Has anyone read the bible in its original language?

Question

I just had an interesting discussion with my Grandfather about the differences in what is written in the English version of the bible and the bible in its original language. I am just wondering if anyone else knows about these differences, and what your opinions are.

I'm not sure what my Grandfather meant by "original language". I'll have to ask him next time I visit him. One of the things he mentioned was that Jesus fed an entire village with wine, bread, and a fish by setting an example for others to follow, not that he actually fed the entire village with the small contents of his basket.

Answer 1

No, but I had a very accurate translation, and it even had foot notes at the bottom of each page (really took up about half the page) that showed what was changed in various other translations. It's insane to see how many changes were made, some big, some little. This version also had some of the books of the new testament that most bibles leave out, and some books that belonged in the new testament that were taken out of the canon. I actually studied it in college for a couple of years.
The King James version, in my opinion, is one of the worst ones you can read.

Answer 2

Certainly. The Old Testament is originally written in Hebrew. The New Testament pretty much Greek. Jesus spoke Aramaic mostly so if memeory serves, there's a few words of that thrown in as well. More to your question, when the Jews wrote out the Old Testament, they also placed a caveat, a warning, in the text, that whoever altered the words in any way, that person would be damned forever. Basically that's why the Orthodox Jews have been Keepers of the Law, as they were commanded by God. The Bible has come down to us pretty much intact in the same way that Plato and others have been given to us. There is no doubt as to the authenticity of the Scriptures. The New Testament was a little more problematic. The first parts weren't written until 75 to 100 years after the death of Christ. And besides the authentic writings of the Apostles, there were very many forgeries and so forth. If I remember correctly, Emperor Constantine proposed a General Council at Nicea, to sort out the real from the fake. The Nicean Council was held in 330. Google all this to be certain. It wasn't that difficult since the genuine writings of the apostles are literature on an extremely high level. The Apostle Paul is way better that Shakespeare, but that's just my opinion. An objective reading of the non-genuine stuff quickly shows that's it's pretty bad. For instance, read any passage out of the Bible, then try reading something from the Book of Mormon. (Sorry Mormons) The latter has no poetry; no lyricism; no conviction; no nothing. The writing style reminds me a lot of Edgar Rice Burroughs. If the Book of Mormon had been around in 330, all those old bishops would have kicked it to the curb in a heartbeat, along with the rest of that genre. For the best source for the Bible in the original languages, check the CBD website. There are all sorts of study guides. Lots of Evangelical Christians read the Bible in the original, and are fluent in both Hebrew and Greek, and some even in Aramaic.

Answer 3

People of that calibur are probably not going to be in a forum like this. Try a lexicon. Here is a greek lexicon online that will at least help with the new testament.
http://www.scripture4all.org/

If you can read Hebrew, or if you want a transliteration, here's one for the old testament.
http://blueletterbible.org/
You have to click on the helps tabs to get there, also has Strongs numbers to help...

God Bless

Answer 4

Good question, but please read my comments and consider them...Many people just don't know and parrot doubts of others and don't investigate.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1946, included a complete copy of the book of Isaiah, probably a second-century BC copy. Isaiah's prophecy of 66 chapters comes from the 8th century BC.

Now, that second-century copy of Isaiah, 2,200 years removed from us, reveals that only slight variations in wording occur, but nothing significantly different from what we have today. No meanings were changed.

Many challenge the Bible on similar grounds, saying that through such a long period of history, we cannot be sure that what we have today is what was written. That is absolutely not so! No other book or writings from antiquity have been so meticulously safe-guarded as has been the biblical record.

The science of textual criticism is an exacting science and those involved in this science spend years of study in school to be able to help in this process and invest great chunks of their lives in this field. People who make the accusation that time has warped the meaning of the Bible are woefully ignorant of the process of preservation that continues today.

I challenge you to read the book, "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel, and then come back with such questions. This will help you with your question. Lee Strobel, lawyer and legal analyst for the Chicago Tribune, was an atheist. Then, one night his wife came home and announced that she had become a Christian.

Lee was troubled by her announcement, but noticed changes in her life that were surprising to him in a good way. He then launched a two-year investigation into the trustworthiness and reliability of the Bible. His findings shocked him and he too became a Christian. It's a must read for you if your question posed is serious. It's a must read too for others who doubt the authenticity of biblical preservation---if they are more than silly with their questions as well.

I sense you are serious.

Answer 5

there's no original language to the bible, the bible, if one reads carefully, is a narrative book this means that the language could have been several. The Jewish people preserved these ancient writing, for example Jacob talk with is uncle Laban who talk another language which was probably Phoenician and pro-to-Canaanite,or ugaritic. One shouldn't be so intrigue with Hebrew that one under minds this fact, but unfortunately many bible believers do. I hope this was use full. peace

Brother Luis

Answer 6

It would also be very interesting to know what was deleted and what scripture was left out when king constantine had the bible compiled in 365 AD. I believe the catholic church has a great deal of information it does not release to the public. I think it is time for it to be released. God is now in the process of dissolving various religions because they have served their purpose and refuse to or can't reveal all of Gods truth.

Answer 7

Not really but I do have a copy of the Greek NT and the Hebrew Tanach with Strong's numbers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong%27s_numbers)

So I am able to "read" it by looking up each word at a time. Its more like on the fly translation than reading (but then again isn't that what reading fundamentally is anyway...hmmmm)

Answer 8

Well, you got the Christian "Greek" Scriptures which is your "New Testament" and the "Old Testament" which was written in the Hebrew-Aramaic language...take your pick? Both are actually translated to the English from Latin translations but from positive theological-secular discoveries!

Answer 9

I wish I knew Greek and Hebrew. But praise God for my Concordance which allows me to take each and every English word translated back to its original Greek and Hebrew giving me, not only the proper pronunciation, but the fullness of the definition so often watered down while translating.

Take for example the word "LOVE" there are four different words for Love in the Bible's original text, but all are translated in English simply as, "love".

It is important to disect the word to its original in order to fully understand the message God intends for us.


"Agape" ----is God's love. It is unconditional love that thinks of others and their welfare.

"Phileo" ------ is brotherly love. It is a friendly love shared between two friends.

"Storge"------ is a physical show of affection that results from a pure motive. It is born from a natural affection like that between a mother and a child.

"Eros"----- love is expressed sexually and intended between a husband and wife, but is easily corrupted. It is the word from which the word Erotic is derived.

All but Agape love which is a Godly love born from God can be corrupted, taken out of context and used for selfish gain.

Answer 10

Wasn't Aramaic the language of the times. I don't believe there are many people out there that can read Aramaic. Even if you found a bible in Aramaic it would have probably been edited,rewrote,reinterpreted a thousand time by now. ???