By Rev Dr Gordon Wong (2020)
The Rev Dr Gordon Wong has been a Methodist pastor since 1986, and is currently serving as President of The Trinity Annual Conference of The Methodist Church in Singapore. However, he does not write this personal response to the above question in his official capacity as TRAC President.
The views expressed in this article are personal and may not reflect the official position of The Methodist Church in Singapore.
Unless otherwise noted, the italics and bold font in Bible verses below have been added to highlight differences. A list of abbreviations used to represent different English Bible translations is listed at the end of this article.
Article Summary
Why do Bible translations differ from each other, and which Bible translation should I use? This article outlines several reasons (there are more!) that contribute to differences found between Bible translations.
1. Substance and Style
Translators must decide how to convey the substance and style of each sentence. Compare these 3 translations of Judges 13:5.
NIV (1984) because you will become pregnant and have a son.
ISV (1995) because—surprise!—you’re going to conceive and give birth to a son!
KJV (1611) For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son
The substance of the sentence is not in dispute, but each translator’s decision on what style best conveys the substance results in observable differences.
The ISV (“surprise!”) & KJV (“lo”) both convey an element of surprise in the statement that promises the birth of a son, each choosing an expression considered appropriate and comprehensible to their readers (in the 20th & 17th centuries respectively). The NIV omits any interjection that might highlight the surprise element.
Similar considerations underlie the different translations of Judges 14:18.
The NIV rendering has provided what has been called a “formal equivalence” of the meaning of the words. The Hebrew word for “riddle” is used in the second line. But the Hebrew word for “riddle” also rhymes with the Hebrew for “my heifer / my cow”. GNB abandons any formal equivalent to the Hebrew words “my riddle” and introduces instead the very different words “answer now” in order to create a rhyme with “my cow”. (This has been called “dynamic or functional equivalence” as opposed to a word by word “formal equivalence”.)
Should conveying the stylistic rhyming function take precedence over providing the formal substantive meaning of the words in the original? Bible translations differ because translators answered this question differently in different verses.
2. Modern Sense and Sensitivities
a) Modern Sense: Ancient terminology
Translations differ on whether to express the Bible’s ancient terminology (formal equivalence) or substitute a (functional or dynamic) equivalent for the modern reader.
Matthew 14:25
At what time did Jesus walk on the water? The 1984 NIV retains the ancient Roman terminology (‘fourth watch of the night’) but the 2011 edition uses a modern phrase (“shortly before dawn”) as does the CJB (“around 4 o’ clock in the morning”). 1st century Roman terminology divided time from sunset to sunrise (approximately what is our 6 pm to 6 am) into four “watches” (6 – 9 pm; 9 – 12 midnight; 12 – 3 am; 3 – 6 am).
b.) Modern Sensitivities: Gender neutral language
In many 21st century societies, the use of gender neutral language is considered a mark of sensitivity and respect for women. This is reflected in the fairly consistent adoption of gender-neutral pronouns in NIV’s 2011 edition.
Isaiah 33:15-16
3. Idioms and puns
The way a translation resolves the tension between a formal (dictionary) or functional (dynamic) equivalent is obvious in the treatment of ancient idioms and word play (puns).
In modern English, we sometimes use “heart” as a metaphor or idiom for our feelings. “You have moved my heart.” Ancient Hebrew and Greek would more often use terms relating to one’s intestines (bowels) to convey feelings and compassion.
The 1611 KJV offers the formal or dictionary equivalent term “bowels” for the ancient Hebrew and Greek metaphor “intestines” in several verses. Here are some (for us, quite amusing) examples:
- KJV Philemon 1:20 Refresh my bowels in the Lord.
- The young lady in Song of Songs 5:4 longs for her lover, and says – in the KJV (and Hebrew) – “my bowels were moved for him.”
- KJV Philemon 1:12, Paul says: “Thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels.” (I asked my wife if she would like to “receive my bowels”. She replied, “Keep your bowels to yourself!” I was bowel-broken.)
Instead of the formal dictionary equivalent word “bowels”, most other translations choose a functionally dynamic equivalent such as “heart” for the verses cited above. The same Greek word for “bowels” is used in Matthew 9:36, and we may be thankful that on this occasion, KJV decided against the rendering: When Jesus saw the multitudes, his bowels were moved! (Instead, KJV tells us that Jesus “was moved with compassion.”)
Amos 8:2 offers another (less amusing) example.
Amos 8:2
NAS has given us the formal dictionary equivalents to the Hebrew words for “summer fruit” and the “end”. What is lost in this translation, however, is the pun or rhyme that exists in these two Hebrew words (qaytz & qetz). NIV provides a dynamic or functional equivalent to the Hebrew pun by substituting the English words “ripe fruit” and “the time is ripe”.
4. Unknown idioms and words
Other translation differences occur because we simply do not know how ancient phrases or idioms were understood by ancient readers. The uncertainty in Psalm 35:13d is not the formal (or dictionary) English equivalents to the Hebrew words. Those can be rendered simply, as with the KJV, “my prayer returned into mine own bosom”.
But what does it mean to say that one’s prayer has returned to one’s own bosom? We do not know. The translator, therefore, must either do as KJV has done (i.e. make no attempt to clarify) or provide modern readers with a reasonable guess. Our uncertainty is reflected in the many different translations on offer.
Psalm 135:13d
- NIV: my prayers returned to me unanswered
- ESV: I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
- HCSB: and my prayer was genuine.
- TNK: may what I prayed for happen to me!
5. Punctuation
The most ancient manuscripts of the Hebrew and Greek Bible did not include punctuation marks. Translators sometimes differ in their judgement as to where to include, for example, an English comma, or question mark.
Was King Agrippa (in Acts 26:28) telling Paul that he was almost persuaded to become a Christian (so KJV, NAS, NJB) or was he asking a rhetorical question with the effect of saying he was nowhere close to being persuaded (NIV, ESV, NRSV)?
Acts 26:28
Similar differences occur in the Hebrew Bible over the question of question marks.
Hosea 13:14
Differences over where to place a full stop or comma also account for translation differences. Does Paul, in Romans 9:5, equate the Christ as the God who is over all things?
Romans 9:5
6. Textual Variants
The materials on which the original texts of the Bible were recorded have perished. But, by the providence of God, we are grateful that several ancient copies were produced and preserved up to our day. However, the ancient copyists did not have our modern technology of photographic scanning or photocopying. Copies were produced by hand. When comparing these ancient copies with one another, it is hardly surprising that there are – what we would call – typographical differences. The term that scholars use is “textual variants”. These variants (or variations) mean that a translator must decide which variant to translate! Textual variants are, therefore, another reason that Bible translations differ.
For example, was joy increased (NKJV) or not increased (KJV) in Isaiah 9:3?
Isaiah 9:3
NKJV translators have included a footnote for modern readers: 1Following Qere and Targum; Kethib and Vulgate read [not increased joy]
This footnote informs us that there are textual variants for this verse, and NKJV translators have opted to translate the variant as found in the ancient texts referred to as the Qere and Targum. In contrast, KJV translators opted for different variants found in other ancient texts referred to as Kethib and Vulgate. In this particular verse, the vast majority of English Bible translations have opted for the same textual variant as the NKJV i.e. the joy has been increased!
Jesus’ parable in Matthew 21:28-31 of two sons who respond, and act, differently in response to their father’s request, provides a very interesting variant1, Whilst the main point of the parable is unaffected (viz. active obedience is more important than the confession of one’s lips), there are variants in whether it is the first or second son who finally obeys. Compare the different translations offered by the 1977 and 1995 translators of the NAS.
Matthew 21:28-31
7. Which Bible translation should I use?
Every translation provides a valuable service to readers who have no access to reading the ancient Hebrew and Greek Bible. One main reason why translations differ has to do with whether they aim to provide readers with more formal, literal translations or more functional, less literal equivalents. [Sections 1,2 & 3 above have offered some examples of these differences.] The differences caused by textual variants [section 6 above] may also guide your choice of translation. Some translations include more footnotes to alert the reader to these textual variants; other translations aim at readers who would not likely have much interest in knowing this extra information.
_____________________________________________________________
1It may suggest that some copies of the Bible included a stage of reproduction through an oral tradition rather than a completely hand-written process. But that is another debate!
So the question of which translation is best depends on the need one hopes to fulfill. Translators usually indicate their translation principles in the Preface and Introductory Notes.
As a (very) rough guide, I would characterise the following translations in order of being more formal (literal) to more functional (less literal):
KJV, NAS, ESV, NIV, GNB, MSG.
A (also very) rough guide from providing less to more footnotes would be
MSG, KJV, GNB, NIV, ESV, NAS, ISV, NLT.
More important than the question of which translation to read is the habit of actually reading any available translation of the Bible.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Abbreviations used for different Bible translations referred to
CJB Complete Jewish Bible
ESV English Standard Version
GNB Good News Bible
HCSB Holman Christian Study Bible
ISV International Standard Version
KJV King James Version
MSG The Message
NAS New American Standard Bible
NIV New International Version
NJB New Jerusalem Bible
NKJV New King James Version
NLT New Living Translation
NRSV New Revised Standard Version
RSV Revised Standard Version
TNK Tanakh (New Jewish Publication Society Translation)