Expert: Ernie Laurence, Jr. - 4/14/2007

Question
QUESTION: Was the Bible originally written in Greek or Latin? Either way, since no one currently fluently speaks the language in its original form, isn't the Bible not completely accurate. I know it has been translated, but it can only be the translation/interpretation of the meaning, and the the exact words of God as it was meant to be read.
ANSWER: The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic.  It was later translated into the Septuagint by 70 scholars and was actually quoted from by Christ and the Apostles, which, in my mind, authorizes the use of translations generally and marks the Septuagint as a reliable (if not perfect) translation.  One of the reasons a lot of people do not believe Paul wrote the NT book of Hebrews is that Paul corrects the minor errors in the Septuagint translation when he quotes it, but the Hebrew writer does not.

The New Testament was originally written in what is called Koine Greek.  Koine means common or simple.  It was the every day language of the Roman Empire during the first century.  It was not translated into Latin until later centuries.

As far as accuracy of translations, I refer back to the fact that we know that Jesus and the Apostles quoted from translations, I believe making the concept of translations authorized.  I also agree that there are some bad translations (NIV, RSV) and some non-translations (Living Bible, Good News for Modern Man, Easy to Read Bible, etc.) that are no more than commentaries as you said.  However, there are good, accurate translations out there that stick to a more literal, word for word rather than meaning for meaning translation.  The meaning for meaning gets significantly more into interpretation than the word for word.  The ASV 1901, the KJV, and NKJV are ones I have worked with almost my entire life and compared to what I know of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic and have found them sound translations (even if the KJV is growing a bit anachronistic now :D ).  I have also heard some good things about the NASB and a LOT of good things about the ESV, but have not spent time researching them as well as I have the others.  There is also the Hugo McCord translation, but it only contains the NT, Psalms, Proverbs, and Genesis at this point.

It is my very firm belief that an omnipotent God, working entirely through Providence (non-miraculous means) has the ability and in fact did preserve His Word for us in a form that English (or any other non-Greek/Hebrew) speaking people can know for 100% sure what it is they need to do to get to heaven.  In fact, the number of translations out there is a good thing as it allows for non-educated folk to compare and getting a better idea of what is being said in any given passage.

I hope I have answered your question, and would love to discuss this more if you have more questions.  Please feel free to ask.

In Truth and Love,

Ernie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I think you missed my point. My point was not that there are bad translations, my point is that no matter how great the translator(s) it is humanly impossible to translate any language into another without taking away from the meaning of the original language. Therefore, there is no one that could read the original Bible as God intended us to read it.

Answer
Jon,

There are hundreds of different languages across the planet, written and spoken.  There are thousands of dialects (5000 in Chinese alone!).  Yet humans the world over are capable of communicating effectively and with time, precisely across language barriers.

The Bible was not written in the complex doctrines of the Pharisees nor in the hyper-intellectual mode of the Greek Philosophers.  It was written in the common language (Koine Greek) to the common person.  It isn't complex to understand even translating from the original language into another.  As I stated before, Jesus himself used a translation and spoke of no barriers or impossibilities of understanding though the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and the people of that day spoke the Koine Greek.

To say that it is impossible to read the Bible as God intended us to read it is to imply several things, two of which are:

1) God is not powerful enough to provide man today with what man needs to get to heaven, namely the Word of God (James 1:21; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

2) That precise communication across languages is impossible, which is simply not true.

I firmly believe that one can go to heaven without ever knowing the Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic.  However, I also have personally found a source of enrichment by studying those languages, even in the limited amount that I have.  Just like our language, English, many of the Koine words have multiple meanings.  We select the appropriate meaning based on context, just as we do in our own language.  But there is nothing hard in that.  All it takes is a bit of time and effort.

I do not believe that it is impossible to understand the Word of God in the way that God intended us to understand it, even by using translations.  If there is doubt, though, learn the original languages and then you have no problem at all! *grin*

Have a wonderful week!

In Truth and Love,

Ernie