Bible translations, a guide to understanding the difference.
If you have the slightest interest in the Bible you will have noticed the vast number of Bible translations one can choose from. What are the differences from one Bible translation to another and why are there so many of them? This brief article will attempt to whet your appetite to further study in the fascinating world of Bible reading and translation.
The Bible was written in three languages, Hebrew, Greek (Koine) and some portions in Aramaic. None of these languages are widely spoken today and are pretty much reduced to a few academics that actually voice out the words, often not being quite sure how it is pronounced. So it is thank to translations that we can enjoy today this wonderful masterpiece, the Bible. In fact today nobody has any excuse not to have read at least a portion of the Bible as it has been painstakingly translated into over 2,400 languages and there are many languages that have dozens of different translations in one language.
What differences are there from one translation to another?
Bible translations are often divided in three main groups with a wide variety of hybrid versions in between. At one end of the spectrum of translations we have interlinear translations that contain the original language and render the target language on a word to word basis. These translations are very accurate in their rendition of words but sacrifice in readability and flow of thought when the grammar structure varies significantly to English or the language the Bible is being translated in.
On the other side of the spectrum are Paraphrase translations of the Bible. These translations, also called free translations, provide a looser translation where less importance is placed on word choice and translation and more in expressing the message the translator feels God wants to convey.
The middle ground of Bible translations is a hybrid of interlinear and paraphrase Bibles that strives to keep grammatical and semantic integrity while making the text interesting and easy to read.
Which is the best Bible for you much depends on the kind of student you are and what you want to get out of the Bible reading. We can however warn on the use of Free or paraphrased Bibles, sometimes the liberties taken by translators to express what they feel the message is are excessive and depend too much on the beliefs of the translator.
I personally recommend a wide variety of Bibles depending on the purpose of the reading which will provide depth and interest to your personal Bible study.