Why, when there are countless versions/translations of the bible, do people still take it so literally???

Question

Why can't people recognize human fallibility in the writing/translating of the bible?

Answer 1

One thing you may not realize is that the good translations are translated directly for the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic manuscripts that have been preserved for all time. There are over 5000 manuscripts recovered and translated. (The most evidence from any major ancient literary source)

Scholars do indeed see the human elements in Scripture but that doesnt make Gods truth any less than important. A wise man one said that the Bible is theologically perfect enough to astonish the wisest of scholars and human enough to give any unbeliever doubt.

Answer 2

Hasn't the Bible been rewritten so many times that we can't trust it anymore?


This is a common misconception. Some people think that the Bible was written in one language, translated to another language, then translated into yet another and so on until it was finally translated into the English. The complaint is that since it was rewritten so many times in different languages throughout history, it must have become corrupted . The "telephone" analogy is often used as an illustration. It goes like this. One person tells another person a sentence who then tells another person, who tells yet another, and so on and so on until the last person hears a sentence that has little or nothing to do with the original one. The only problem with this analogy is that it doesn't fit the Bible at all.
The fact is that the Bible has not been rewritten. Take the New Testament, for example. The disciples of Jesus wrote the New Testament in Greek and though we do not have the original documents, we do have around 6,000 copies of the Greek manuscripts that were made very close to the time of the originals. These various manuscripts, or copies, agree with each other to almost 100 percent accuracy. Statistically, the New Testament is 99.5% textually pure. That means that there is only 1/2 of 1% of of all the copies that do not agree with each other perfectly. But, if you take that 1/2 of 1% and examine it, you find that the majority of the "problems" are nothing more than spelling errors and very minor word alterations. For example, instead of saying Jesus, a variation might be "Jesus Christ." So the actual amount of textual variation of any concern is extremely low. Therefore, we can say that we have a remarkably accurate compilation of the original documents.
So when that we translate the Bible, we do not translate from a translation of a translation of a translation. We translate from the original language into our language. It is a one step process and not a series of steps that can lead to corruption. It is one translation step from the original to the English or to whatever language a person needs to read it in. So we translate into Spanish from the same Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Likewise we translate into the German from those same Greek and Hebrew manuscripts as well. This is how it is done for each and every language we translate the Bible into. We do not translate from the original languages to the English, to the Spanish, and then to the German. It is from the original languages to the English, or into the Spanish, or into the German. Therefore, the translations are very accurate and trustworthy in regards to what the Bible originally said.

Answer 3

Dear To Live,

Have you read any of the versions/translations of the the Bible?
I have looked at and read several and they tell me exactly the same thing no matter which version I am reading.

People do have their favorite translation. My personal favorite for reading the Bible (from cover-to-cover) is the New International Version (NIV) but my minister preaches from the New King James Version (NKJV) so I take that along to church and Bible study.

About 25 years ago I was a feminist and was sure that all I had to do was to rewrite the Bible and take out all of the "sexist" language. But when I did actually read the Daily Walk Bible it changed me. I lost all desire to change it. Instead I wanted to encourage other people to read it.

There are many parallel Bibles these days that have 2 or more translations side-by-side. I have a copy of the Precise Parallel Bible and it has 8 New Testaments. I can't read it in Greek but the other 7 are in English.

As I said MOST of the translations are basically the same and they are the Word of God. HOWEVER, I have a copy of what JWs call the Bible. I have also read it but that has been changed by men. It is not the inspired Word of God.

Answer 4

If everyone spoke koine Greek and ancient Hebrew, we would not need a translation. But since only Bible scholars work in those languages, then the rest of us need a translation. Variations in translations and versions are due to different translation teams choosing different words to explain a passage. It does not mean that any translation says something different from the other. They all say the same thing, they just use different words to describe what the original means. If you studied this, you would soon see that there is no problem here.

EDIT: Very good Bro Mike---

Answer 5

that's what the Bible is about,it shows humans at their worst and best, and as far as translations,how would English speaking and reading people or anyone other than Hebrew,and Aramaic wouldn't be able to read the Bible at all,so they had to translate it,just like a lot of book have been,that doesn't mean it changed what the meaning of the Book is.
And no Book is ever going to be accurate as long as a human wrote it,we make mistakes,and God didn't write the Bible with his own hand,so there are things in this world this universe that we will never know the truth to til we die....

Answer 6

There is a lot of emotive energy behind most religions that ask a lot of faith 4rm believers, and a lot of this can be fear. When such realisations arise, some believers would interpret that question as the devil trying to get his way...and the dead sea scrolls SERIOUSLY contradicts the bible 4 any who think differently.
However, there is still a lot of wisdom in the prophetic books of the old testament and in patches thru-out the whole book(there is wisdom thru-out the universe but its not always straight forward interpreting!).

Answer 7

The Greeks wrote the original Bible. Then King James versions are exactly like the Greek Scrolls.
So, i dont know, u figure it out.

Answer 8

it is the way they are taught to read it. They read it as truth and only that...ignorant of discrepancies inherent in translations.

You also have spiritual leaders not comfortable with parishioners who are full of questions.

The bible needs to be read as a concert of the following:
History
Story
Word

The trick is to be trained to know which is which.

Answer 9

Have you ever read it?
Very few translations contradict each other. - Including the 3,000 year old dead sea scrolls.

Know what you're talking about.

Answer 10

Different versions are simply different peoples efforts of translating the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts into English.

Please check how how they've done:

Joh 3:16 (NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 (NASB) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:16 (ASV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 (BBE) For God had such love for the world that he gave his only Son, so that whoever has faith in him may not come to destruction but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 (DBY) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.

Joh 3:16 (MNT) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever trusts in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 (NKJV) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:16 (RSV) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 (TCNT) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that every one who believes in him may not be lost, but have Immortal Life.

Joh 3:16 (WEB) For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16 (WNT) For so greatly did God love the world that He gave His only Son, that every one who trusts in Him may not perish but may have the Life of Ages.

Joh 3:16 (YLT) for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.