The translation is very challenge. Translation demands a deep understanding of both linguistic and culture. The Bible was written in three languages: Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic and Koine Greek. To complicate matters, each of these languages has long since stopped being written in or even spoken.

A Little History

The history of Bible translation spans millennia, beginning with the Septuagint (Old Testament into Greek) around 200 B.C., and continuing with translations into various languages like St. Jerome’s Latin Vulgate (completed in 382 A.D., became the dominant Bible for Western Christianity during the Middle Age), and Slavonic (by Saints Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century), culminating in numerous English versions, including the King James Version commissioned and published in the early 17th century.

Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible, particularly New Testament (1522) and complete Bible (1534), significantly influenced the English language and Bible translations, including those that would have been available during Shakespeare’s time. Luther’s focus on translating the Bible into the common German speaker aimed to moving away from the exclusive use of Latin, a concept that resonated with the Reformation and impacted English reformers like William Tyndale.

The best translation ultimately depends on individual preferences. Some people prefer to struggle with challenging language to get a more precise understanding, while others prefer a more straightforward approach.

Different translations also have different reading levels. Let’s explore a little further.

Deuterocanonical books, Apocrypha and Bible Editions

In Bible translation, publishers often treat the seven deuterocanonical books or apocrypha differently asCatholic, Orthodox and Protestant call them, even use differences between them to clarify their own positions to debate underline doctrine of Christianity and practical guidance.

The deuterocanonical books are included in the Septuagint, the earliest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. They date from 300 BC to 100 AD, before the separation of the Christian church from Judaism, and they are regularly found in old manuscripts and cited frequently by the Church Fathers, such as Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Irenaeus, and Tertullian.

The seven books removed by Martin Luther and his fellow Reformers as the “New Tradition” are: Tobit, Judith, Baruch, 1 & 2 Maccabees, Wisdom (of Solomon), and Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus).

Not all Bible translation publishers include the seven books also referred to as apocrypha by some Christian denominations in their editions. Whether these books are included depends on the intended audience, the denominational perspective of the publisher, and the specific translation or edition being produced.

The New American Bible (NAB), widely used in Catholic liturgy, includes these books. The King James Version (KJV) historically included the Deuterocanonical books or Apocrypha in a separate section between the Old and New Testaments until the 19th century when some publishers began omitting it to reduce costs as reason. The New English Translation (NET) Bible’s full-notes edition, with its extensive translators’ notes, can be helpful for lay readers. While the notes offer valuable insights into the translation process and context, the sheer volume of notes can be a lot for some. However, there are plans to potentially release editions that include the Apocrypha in the future, aligning with different Christian traditions.

Most importantly, the core doctrinal content of these seven books is not a major point of contention between Catholics and mainstream Protestant denominations; rather, the primary debate revolves around their inclusion or exclusion from the biblical canon. Regardless your motivation, Canonical or deuterocanonical has its place to be part for the study material as a true believer.

Distinguish Bible Translation and Interpretation

When translating the Bible, translators strive to balance faithfulness to the original texts with readability and cultural relevance for the target audience.

Literal vs Dynamic
It is always helpful to read a variety of translations since there are so many ways Biblical texts can be faithfully rendered into English.

Due to complexity nature of the job, the translator needs to make a decision before conveying every word. Do you want to translate in a way that focuses on the accuracy of the words, or do you want to translate in a way that focuses on the accuracy of the meaning that the words were originally intended to convey?

There are two primary approaches to Bible translation: literal and dynamic. Sometime people refer to “word-for-word” and “thought-for-thought”. Literal translations try to remain true to the wording and structure of the original languages, while also remaining clear to understand. Dynamic translations are more liberal with wording and structure in order to emphasize clarity and understand-ability without sacrificing accuracy.

Translation vs Interpretation
Bible translation and interpretation are distinct but related processes. Translation is the conversion of the original text into another language, while interpretation is the understanding of the meaning of the translated text and its application to a specific context or situation. Translation provides an initial understanding of the text, while interpretation delves deeper into its meaning and relevance.

Different translations prioritize different translation philosophies, impacting how the text is understood. For example, some translations, like paraphrases, prioritize readability over literal accuracy, potentially sacrificing important details. Take for instance translating sarcasm is a sharp, bitter, or cutting style of expression that usually means the opposite of its literal phrasing. Sarcasm frequently loses its meaning when translated word-for-word into another language and can often cause unfortunate misunderstandings.

Hermeneutics is the study of biblical interpretation that consists of four rules. Different approaches to hermeneutics can lead to different interpretations. Some approaches emphasize the literal meaning of the text, while others prioritize spiritual or allegorical interpretations.

Therefore, when translating the Bible, not only the language aspect of the Bible is considered. The interpretation of the Bible is also a very important aspect, which directly affects the reader’s understanding.

Choose a Read or Study Bible

Choose a Bible version, or an edition sometime, is solely depends on the use that will be made of the Bible for you. There are no perfect translations. All translations have been done by faithful, but not infallible human being.

What is the difference between devotional reading and study? Yes, in the sense that meditational reading of the Bible is personal in nature, and it seeks to have breadth in terms of coverage, whereas the study of the Word of God seeks depth and then comprehension of the text using many of the tools that you’ll find necessary for reading the God’s Word.

Many people find certain translations more helpful for devotional reading, while others prefer a more literal approach for study.

Some translations, like the New Living Translation (NLT), are known for their readability, making them popular for devotional use.

Others, like the New International Version (NIV) which balances readability and accuracy, widely used in modern churches. New International Version reading level is rated at 8th grade only. Or, the English Standard Version (ESV), more literal translation, good for in-depth study which slightly more formal than NIV. It is valued for their accuracy and scholarly rigor while still being readable.

The King James Version (KJV) is traditional, poetic language. It is widely revered but uses archaic English, which can be challenging. That is why KJV is rated at 12th grade. Also, consider the New King James Version (NKJV) is really alternative and only rated at 7th grade. However, you may want to note that extended from KJV earlier version or edition of the same translation, it does not change many, may adhere to the translation philosophy, as we discussed before.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) is highly literal, prioritizing word-for-word accuracy. It is ideal for detailed study and rated 11th grade.

Study the Word of God incorporate features like footnotes, cross-references, and commentary to explain translation choices and nuances in meaning. They can be particularly helpful for understanding how different translations approach the same passage and for exploring the reasoning behind specific word choices.

The New English Translation (NET) is one notable thing that makes the NET somewhat unique. In fact, that it was a completely new translation of the Bible. Many translations are simply updates or revisions of a previous English version. The NET translation committee worked directly from the best Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts currently available to them. For serious readers who want to study the Bible in depth would certainly benefit from such rich and extensive notes available in this translation.

Evaluate your Bible versions

Identify your functional language
To understand the Bible in your native language, you should seek a translation that is faithful to the original text while also being understandable in everyday language.

While a native language offers a strong foundation, it’s not always the best language to focus on for studying. Being bilingual alone does not make someone a good translator. A lack of rich learning materials can be a problem. While English isn’t the most widely spoken language in the world, it is the official language of many countries and is spoken as a first language by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Furthermore, it’s the most common second language in the world.

For this reason, we are here to discuss using English as our functional language.

Start with one translation, then adapt to the second
If this is your first time to read the Bible or to start to study it seriously, we suggest taking any translation you have with you. You may soon experience the second translation to make your study life richer and more meaningful.

You may also find the audio bible is very attractive source as you can delve into the scriptures whenever it is most convenient for them.  By large pace, rhythm, emphasis, pauses, emotional tone, softness, loudness, pronunciation, and all of these communicate breakdown details play an important role of the receptivity and quality of your listening. The results also show that compared with reading, listening is more likely to attract the audience in terms of broad reach, and specific focal and its effectiveness. We should recognize that multitasking while listening is a common occurrence.

Listening is a great way to meet God. Don’t listen exclusively.

Few versions, with at least one literal translation
However, if you have already started and want to seriously study to the next level, then using literal translation is a must. It will enrich your learning experience and the intellectual judgments you make progress on language literacy and increase knowledge of cultural or historical background.

Comparing one to other transactions on specific book, chapter, theme, verses, and passages of topical in nature is very effective and efficient. One of the effective to cross multiple Bible translation is use online tools. Most of them are free. You will find many options. Bible Gateway is one of the outstanding tools we recommend.

Please don’t let your choices become an excessive intellectual burden on you.

Understanding requires illumination of the Holy Spirit

Biblical interpretation can make Bible study more complex, but it also deepens understanding. Different interpretations arise from various factors like cultural context, language nuances, and personal perspectives. While these can introduce complexities, they also reveal richer meanings and nuances within the text.

By engaging with different perspectives and seeking guidance from reliable resources, our knowledge increase may deepen understanding our God.

While intuition, logic, and reason are vital, they don’t encompass the entirety of human understanding. Emotions, social context, and personal experience significantly shape how we perceive and interpret the world. Look within yourself and discover your personalized experiences that can be connected to the credibility of real-life Bible teaching that resonate with you. You can unlock spiritual growth experiences through the Word of God.

Finally, with your heart condition and the relationship with God, your understanding come from the certainty of the ultimate guidance of the Holy Spirit, which enables the Word to be revealed. Sooner or later you would be able to taste and see and the richness and the completeness of the Word of God both divine and humanly expressions. You will amaze what Word of God will do in your life.

“Bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God.”