The King James Version is one of the most famous Bibles out there. There are far too many Bible translations to go through in one article, but there are a few popular ones that might crop up in your search for a biblical text. How, then, do you decide which English translation is right for you? In contrast, a feminist translator might use the phrase “sisters and brothers” or “everyone” because they think the character is speaking to the women, children and men in the crowd.īut Bibles do not typically have a “how-to” guide on the back cover telling readers these things that went into the translation you’re holding. This means each time you read an English translation of the Bible, the text is influenced - some more than others - by the translator’s assumptions, opinions and beliefs.įor example, a complementarian translator is likely to use words like “brothers” when a character in the original text addresses a crowd because, in their opinion, the character is only speaking to the adult men in the crowd. Translators also have bias, as do all writers. But this is not to say all Bible translations are equally reliable. “Each time you read an English translation of the Bible, the text is influenced - some more than others - by the translator’s assumptions, opinions and beliefs.”Īnd because every translator has a different audience and different reasons for translating the text, there are many different Bibles out there. Others may be creating a text Bible scholars can use in their professional work, so they use sophisticated language their audience already knows. Some Bible translators may be creating a text that is easily understandable for children, so they intentionally exclude confusing or complex language and simplify difficult concepts. Translators also have different reasons for translating a text. This presents different challenges with Old Testament texts, which are mainly written in Hebrew, and New Testament texts, which are mainly written in Greek. That was a novice example, but it gets to the point: Translation is not always word-for-word because those translating are attempting to create a text their audience can understand, while still retaining the meaning of the original language. However, someone translating the blog 300 years from now may have to add a few words into the sentence for future readers who never will have heard that word and may not know it refers to comfortable athletic wear worn outside the gym. If a translator is trying to convey a word or phrase ancient readers would have understood as a cultural reference, modern readers may require an explanation of the cultural or timely context in which it was written so the translator may have to add or change a few words to make the meaning of the text accessible.įor example, a teen in 2023 might describe their outfit as “athleisure” on their personal blog, and readers today would know what that means. Also, there aren’t always direct or easily understandable translations of every word, especially when working between ancient and modern languages. When translating any text between languages, there are many factors to consider, such as culture, time, author’s purpose, audience and more. After all, the original words do not change, so it seems like there would only be one correct way to translate them. If you are trying to discern why a Bible might be right (or wrong) for you, it could be worth asking why there are so many translations in the first place. Some were given a Bible during childhood and never thought about finding a different translation, while others have spent hundreds of hours considering what feels right to them. Everyone has a version of the Bible they prefer reading.
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