Bible Translations: Why So Many, Finding The Perfect One
The other day I was at a Bible study listening to a passage of Scripture. When we got to a particular verse, what was being read was nothing like what my Bible said. Not all Bibles use the same words, and there is a reason for that.
As a whole, the wording of various Bible versions differs due to multiple or varying source documents and differing translations styles and goals. The source documents used and the translators goals will determine what English word they will use to correspond to a particular word in the ancient text.
The vast number of different Bible versions as a result of this can make choosing a Bible translation feel overwhelming. But with a little understanding and some practical tips, choosing the right translation for you can be a breeze.
Different Translations Due to Multiple Source Documents
The Bible is made up of many different books, letters, poems, and manuscripts, that are divided into two parts: The Old Testament and the New Testament. These texts have different source texts, which are the original writings of these texts.
Translators use these texts to create the Bibles that we know and use today. Let’s take a look at the different source documents for each part of the Bible.
The Old Testament Source Documents:
- The Masoretic Text (MT): The Masoretic Text is a standardized Hebrew Version of the Old Testament. It was compiled by a group called the Masoretes between the 6th and 10th centuries.
- Septuagint (LXX): The Septuagint is one of the oldest versions of the Old Testament, written in Greek. It was created between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, in Egypt. It contains some books with slightly different wording than the MT and includes additional books.
- Additional Manuscripts: In addition to the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint, there are other various fragments and manuscripts that have been discovered that aide in the translation process. Perhaps, one of the biggest of these is the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date anywhere between the 2nd Century BC to the 1st Century AD.
New Testament Source Documents:
- Greek Manuscripts: There are numerous Greek manuscripts that contain the books of the New Testament. These include:
- Codex Sinaticus: One of the oldest complete copies of the New Testament dating to the 4th century AD.
- Codex Vaticanus: Another 4th century manuscript containing most of the New Testament.
- Codex Alexandrinus: A 5th century manuscript containing almost all of the New Testament
- Other Various Fragments: There are also other fragments that contain portions of the New Testament. Some of these date to the 2nd century.
- Church Writings: Early Christian writings from the Church Fathers also quote or mention numerous parts of the New Testament.
When translators go to translate the Old Testament the will use one of these primary sources as a foundation. Though, they will compare it to the other sources, especially when trying to translate a difficult passage.
For the New Testament most translators will use a standard Greek Text created from the various Greek documents
I know that is a lot, but lets take a look at different Bibles and what source texts they use.
| Catholic Bibles | Septuagint | Greek Manuscripts |
| Protestant Bibles | Masoretic Text | Greek Manuscripts |
| Eastern Orthodox Bibles | Septuagint | Greek Manuscripts |
| Jewish Bibles | Masoretic Text | No New Testament |
Different Translations Due to Different Translation Styles And Goals
We can begin to see how the source text used can create different translations. But what about the various word differences in the protestant bibles? I mean there are still so many different words. Why can’t all protestant Bibles use the same words?
As a whole, Protestant Bibles differ in words due to translation style and semantic range. Translation style refers to how closely they stick to the structure and wording of a source text. Semantic range refers to the natural range of meaning a particular word carries.
In general, there are two different translation styles that are used:
- Formal Equivalence: This style seeks to hold closer to the original structure and wording of the text. Often it is called a word-for-word translation. These include translations such as: NASB and ESV.
- Dynamic Equivalence: This style is is more focused on the meaning of the text than the grammatical structure. As such, it is often called functional equivalence, or a thought-for-thought approach. Translations that use this style include: NIV, NIRV, and NLT.
Other than translation style, the semantic range of a word can lead to different translations. Words carry a range of meaning, and because of this translators may prefer one English word over another. Or may think that the original word means one thing in one context and another in another context.
An example of semantic range would be the word “run”. “Run: carries with it the idea of operating something or moving very quickly in a specific direction.
8 Tips For Finding the Perfect Translation For You
Because of multiple source documents and different translation styles we are left with lots of different versions of the Bible to choose from. Here are some practical tips for finding the perfect translation for you:
- Don’t worry or stress: There is no perfect translation. No single translation has it all. Most are accurate and faithful. So, don’t stress about choosing one.
- Get advice from others: Ask your friends, family, or pastor which translation they use or recommend and why.
- Find one you want to read: The whole purpose of getting a Bible is to use it and study it. So, find one that you want to read and is not to hard for you to understand.
- Be practical: Look for one that you can carry. One that will stand up to frequent use.
- Compare translations before you decide: Read from different translations before you decide. Use a Bible app or Bible Gateway to compare translations.
- Choose a translation that uses modern English: It’s important you are comfortable reading the Bible. So, generally this means picking one with more modern English. Check to see when it was most recently updated or revised.
- Choose a translation based on the Hebrew or Greek text: Check the front of your Bible to see if they are using original language texts. Some Bible translations are paraphrases from an already common English translation.
- Give preference to a translation done by a committee over one done by an individual: This ensures less bias or theological leanings enter the text.
