How many Christians can read their Bible in the original Greek and Hebrew?

Question

How easy was it to change the Word of God because the faithful could not read the original?

Ben S: Asking questions is an attempt at deception? Do tell.

Answer 1

I can read the original languages, and teach biblical Greek at a graduate school here on the east coast. Most of the translations in existance today are pretty good. It is doubtful that the translations contain attepts to mislead people from what is actually said in the Greek and Hebrew text, there are just differences of opinion on how to translate certain words and phrases within different contexts.

The problem with moving the Greek text over into English is that most Greek words have multiple English meanings. Also, the adverbial participle in Greek is an elusive little creature that is difficult to translate since it could be understood in many, many different ways. Verb tenses also carry with them special significance in Biblical Greek that do not translate well (if at all) into English, therefore, some meaning is lost. (The same is true, if not moreso of Hebrew - minus the problem of the participle)

Lastly, the current Greek and Hebrew texts that are used for translational purposes are compilations of thousands of different texts. Scholars have combed through these texts in order to try and determine what may have been closest to the original. No one can be sure how much things changed between the originals and the copies that we now have, but evidence would suggest that changes have been great (there are more places of variance within the Greek New Testament than there are words in the G.N.T.) Hope that helped a bit.

Answer 2

Today if you can afford to purchase the lexicons any Christian can read the origional and also get detailed information as to what the ancient Greek words meant. Actually knowing ancient Greek is not necessary though some context is lost and some meanings changed slightly as the phrases are taken more literally today than they would have in ancient times. We have phrases like "off the cuff" which 1,000 years ago may have disputed translations into languages modern for that time. So knowing Greek does not really help, you have to know ancient Greek. Hebrew has been static enough since the Bible's writing that you can probably get along with just a Lexicon for translations, though many phrases will lose impact.

What is interesting is that the Hewbrew texts are translations themselves. The early Isrealites did not read or write Hebrew. Apparently even as late as Moses they used a language which was the foundation for several other languages including Hebrew.

I believe in God but I disagree with trying to interpit the Bible literally. I think that is to miss the point. Rarely does the letter of anything stay true to the spirit, the intent of what was written. I think even if somehow through devine guidance all these translations were error free and no books were dropped that had real significance you are still missing the point by trying to read literally. You cannot see the forest for the trees is an apt way to put it when you try to read the Bible inside out (using literal word). Every word in the Bible is meant to build on each other for a larger view. It is also written to have meaning to generations beyond the ones when it was composed. Literal meanings lose such value over the generations.

Answer 3

hi, definite I do, each and every guy it somewhat is a believer in Christ could ultimately as he matures make investments time in discovering the Hebrew/Greek. you will get a fuller meaning interior the unique texts and it would provide you a extra useful photograph. Even the KJV has some issues that would have had extra useful wording like repent easily meaning replace of ideas. as a rely of actuality nevertheless that even by using what we've from the Hebrew/Greek to english translations the essential truths are all precise, yet there could be very minor wordings that would desire to extra useful be defined by using going to the unique. I dont think of it is going to be an intial requirement using fact we've an precise english version yet some could be required down the line. Thats why many in the present day have hebrew/greek concordances.

Answer 4

If I could understand Greek or Hebrew, I would. But the Bible has been translated into my own language, and I think there's a lot of better things I could be doing with my time than learning Greek and Hebrew for my own good. Now if it were for the good of others, I would, but I've got better things to do like helping the poor.

Answer 5

You are absolutely right about the changing of the meaning. The time is was translated dictates which of three our four meaning a world might have. I started this about 15 years ago trying to understand womens place in the church.

The easiest example I can give is Thou shalt not kill, I think it should be thou shalt not murder. Killing is sometimes justifiable, murder is not.

There are SO many examples of a word having several shades of meaning that you could spend a lifetime trying to sort it all out.
In Greek women were considered to be property, so the word for wife took on a different meaning than the Hebrew helpmate.
Believe me, even if we could read it in every language there would still be questions about the translation.

That is why I trust my self to understand and not just one book

Answer 6

Don't trip, little brother. The New American Standard is the closest of all the translations to the Greek/Hebrew. Remember, even studying Greek/Hebrew your WHOLE life cannot guarantee that you are even reading the subtle nuances correctly. The bible also says, don't start arguments... it's merely vainity. God bless, and keep the faith!

Answer 7

I don't know many Christians who read the Bible in it's original text - I certainly don't. However, if I could, I suppose I would, although I'm not sure that there really be any benefit to it.

I'm grateful that the Bible is translated into English and believe that the spirit of the text has remained intact despite the translation by "human hands."

Answer 8

Probably none, I don't think the real original transcripts still exist.

As far as the current greek and hebrew versions, don't know, my religion professor could, and I learned a handful of words. It was really incredible how much the meaning of various versus changed by learning the greek words!

best wishes

Answer 9

Well I can take a word back to the original, and see all the meaning of the original word.
The use of a concordance is the next best thing to being able to read in Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Babylonian.

Answer 10

No one can read the "original" "Bible" because there was not one. And... All of the original texts which were recorded by the original scribes by the inspiration of God have been lost for over 1700 years. All that is available today are copies of copies of translations of fragments of copies... man has been mucking up the text for centuries... There is no inerrant text of "The Bible" in existance today...No one can find God's True Word and Will in any existing "translation" without the leading of The Holy Spirit...