How do Christian religions reconcile the existence of different versions of the Bible?

Question

Each branch of christianity claims it holds the only true inspired word of god in their particular version of the Bible. But there are definitely minor (to major) differences between the texts. They cannot all be simultaneously the inspired word of the same god.

Let me clarify...Each branch believes that their translation is the correct one...to johnny cee (answerer), this problem wouldn't exist if everybody compiled every translation. But this is obviously not the case.

Answer 1

OK Let's do this.....I am a believer in God,and believe that God sent Jesus to us. lets say I gave enough thought to the biblical events (that indeed have differences in text and meanings) to realize that 1=there is a God 2= he sent a savior to us.I See a Big Picture in my mind made up of only the biggest pieces of a FAITH SYSTEM by design ! As a proclaimed Christian, i live to be in likeness of Christ as much as i can.My Point.....What is it about the differences in text that makes people so intent on deviding us all over things that will come to light to us all later on anyways? It is not so much the Idea for us all to see it so clear now, due to FAITH being the point of us all being here .Hope this helps. Relax let all who feel good with there vision of God be just that and love your brothers n sisters A-Men

Answer 2

You're confusing original text with translation. There is nearly perfect unity in the original texts (The Tanakh, Septuagint and Greek versions of the New Testament--somewhere near 99%, which is better than any other 2,000 year old book)

Let's get specific: Which branch. In America alone there are 40,000 denominations, but three branches. Those branches are Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Catholicism and Protestantism.

Orthodoxy breaks into Eastern and Coptic. Roman Catholicism doesn't break up, and from protestantism we have the Main groups: Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, Churches of Christ, Churches of the Nazarene, etc.

I hope you're paying attention to this next line: The apocrypha is the only difference. Roman Catholics (only) include what Martin Luther took out when he wrote the German Vulgate. Why did Marty take them out? They had nothing to do with God--they were just historical references. The only book in the Protestant Bible that doesn't have the name of God is Ruth. Why is Ruth in there? She's the Grandmother of David.

So, there's our DIFFERENCE. Lets talk about differences in the texts. Those are called translations. The Greek and Hebrew goes unmodified, but there's a problem in translation (I know, that's what I do for a living): You have to decide which language you're going to favor. Some translations are closer to modern English (The NASB, NIV, Living Bible) and others will be closer to the original language (King James version is the best example)

English is a rarity in that we have hundreds of versions of the Bible. Most other languages have only 1 or two. You absolutely will see a difference between NIV and KJV. The difference is that translators are looking at the same original text, but they have to figure out a way to take a language that hasn't been spoken for 1,700 years (Koine Greek) and make it work.

The best example of a translation problem is the Greek word for hand: Koine Greek defined hand as starting with the wrist. Modern Englsh defines the hand as what is after the wrist. The result: 1,700 years of us thinking Jesus was crucified in the hands, not the wrists (crucifixion by wrist is historically accurate). There was NO way for a translator to get this right---so there's a difference for you.

Answer 3

I have a feeling that this question will be answered by mostly bickering and pointless arguments by different sects of Christianity, each claiming that their own version is the "true" version. In reality, the very first Bibles were translated by hand by scribes which was a very painstaking process. St. Jerome is given credit as one of the early translators, but there were many others. Early Bibles were translated into many different languages, and in some cases, back into the original languages- which obviously has lead to strange metamorphosis of specific text. During the first council of Nicaea, Constantine had many earlier versions of the bible burned that did not correspond with his "updated" version, although some had survived. All of these factors plus many others are what has led to the many different version we see today.

As far as justification, it should just lead people not to interpret the Bible literally, but metaphorically. This way the actual words themselves are not as important as the underyling meanings they stand for. Most of the Bible was meant to be read in parables- as meanings for other things. I believe these meanings are loud and clear no matter what version of the Bible you read, regardless of the literal textual differences between them.

Answer 4

Unless you're looking at original scrolls, they're all translations, and translation involves judgment and interpretation by the translators. There are bound to be differences among all versions.

Alex B. PhD has got it right. Also, for adherents to the King James version: its language is beautiful, but it too is a translation, informed by the judgment of English scholars and clerics educated in the late 16th Century and working in the early 17th Century. It's bound to reflect their assumptions and world view to some degree. It's a fabulous document with great historical import, but it's a human-made translation (unless you believe the God who created everything away back when spoke only in Elizabethan English).

Answer 5

I believe they are inspired by the same God. The problem you are speaking of has more to do with man and their quest for power. The core of the Bible remains the same while man has decided it does or does not need the Pope, or that it should follow a leader like John Smith or David Koresh, for example. Some are regarded as cults, but the core of Christianity is defined as "Belief in Christ". And, cult or not, they fit that basic definition.

Answer 6

Well I fixed that and gave up all the English versions and took up the Greek. The Greek Bible I have lists the words on the oldest manuscripts, and most often the only changes in the older manuscripts are adding "Christ" after Jesus, or the other way around.

There are so many English versions because 1) older manuscripts are discovered 2) better linguists translate it 3) poor linguists translate it

Answer 7

I have read many versions of the Bible. I have probably read at least 8 versions cover to cover and I have read the New Testament through probably in a dozen versions including a painstaking study of the Greek. I find no significant variations in the major versions, including the KJV, RSV, AV,NASB, NIV, NEB, Moffat, Rotherham, Berkeley (Modern Language), Knox, Young, The Nestle Greek text of the NT, Williams, Beck, Jerusalem, Phillips, Amplified, Wuest, and various paraphrases.

Answer 8

for starters, TS, King James is not the original version. Its just the Anglican version. For seconds, very few differ much from the original. I've read a direct latin to english translation of the guttenburg bible, and its really similar to the ones today. what I object to is that the new "Christian" bible has taken out important parts, like the parts of the catholic bible they left out "for convenience" and the words at the front of revelation that state that it was all a dream and now they base their whole doctrine on that one book, which has nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus at all.

Answer 9

The first statement of your details is patently false. It is an extremely good thing to have many translations of the scriptures from the original languages. Any dummy knows that you cannot always translate from one language to another with precision.
As a result of many versions we get many of the nuances of the original in our own language. There are more than 40 versions of the Bible available in English. I have several. Its good to have several for the serious student of the Bible.
I Cr 13;8a
12-12-6

Answer 10

Well, the only one that would be truly god-inspired would be the text from the original language and would have to be read in said language. Otherwise any verson is really man's translation and partial interpretation of what God wanted. Could make for a lot of errors...