of interpretation.
Take for example the Spanish phrase "¿Como se llama?"
The most literal translation of that phrase is, "How you call?"
But a meaning-based translation is, "What is your name?" 2
Greek and Hebrew are constructed differently than English. Translators have always attempted to understand the meaning of the verse/passage they are translating and use that understanding to construct an equivalent English sentence that renders the meaning. Keep in mind that no translation is truly word-for-word. While the KJV renders more of a "word-for-word" translation, the translators still added words for context and altered word order for acceptable English structure.
Using a thought-for-thought approach allows the translator to contextualize the sentence in the target language. The NIV translators attempts to provide the best of both translation approaches using a balanced approach. When the word-for-word translation yields acceptable results, that result is used. When the thought-for-thought approach yields a better outcome, that result is used. Sometimes you will find both approaches used in the same verse.
The NIV is often criticized for "adding or removing words" from the Bible. This is a serious charge and Revelation 22:18-19 is sometimes quoted for effect:
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Rev. 22:18-19, NIV)
It should be clear by now that the thought-for-thought approach to translating the original languages of the Bible into English are neither intended to add/remove words nor do they put words in God's mouth. The translation, as do the other modern English translations, attempt to speak the truth of God's word to the modern reader in a way that can easily be understood. Even the original manuscripts of the different books in the Bible were written in the language of the people. Rather than the scholarly Greek used in academia, the New Testament writers used Koine Greek - more of a street language dialect. God intended for His people to understand what He was saying.
Both the KJV and NIV are accurate and reliable translations. Each one uses a different approach in the translation process to accomplish a different goal. While the KJV is still a valuable translation and continues to benefit many people, the NIV and other modern English translations will speak the truth of God's word to more people. The modern English translations simply meet people where they are to provide clear communication of timeless truths.
Randy Lariscy is the Director of WordTruth Ministries, founded in 1998 to evangelize and educate the world with the truth of God's word, the Bible. He is an author, radio Bible teacher, and bivocational minister.
Website: http://www.WordTruth.com
Email: Service@WordTruth.com
References:
1 Zondervan.com - New International Version (NIV). Retrieved 6/29/2009 at http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/Bible/Translations/New+International+Version+%28NIV%29.htm?QueryStringSite=Zondervan.
2 Zondervan.com - About Bible Translations. Retrieved 6/29/2009 at http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/Bible/Translations/About+Bible+Translations.htm?QueryStringSite=Zondervan.
© 2009, Randy Lariscy.
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