See for more themes.
| Q7: Scripture Secrets : Translation advice When you become mature enough for stronger meat, the Scripture says in Isaiah 28, where Scripture says to read Scripture, that we should read our Bibles in the original tongue, not the new tongue, otherwise we might not hear, and fall backwards and miss the salvation experience from GOD. Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. But reading our Bibles in Hebrew is difficult. So let's look at some advice from our Hebrew English translator:- Campbell's translation says, �These miraculous powers shall attend the believers.� The gifts were not confined to the apostles, but extended to the believers. Who will have them? Those that believe. How long? There is no limitation; the promise runs parallel with the great commission to preach the gospel and reaches the last believer. EW 134.2 Mr 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; (KJV) Not much different between KJV and Campbell's version. Note miracles of power from Jesus continue through true followers of Jesus, right to the end of time. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing (Rotherham's translation), shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.� Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:35-39. Ed 69.3 Ro 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature (Greek ktisis) "creation", shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV) Why does the SOP use a different translation here? The Greek use of 'ktisis' suggests 'creation', but notice the Hebrew word 'bara' means 'created' not 'creation'. Rotherham's translation is going back to a Hebrew meaning, and the SOP is picking up on this. Thus originally Greek 'ktisis' is a translation of the Hebrew word 'bara'. The Greek also has 'ktizo' meaning 'created'. The problem is the Hebrew word 'bara' is a verb, and there is no noun form of 'bara', while the Greek has both verb and noun forms. That the expression �bottomless pit� represents the earth in a state of confusion and darkness is evident from other scriptures. Concerning the condition of the earth �in the beginning,� the Bible record says that it �was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.� [The Hebrew word here translated �deep� is rendered in the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Hebrew Old Testament by the same word rendered �bottomless pit� In Revelation 20:1-3.] Genesis 1:2. Prophecy teaches that it will be brought back, partially at least, to this condition. GC 658.3 Notice the SOP is using the Greek to bring back the meanings to Hebrew. The stability of thy times and the strength of thy happiness shall be wisdom and knowledge ( Leeser's translation)�that wisdom and knowledge which God's word alone can impart. Ed 229.1 Pr 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. Pr 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant un to thy soul; (KJV) Lesser translated the KJV Bible into a Jewish perspective using Hebrew themes. Quote: "Leeser will render the sense rather than mechanically more often than KJ before him and RV and JPS (1917) after him" Endquote. This suggests the SOP learned towards a more Hebrew understanding of Scripture, in her search for better translations. Upon his return from the Wartburg, Luther completed his translation of the New Testament, and the gospel was soon after given to the people of Germany in their own language. . This translation was received with great joy by all who loved the truth; but it was scornfully rejected by those who chose human traditions and the commandments of men. Martin Luther translated the German Bible very mechanically following the Hebrew, but sadly even scholars from my own church mock Luther's translation, because of it's mechanical process. Scholars say Luther's translation has been superseded, because scholars mixed with their own mixing from precepts and traditions of men, say language words show polysemous meanings. But according to even Martin Luther, they don't. The Author agrees with Martin Luther, languages shouldn't show polysemy during the translation process. For more see:- (1) What does translation mean (2) Example of King James translation inconsistencies (3) Wanting a consistent translation (4) Mechanical translation is best (5) FAQ: What translation is best? (6) How should Translations work? (7) Polysemy? The translation process Now let's go through Ellen White Son's who wrote about the times they were involved in translation issues:- ��When we presented to Mother the request of some of our canvassers, that there should be given in the new edition not only Scripture references but also references to the historians quoted, she instructed us to hunt up and insert the historical references. She also instructed us to verify the quotations, and to correct any inaccuracies found; and where quotations were made from passages that were rendered differently by different translators, to use that translation which was found to be most correct and authentic. 3SM 434.5 ��The finding of the various passages quoted from historians has been a laborious task, and the verification of the passages quoted has led to some changes in the wording of the text. This is especially noticeable in the quotations from the History Of The Reformation, By J. Merle D'Aubigne. It was found that there were six or more English translations, American and British, which varied much in wording, although almost identical in thought; and in the old edition of Great Controversy three of these had been used, according to the clearness and beauty of the language. But we learned that only one of these many translations had the approval of the author; that is the one used by the American Tract Society in its later editions. Therefore the quotations from D'Aubigne in this edition of Great Controversy have been made to conform in the main to this approved translation. 3SM 434.6 Notice of all the translations available to the SOP, she only chose certain translations as been approved by GOD. These translations align more mechanically with Hebrew concepts. Elder Whitney, manager of the Basel office, recognized the fact that Sister White's writing was difficu lt. The figures of speech were in some cases imperfectly understood by the translators, and in some cases where they were understood the translators did not know the religious phraseology of their own language well enough to give a correct translation. 3SM 464.5 This is why the KJV translation is fuzzy at times, because translators were inconsistent in their use of English words. Translators imperfectly understood the translation process, or were forced to translate along certain lines by Authorities above them. Nevertheless the KJV is a good translation for beginners. We cannot find in any of Sister White's writings, nor do I find in my memory, any condemnation of the American Revised Version of the Holy Scriptures. Sister White's reasons for not using the A.R.V. in the pulpit are as follows: "'There are many persons in the congregation who remember the words of the texts we might use as they are presented in the Authorized Version, and to read from the Revised Version would introduce perplexing questions in their minds as to why the wording of the text had been changed by the revisers and as to why it was being used by the speaker". (The E. G. White Counsel on Versions of the Bible, By Arthur L. White) "I take the Bible just as it is, as the Inspired Word. I believe its utterances in an entire Bible. Men arise who think they find something to criticize in God's Word. They lay it bare before others as evidence of superior wisdom. These men are, many of them, smart men, learned men; they have eloquence and talent; the whole lifework is to unsettle minds in regard to the inspiration of the Scriptures. They influence many to see as they do. And the same work is passed on from one to another, just as Satan designed it should be, until we may see the full meaning of the words of Christ, When the Son of man cometh shall He find faith on the earth?' (Luke 18:8). (SDA Bible commentary by EGW 944.11) We should read our Bibles just as it is. Relying on human precepts and traditions of men is dangerous. Men should let God take care of his own Book, His Living Oracles, as He has done for ages. They begin to question some parts of revelation, and pick flaws in the apparent inconsistencies of this statement and that statement. Beginning at Genesis they give up that which they deem questionable, and their minds lead on, for Satan will lead to any length they may follow in their criticism, and they see something to doubt in the whole Scriptures. Their faculties of criticism become sharpened by exercise, and they can rest on nothing with a certainty. You try to reason with these men, but your time is lost. They will exercise their power of ridicule even upon the Bible. They even become mockers, and they would be astonished if you put it to them in that light. It is a waste of time dealing with mockers, because they do not wish to change their "world view", not even GOD can change a person's "world view", evidence does not sway them. Brethren, cling to your Bible, as it reads, and stop your criticisms in regard to its validity, and obey the Word, and not one of you will be lost. The ingenuity of men has been exercised for ages to measure the Word of God by their finite minds and limited comprehension. If the Lord, the Author of the Living oracles, would throw back the curtain and reveal His wisdom and His glory before them, they would shrink into nothingness and exclaim as did Isaiah, I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips' (Isa. 6:5)." Ms 16, 1888; (1SM 15-18). (Written at Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the autumn of 1888.) My brethren, let the Word of God s tand just as it is. Let not human wisdom presume to lessen the force of one statement of the Scriptures."--5T 704-706, 711. For beginners on milk, read Scripture as it reads, simply grow in Jesus. For the mature, do we just read our Bibles in another tongue, like English. Is this what the SOP is saying? "God had faithful witnesses to whom He committed the truth, and who preserved the Word of God. The manuscripts of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures have been preserved through the ages by a miracle of God." Letter 32, 1899. Notice the words of GOD are preserved in Hebrew and Greek scriptures. Whenever any of my workers find quotations in my writings, I want those quotations to be exactly like the book they are taken from. Sometimes they have thought they might change a few words to make it a little better; but it must not be done; it is not fair. When we quote a thing, we must put it just as it is.�DF 83b. When we quote Hebrew or Greek scriptures, do not write a few extra words here and there, it's not fair to GOD's message. Humans do not make God's message better. All these truths are immortalized in my writings. The Lord never denies his word. Men may get up scheme after scheme, and the enemy will seek to seduce souls from the truth, but all who believe that the Lord has spoken through Sister White, and has given her a message, will be safe from the many delusions that will come in these last days. Our Hebrew English translator has immortalized truth in the SOP writings, just as a faithful Hebrew English translator does. Now to finish off this webpage about advice about the translation process, here are a few comments from scholars on the Internet:- Dr Roger Vella Bonavita "I have transcribed and translated many many C16th manuscripts. A transcriber has to adopt a set of rules and his or her transcription is judged on whether these are really appropriate to the original text. Literal translations are boring and often incomprehensible. The best translators attempt to give the reader an insight into the mind of the original author and what he (or she) was trying to say. This makes things very difficult for the translator of course and there is the ever present danger of misinterpretation and error. In the case of the Bible/New Testament where religious belief comes into play. The �authenticity� of the translation is a huge problem. Establishing the accuracy of the original text is yet another issue. All that said I do not regard myself as an expert in transcription or translation. ( SOURCE) Just because a mechanical translation of the Ancient Hebrew is boring or hard to read, doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. D. Milo Covey 2019 "I like to think of our Creator as a Father figure, and I was fortunate enough to have great parents. I can assure you that neither of my parents gave me the rules and information, that I needed to survive everyday dangers, in confusing riddles. They didn�t teach me how to cross a busy street with a complicated parable. Now is when people like to argue, �that�s how people talked back then�, but wouldn�t they have still understood a simpler explanation, as opposed to the era correct riddles? After all, and I hate to repeat myself, but, would an omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient Creator give us information that every person, throughout time, would understand, CLEARLY? ... Great comment. Scriptures are CLEAR to read. But we have to study them as Scripture says to study Sc ripture, as Isaiah 28 says. Jay 2018" I am not a KJV-only advocate. I readily concede that the KJV has flaws. It is the nature of a translation � whether of the Bible or any other book � that it is difficult if not impossible to perfectly convey the sense of the original and to be readable and readily comprehensible. That�s why when Christians get into debates about very subtle points, they turn back to the original Greek and Hebrew text. But one key sentence in your first link: �It must be emphatically stressed, however, that this does not mean that the doctrines contained in those verses have been jeopardized.� Yes, one can quibble over a number of fine points in the text. But no important Christian doctrine rests on just one verse, so if one verse proves problematic, we can switch to several other verses that teach the same thing. This is good advice too, the Scriptues say "sow a little here, a little there" Isaiah 28:10. So this leads to the question and process, how does a child wish to read Scripture in the Hebrew tongue, do so, easily and quickly? Next: a child like way to read Hebrew. |
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When a beginner reads Scripture, we drink milk, and the KJV is a really good place for beginners.
