Why so many? Can we trust them? Bible Translations Why so many? Can we trust them?

Factors of Bible Translation Changing Language Different Goals of Interpretation Dissimilar Manuscripts

Language New Testament: Koine Greek Old Testament: Hebrew, Aramaic

Language History of N.T. Bible Language

Language History of N.T. Bible Language KJV: 1 Thes 4:15 … we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep

Language History of N.T. Bible Language NIV: 1 Thes 4:15 … we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

Language The Revised Standard Version in 1952, The Amplified Bible in 1965, The New English Bible in 1970, The New American Standard Bible in 1971, The Living Bible in 1971, Today’s English Version in 1976, The New International Version in 1978, New King James Version in 1982

Equivalence or Literal? Do we translate it word for word (literally) or do we translate it thought for thought?”

Equivalence or Literal? Do we translate it word for word (literally) or do we translate it thought for thought?” ENGLISH “Peter has a chip on his shoulder” AFRIKAANS LITERAL Pieter het ‘n skerf op sy skouer

Equivalence or Literal? Do we translate it word for word (literally) or do we translate it thought for thought?” ENGLISH “Peter has a chip on his shoulder” AFRIKAANS EQUIVALENT Pieter het ‘n blok op sy skouer

Equivalence or Literal? Genesis 2:17 – Literally: “Dying you shall die”, Meaning: “You will certainly die” Genesis 4:1 – Literally: “Adam knew his wife”, Meaning: “Adam had sexual intercourse with her”

Literal V King James V English Std V God’s Word V 7 For with difficulty one will die for a just one, (for perhaps one even dares to die for the sake of the good one), 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- 7 Finding someone who would die for a godly person is rare. Maybe someone would have the courage to die for a good person.

Equivalence or Literal Which version is right for me?

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? We don’t have the original autographs. Only copies. (20,000)

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? 2 Main branches of GREEK manuscripts BYZANTINE Majority manuscript copies Mostly after 9th Century Only 6 pre-9th Century

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? BYZANTINE Why newer is not necessarily a bad thing Reasons to favour the Byzantine text

ID Name Date Content A (02) Codex Alexandrinus 5th Gospels C (04) Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus W (032) Codex Washingtonianus Matt 1-28; Luke 8:13–24:53 Q (026) Codex Guelferbytanus B Luke–John 061 Uncial 061 1 Tim 3:15-16; 4:1-3; 6:2-8 Ee (07) Codex Basilensis 8th Fe (09) Codex Boreelianus 9th Ge (011) Codex Seidelianus I He (013) Codex Seidelianus II L (020) Codex Angelicus Acts, CE, Pauline Epistles V (031) Codex Mosquensis II Y (034) Codex Macedoniensis Θ (038) Codex Koridethi Gospels (except Mark) S (028) Codex Vaticanus 354 949 1241 Minuscule 1241 12th only Acts 1424 Minuscule 1424 9th/10th NT (except Mark)

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? BYZANTINE The “MAJORITY TEXT”

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? BYZANTINE ALEXANDRIAN 9 copies earlier than 9th Century All Alexandrian copies across the board are 85% identical, most differences untranslatable Tendencies of the Alexandrian copies Reasons to favour Alexandrian copies

ID Name Date Content B46 Chester Beatty II c. 200 Pauline Epistles B66 Bodmer II Gospels B72 Bodmer VII/VIII 3rd/4th 1-2 Peter; Jude B75 Bodmer XIV-XV 3rd fragments of Luke — John ﬡ Codex Sinaiticus 330-360 NT B Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1209 325-350 Matt. — Hbr 9, 14 A Codex Alexandrinus c. 400 (except Gospels) C Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus 5th Q Codex Guelferbytanus B fragments Luke — John T Codex Borgianus I Codex Freerianus Pauline epistles Z Codex Dublinensis 6th fragments of Matt. L Codex Regius 8th W Codex Washingtonianus Luke 1:1–8:12; J 5:12–21:25 057 Uncial 057 4/5th Acts 3:5–6,10-12 0220 Uncial 0220 NT (except Rev.) 33 Minuscule 33 9th Romans 81 Minuscule 81 1044 Acts, Paul 892 Minuscule 892

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? BYZANTINE ALEXANDRIAN Other sources you may hear about: TEXTUS RECEPTUS LATIN VULGATE

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? HOW DIFFERENT ARE THE MSS? Agree 98% of the time Remaining 2% has no bearing on faith or practice

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? HOW DIFFERENT ARE THE MSS? Agree 98% of the time Remaining 2% has no bearing on faith or practice See the differences between the KJV and the NIV…

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? SO WHICH MANUSCRIPTS ARE MORE ACCURATE?

Sources! Majority or Antiquity? SO CAN WE TRUST OUR BIBLES? Certainly Objectively: Overwhelming witness of 20,000+ manuscripts 98% Correlation between them The NT writers trusted the Greek translation of the OT – calling it “God’s word”, and “scripture” Subjectively: Witness within Fruit it bears