HERMENEUTICS

1. HERMENEUTICS TRANSLATIONS • Grasping God’s Word, (2nd ed.) by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Chapter 9 • How to Read the Bible for All its Worth (3rd ed.) by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, Chapter 2 • Additional resource: Bible Gateway • http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible/

2. Why not use only one translation? • Signals your implicit agreement with that translation’s exegesis • Its mistakes will be your misunderstandings • Narrows your hermeneutical options • Only the originals are believed to be inerrant • Deprives you of the expertise of other translators • Proverbs 11:14 • Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

3. Terms used by translators • Original language • Receptor language • Historical distance • Textual criticism

4. Translation theories • Literal (favoring formal equivalence) • Free (seeks to eliminate historical distance) • Dynamic Equivalent (favoring functional equivalence) LITERAL FREE DYNAMIC EQUIVALENCE

5. Bible Translations • Introduction • The Bible version (or translation) is different from the marketing format used by the publishers. • Translation - transferring a message in one language into another language. • Translation is unavoidable unless everyone wants to learn Hebrew and Greek. It allows us to hear what God has said.

6. How did we get our English Bible? • God worked through the various human authors, including their background, personality, cultural context, writing style, faith commitments, research, and so on, to that what they wrote was the inspired Word of God. Original Text Copies Critical Text Translation Readers

7. Approaches to translating God’s Word • Not as simple as defining each word and stringing together the definitions. Don’t assume that literal automatically equals accurate. • Languages differ: • No two words have exactly the same meaning. • The vocabulary of any two languages varies in size. • Languages put words together differently. • Languages have different stylistic preferences.

8. Translation involves reproducing the meaning of a text in a source language as fully as possible in the receptor language. • Three main approaches to translation: • Formal – tries to follow the wording and structure (“forms”) of the original language • Functional (a.k.a. Dynamic Equivalent) – tries to express meaning of original text in today’s language • Free – seeks to translate the ideas, with less concern about using the exact words of the original language

9. FormalFunctional Free KJV NASB RSV NRSV NAB NIV NJB NCV GNB The Message ASV NKJV HCSB NET TNIV REB NLT CEV ESV No translation is entirely formal or functional. _ • A paraphrase is not a translation from the original languages, but a restatement or explanation of an English translation. • Use paraphrases like you would use commentaries.

10. Choosing a translation • Uses modern English (whole point of translation) • Based on the standard Hebrew and Greek critical texts • Made by a committee rather than an individual • Appropriate for your specific purpose at the time

11. Problems Translators Face Terms for Money • Will always be subject to change due to shifting currency values • Luke 19:16 • mina = a British pound (KJV) = $2.01 • Translated an equivalent value at the time • mina = mina (NIV) = about three months wages • Transliterated the word and added a note

12. Problems Translators Face Euphemisms and idioms are used in most cultures for matters of sex or toilet • Translate literally? • Translate formal equivalent? • Use a functionally equivalent euphemism? • Gen.31:35, 18:11 • 1 Sam. 25:22, 1 Kings 14:10, 21:21 • 2 Sam. 13:14, Gen. 4:1

13. Problems Translators Face Vocabulary variations • The Amplified Bible translators’ solution: provide a range of possible meanings for readers to choose from • John 17:1 “Glorify and exalt and honor and magnify Your Son, …” • 1 Cor. 7:14, Gal. 1:7, 1 John 3:8 & 24 • Can God make Himself known to us? • Is this how human persons talk?

14. Problems Translators Face Wordplays Grammar and Syntax Matters of Gender

15. Choosing a Translation • Choose one main translation as your personal companion • NIV is the most reliable • Uses modern English (the whole point of translation) • Based on the standard Hebrew and Greek critical texts • Made by a committee rather than an individual

16. How many translations should you use? • Give it some friends to help it • A Formal Equivalent translation • NASB is the best here • A Free Translation • The Message or New Living Translation are both very interesting • Keep a copy of KJV in your library, for its historical and lyrical value • Primary Goal of Your Primary Translation Choice: • Faithfulness to the text, and not • Ease of reading

17. A Common (or Pulpit) Bible • Problems when no single translation is favored by the pulpit and C.E. ministries • Memorization • Delayed recognition, delayed response, delayed application • Reduced authoritativeness • Benefits • Wakes people up • Encourages critical reading

18. A Common (or Pulpit) Bible • Can you gain the benefits that using a multiplicity of translations may bring, without encouraging multiple choice, flavor-of-the-day, version-du-jour translation shuffling?