Translating Scripture

In Episode 2 of our series, Talking About the Bible, Daniel, Michael, and Gerald offer a window into some of the many considerations and aspects of providing translations of scripture. Below are brief descriptions of the types of translations followed by a list of different translations group according to these types. Verbal Translations: “Translations that attempt to translate the Bible into modern English that is as close to the grammar, words, rhythm, and order of the ancient languages as possible” (Sheeley & Nash, p. 32). Dynamic Translations: Two mainstream movements 1 – General Idiomatic Approach: launched by translators, James Moffatt, J. B. Phillips, Edgar Goodspeed, and Ronald Knox. These translations viewed as “phrase-for-phrase” effort to reproduce the meaning of ancient text in modern English. Phillips said it is working to make the translation “not sound like a translation at all” 2 – Common Language Approach: emerged as result of “efforts by American Bible Society to use linguistic analysis to translate Bibles in international mission contexts” (Sheeley & Nash, p. 63). Paraphrases “Paraphrases hope to express the spiritual truths of the Bible in something like the way the original author would have one had they been writing in English” (Sheeley & Nash, p. 88). Paraphrases like the New Living Bible and The Message, are developed from scripture that is already translated into English. Sheeley, Steven M. , and Nash, Robert N., Jr. (1997). The Bible in English Translation: An Essential Guide, Abingdon Press: Nashville Translations By Category Verbal: Kings James Version (KJV): 1611 American Standard Version (ASV) Revised Standard Version (RSV) New American Standard Bible (NASB) New International Version (NIV) New American Bible (NAB) New King James Version (NKJV) 21st Century King James (KJ21) New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Dynamic Twentieth Century New Testament James Moffatt J. B. Phillips New English Bible (NEB) Revised English Bible (REB) New Living Translation (NLT) Good News Bible (GNB/TEV) Contemporary English Version (CEV) Paraphrases The Living Bible (LB) The Message