Last Sunday we began our new SS curriculum and studied the truth that God’s Word is our foundation. I thought that I would follow up that lesson by discussing Bible translations. I have been preaching out of the ESV translation, but there is a good chance that at some point I will use the NIV translation as well.
It’s important to note that no translation is perfect. Translating the Scriptures from the original texts is very difficult work because our modern English language and the ancient languages of the Bible don’t align very well. A straight word-for-word translation would not be very readable in English. So translators have choices to make in how they present the text. The goal, of course, is to be faithful to the original meaning of the authors of the Bible. Some translations (ESV, NAS, KJV) lean more toward a word-for-word translation. Others (NIV, NLT) use a more thought-for-thought translation method, which is more readable but is less literal. Still others (Good News, The Message) are considered paraphrases. A paraphrase is a retelling of the Bible in someone’s own words. It’s what the author thinks the Bible says, not necessarily what it says.
I grew up reading the New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible. The NIV was first published in 1978 and was revised in 1984. It is easier to read than the literal translations of the Bible, but it also stays true to the original text. Through the 80’s and into the 90’s the NIV became the “standard” translation in many churches, meaning that it’s what the pastor preached from and was the version that was placed in the pews.
In 2005 the publisher of the NIV, a company named Zondervan, produced an updated version that strived to be gender-inclusive and called it Today’s NIV. Zondervan was hoping that everyone would run out and buy a new Bible. That didn’t happen. There was a lot of scholarly criticism of it and people kept right on buying the old 1984 translation. Zondervan stopped publishing Today’s NIV in 2009.
Then, in 2011, Zondervan began to print another revised version of the NIV, still with gender-neutral changes. For example:
Mark 7:15 (NIV 84) – “Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’”
Mark 7:15 (NIV) – “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”
The 2011 version also includes some changes to certain verses that critics felt were not faithful to the original text. The catch was that this time Zondervan stopped printing the old 1984 version. Anyone who has bought an NIV Bible that was printed since 2011 has bought the new version. Pastors of “NIV Churches” now had to make a choice – adopt the new NIV, stick with the old NIV (knowing that their people would no longer be able to buy it), or adopt a new translation. A number of those pastors and churches switched over to the English Standard Version (ESV).
The ESV was first printed in 2001. It was a revision of the old Revised Standard Version (RSV). I remember when Memorial Church took the RSV out of the pews and replaced them with the NIV, perhaps some of you have similar memories! To avoid confusion the publishers gave the new version a different name.
The ESV is a more literal translation of the original manuscripts of the Bible when compared to the NIV, but it also isn’t quite as readable. The ESV also doesn’t strive to be gender-neutral like the modern NIV. It has become popular in churches who wish to use a modern but more conservative and literal translation. Crossway Bibles (the publisher of the ESV) had a few nationally known pastors, theologians, and Christian speakers endorse the ESV, which helped its popularity immensely.
So which translation of the Bible should a Christian read? It’s really a matter of personal choice. There is an old pastor saying that goes like this – “The best translation of the Bible is the one that you’ll read.”
All translations have their advocates and critics. The more literal ones are typically best for studying the Scriptures, while the more readable ones are great for personal devotions. I tend to prefer more literal translations like the ESV, but during my sermon prep I typically read the passage from 2 or 3 different translations (sometimes more). Here is a link that gives a good overview of the spectrum: http://www.biblereviewer.com/bible-translation-comparison
As I alluded to, many churches end up preaching and teaching from one translation, if for no other reason than so folks can read along from the same one. That’s how you end up with KJV churches, NIV churches, ESV churches, and so on.
So which one will I use from the pulpit moving forward? Whichever one I think is the best fit for the message that morning! What I can say is that when I use the NIV it will be the NIV84 version, not the modern one. One final note – whatever Bible you choose to use, bring your Bibles to church! NOTHING can replace have God’s Word in your hands, where you can circle, underline, highlight and mark verses and passages that are meaningful to you!
Here’s what’s happening:
- This Saturday, October 8th the Junior High Youth are hosting a barn sale at the church from 8 am to 12 pm.
- Senior High Youth Group will meet on Sunday 10/9 and Sunday 10/23 from 6:30 to 8 pm at the church.
- Harvest Party is set for Friday, 10/28 from 6-8 pm at the church. Dinner, campfire, hayride and the big slide are all returning, as is Kids Bake-Off competition.
- Upcoming banquets/fundraisers for local ministries that ABCF supports:
- On Thursday, October 20th New Hope Ministries in Quarryville is hosting a drop-in celebration night at Providence Church from 5 – 8 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids, with a $60 max per family. Evening includes food, entertainment, and a silent auction. Head over to www.newhopeministry.info to get your tickets.
- Onesimus Prison Ministries has scheduled its banquet for Friday, October 28 starting at 6 pm at Mt. Vernon Christian Church. See Vernon Myers for more info and to register.
- Solanco Neighborhood Ministries is having an Open House celebration on Saturday, October 29 from 9am to noon. Tours of the new facility and refreshments for all who come.
- Communion is set for Sunday, 10/30.
- AMEC (our network) is having its biannual conference on November 4 & 5 at Bethany Grace Fellowship Church. The keynote speaker this year is Josh McDowell! There is no cost to attend the sessions, but registration is required. To learn more and to register, head over to https://www.amec.church/events
This week we will be looking at Moses’ first showdown with Pharaoh in Exodus 5 & 6. Things don’t go well, and Moses is despondent about it. He and God have another remarkable conversation (well, this one is pretty one-sided) and God renews His promise that Pharaoh will let the people go. If you know someone who has encountered difficulties as they have tried to follow God’s call on their life, invite them to join you at the Bridge on Sunday!