Bible Translation Week: English Standard Version
Apr 21, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
This week, we are talking about different translations of the Bible. Specifically, I am going to cover the three translations I work with the most and why.
Over the course of the last three years or so, I have found myself studying more and more out of the English Standard Version (ESV). While the NLT (which I covered yesterday) is a “Thought for Thought” translation, the ESV is a “Word for Word” translation. Ultimately what that boils down to is more accuracy in the precise words being translated, sometimes at the expense of cadence and easy reading.
Why the ESV?
Besides the accuracy, which I have already mentioned, there is a “grandness” or “elegance” in this translation. Now that may sound weird, but hear me out. While I love translations like the NLT for their simplicity, I miss the “punch” that the Word of God should have. The ESV has preserved the punch. I frequently come across passages that I have read hundreds of times and feel like they have come alive in a fresh and majestic way in the ESV.
Why am I beginning to use it for preaching?
This has been a tough transition for me. At the Holt Venue of Riverview, we have taught out of different translations for a long time. Steve has preferred the NIV, I have used the NLT, and James has used the NASB. I’m not sure what the other guys teach from. We wrestled with whether we should begin to teach from the same translation but decided against it because of the reasons I wrote about on Monday.
During this time period, I tried to incorporate the NIV and NASB into my message prep to see if it would flow for me. I figured teaching from 2 translations would be better than 3 for the church. Neither ever grabbed me and neither really flowed from the tongue. I kept navigating back to the ESV for study and NLT for teaching, always with a bit of trepidation.
Then I got the my series on the book of Psalms. When preparing, I found myself in the ESV because it carried such great poetic feel. I couldn’t get myself to teach out of the NLT for that series, and stuck with the ESV. Now, I can’t seem to get myself to go back. My studies have been much richer in the ESV.
I wondered if anyone would notice. Interestingly, I continued to get the same question every week:
“What translation do you guys teach from? It’s so understandable!”
I realized maybe it wasn’t the translation that was so understandable. Maybe it was how we try to teach clearly from whatever translation we are using.
So there you have it. I am becoming an ESV guy which still means we are teaching from 3 different translations out at the Holt Venue (and who knows how many when you add the MSU Venue guys in).
Tags: bible
Bible Translation Week: New Living Translation
Apr 20, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
This week, we are talking about different translations of the Bible. Specifically, I am going to cover the three translations I work with the most and why.
Since 2004, the primary translation I have preached from has been the New Living Translation, 2nd Edition.
Why the NLT?
I have used the NLT because it is generally easier to understand by the wide variety of people who attend our services. It is written much more in a language we would use day to day and quite frankly, it has the type of cadence and vernacular that I personally use. I find when I read it aloud, it flows very naturally.
Why the 2nd Edition?
Because I think the 1st Edition sucks. I feel like the translators took too many liberties with the text and made it almost into a “paraphrase” instead of a “translation.” However, I accidentally stumbled onto the 2nd Edition when my Bible fell apart and I needed a new one. When I began to compare the 2nd Edition with the 1st and put them next to the Greek and Hebrew, I was pleasantly surprised to find they became much more literal and true to the original texts.
Why am I becoming uneasy using it for preaching?
There are many times where I feel like the NLT doesn’t do justice to the “normal interpretation” of a passage. When that has happened, I have taught the Greek or Hebrew word and explained my discomfort or I have switched over to the New American Standard or English Standard Version to explain a passage.
I have been finding I am doing that more and more. The reason is I have become more and more picky about my doctrine. Even when the nuance hasn’t affected the message I am teaching, I have felt weirder and weirder about the way things are said in the NLT.
Why would I still recommend the NLT for daily Bible reading?
Bluntly, it is very very easy to read. Many people are intimidated by the Bible and the last thing they need is a translation that becomes a barrier between them and the Word. The NLT is such a good translation in the major issues, that for most people it is great. We still pass it out free at Riv to anyone who wants a copy and I read it frequently to help me learn clear concise ways of communicating the truth of Scripture.
For instance, even though I quibbled on the lack of the word “propitiation” on Easter, I used the NLT for this passage because it makes the message so easy to understand:
Romans 3:22-25 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice (propitiation) for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.
Tags: bible
Bible Translation Week: The Schools of Thought
Apr 19, 2010 Uncategorized Hodge Podge
One of the most common questions I get at Riv is:
“What translation do you guys teach from? It’s so understandable!”
Here’s the quick answer: we have no single translation we teach from.
One of my favorite things about Riverview is our “indy spirit.” While we are a doctrinally conservative church, we are very fluid culturally. That plays itself out in a whole lot of ways, one of which is seen in our variety of weekend service teachers. I’ll do about half of the teaching this year at both venues, with Steve and James doing the rest at our Holt Venue and Mark, Joe, and Free doing the rest at MSU. Each year, the lineup changes a little bit.
And in case you didn’t notice, we all have different styles.
Beyond that, we all use different translations of the Bible for our messages.
This is a positive because each translation has its strengths and weaknesses. By teaching out of a variety of translations, we don’t get stuck in one particular English translation of a Greek or Hebrew phrase.
This week, I am going to do quick summaries of the primary translations I use and why. But first, I figured I’d quickly explain the different schools of thought on Bible translation.
The two primary schools of thought are “Word for Word” and “Thought for Thought”. Here’s a chart courtesy of Zondervan that shows where the different translations fall. (Click on it for a larger image.)
“Word for Word”
The greatest strength of this method is that each word is examined in the Greek and Hebrew, (and occasionally Aramaic) for it’s most accurate meaning. Then, the best possible word in English is chosen and placed into the sentence. This gives you the best picture of the precise / literal meaning of each word.
The greatest weakness is that this method can create for cumbersome sentences that are hard to decipher. It also leaves very little room for interpretations of figures of speech and the “normal” use of different words / phrases to the original hearer. It is possible to be incredibly accurate in word usage, but to miss the point because it’s clouded in abnormal idiom (ever heard of Engrish?)
My favorite Word for Word translation is the English Standard Version (ESV) although I also use the New American Standard (NASB) and I am using the NET Bible (NET) quite a bit lately as well.
“Thought for Thought”
You can basically flip around the strengths and weaknesses of “Word for Word” translations to get the strengths and weaknesses of “Thought for Thought.”
These translations take great care to communicate in English the point or meaning of the original text using contemporary English. While this makes the translation much easier to understand / easier to read, it can create inaccuracy in a a few ways. First, when attention isn’t paid to the precise meaning of words, important points can be lost. Secondly, it leaves more wiggle room for the translators to write into the text their interpretation of a passage instead of the precise meaning.
Studying both of these types of translations together (along with the Greek and Hebrew sources) gives a better understanding of the “normal interpretation” of each passage.
My favorite Thought for Thought translation is the New Living Translation (NLT).
The rest of the week, I am going to review my 3 favorite translations and how I use them.
Tags: bible
Loves the Bible
Sep 20, 2009 Sacrificial Followers
This weekend at Riv, we talked about growing as a Sacrificial Follower of Jesus. For the next 8 days, I am going to blog about the marks of a Sacrificial Follower and linking to a bunch of resources that may be able to help you grow in them.
The most important part of this will be your interaction, though. Please post your own suggestions, thoughts, and links so I and other people can learn from you as well. We each come from very different perspectives and what works for me may not work for you.
With that said, here are some thoughts on the first mark of a Sacrificial Follower.
Loves the Bible
A Sacrificial Follower of Jesus uses the Bible as the final authority on issues related to his life and faith. Here’s a bit of my teaching last week where I talk about this area:
When we asked Riv how well they did at this area of their life, it had the lowest number of people who said “I rock at this” of any of the 8 marks we went through. This is definitely an area we need to grow in! Here are a few basic ideas to help you get started in the the Word:
1. Get a Bible
This may seem very basic, but many people don’t have a Bible so it is pretty impossible for them to read it! Now it can be a bit overwhelming to pick one out in the bookstore, so here are a few suggestions:
If you are really new to reading the Bible or you are someone who has difficulty reading, pick an easy to read translation like the New Living Bible (this is the translation I teach from during the weekend services). If you are a bit more of a reader or someone who wants to dig deeper, check out the English Standard Version, which is a bit harder to read but “meatier.” For other thoughts on different translations, read this little paper.
You may also want to get a bible that has a commentary in it. Two I recommend are the Life Application Bible and the ESV Study Bible. Again, pick the one that fits your reading style / experience with the Word.
2. Get a Plan
At Riv, we are reading through the New Testament this year by reading one chapter each weekday. You can join us at Text.RivChurch.com. If this plan doesn’t work for you, just Google “Bible Reading Plan” and you will find about a thousand other ideas. You can even download an iPhone ap that will give you a daily reading.
Here are a few tips to help you as you are putting together your reading plan:
Set aside a specific time and place to read the Bible. Find the time and place that’s easiest for you. Are you a morning person? Read before diving into your day. Night person? Read in bed before zonking out. Find a rhythm that works for you.
Enjoy it. Reading the Bible shouldn’t be a chore, so don’t make it on! Try to read it with the same enjoyment you would an email from a close friend.
If you miss a day, skip it. Seriously, skip it. Don’t give it another thought. Remember, this isn’t a chore, so don’t feel guilty if you miss a day here or there. Just dive back in.
Make your reading a community deal. Discuss what you’re reading with others. You can talk about it in your Life Group each week or with your family around the dinner table.
Here are some other great resources to help you get started.
So, what practical suggestions would you add? What resources help you?
Tags: bible
