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by Bryan Davis and Ted Noel Your most important tool in studying the Bible is the kind of bible that you use. Although any Bible that contains a good translation of the original text is adequate, some versions contain helps, references, and notes that are extremely valuable. Bibles fall into two broad categories. Literal translations attempt to make careful word for word translation into (usually) readable English from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Literal translations will differ from each other because no two languages can be translated perfectly into each other. Also, the original manuscripts do not have punctuation that we would consider essential today. As a result, some passages, even when translated "literally", will reflect the theological biases of the translators. Paraphrases emphasize readability while sacrificing direct word for word accuracy. Some object to the terms "word for word" and "paraphrase" as not accurately reflecting the intent of the translators. They prefer the terms "formal equivalence" and "dynamic equivalence." These terms reflect the thought that responsible translators try to reflect the original intent as well as they can, but take different routes to achieve the same goal. In a formal equivalence translation, the translators use the English words which are "formally equivalent" to the original language. Unfortunately, there are times when it is impossible to make such a direct translation due to forms and figures of speech which do not translate in formally equivalent form. In such cases, an English paraphrase is used. Dynamic equivalence uses a similar paradigm in translation, but leans toward the dynamic intent of the statement rather than its formal wording. In many cases, the formal wording does translate well, and is used. But the choice to paraphrase is used more liberally in dynamic equivalence than in formal equivalence. As such, the two methods overlap to some degree, and both types of translation can be valuable study materials. If detailed study is undertaken which relies on close correspondence to the original, it is essential to use the very best formal equivalence translation available. Let's look at some of the different versions that are popular now. Please note that due to the large number of translations available, someone's favorite is almost certain to be missed. King James Version (1611 and following) - the culmination of earlier translations and revisions, sponsored by James I of England. This was basically the only Bible from 1611 to 1881. While it contains an accurate, literal translation of the texts included, it is difficult to read for the modern student due to its old English style. This style is not strictly a liability however, because some passages in the KJV are so majestic that no modern translation seems to do justice to them. Among these passages are Psalms 23 and 91, and the Lord's Prayer. Certain Christian groups claim that the KJV is the only Bible anyone should ever study. They base this belief on the idea that the KJV is translated from the textus receptus, or "received text". This source is alleged to be the only authentic source available containing the original inspired Word. Careful modern scholarship shows that the KJV contains passages that probably should not have been included because of their dubious authenticity. It also includes some passages which are authentic but contain errors which have been discovered since the KJV was published. Also problematic for this view is the fact that there are five different editions of the KJV, drawn from four different editions of the textus receptus. The KJV is a literal translation. New King James Version - A recent update of the King James that attempted to make the language more readable while maintaining the charm of the older English style. The NKJV is a literal translation. The NKJV has one drawback for serious students. The source material for the NKJV is not the best possible. Instead, the NKJV is translated from the textus receptus which was first published by Erasmus in the 16th century. This source material contains errors which have been identified as scriptural research has progressed. Better critical source materials are required for the most demanding students. New International Version (1973) - A recent, new translation that is easy to read and maintains a reasonable literal accuracy. It is frustrating, however, for word studies in that it includes or leaves out words in its attempt to make the text easier to read. The NIV is a paraphrase, and is probably the best of the class. A new edition, Today's NIV is soon to be published. New American Standard Bible (1963) - A revision of the 1901 American Standard Version to make the literal renderings more readable while maintaining literal accuracy. This may be the best study bible available, but it maintains the old English style whenever anyone addresses God. This style is supposedly to show reverence, but it is often annoying to the modern reader. A particularly useful feature of the NASB is marginal notes indicating literal translations of words changed for readability purposes. The NASB is a literal translation. New American Standard Update - As the name suggests, this is an update of the NASB designed to improve readability in difficult passages and include changes suggested by recent scholarship. It remains a literal translation. Revised Standard Version (1952) - Authorized by the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., widely used by denominations in that group and many not in its membership. Although this version has many good points, it is weak and obscure in its translation of certain key OT messianic passages. The Amplified Bible - This bible takes key words and shows one or more possible synonyms next to the word to give the possible meanings of each key word. While this may be of help to some, others find it confusing. The Living Bible (1971)- This is a very liberal paraphrase. The authors put the verses into their own words, often embellishing with words that brought forth their own doctrinal biases. While this version is nice to read because of its modern, easy flowing style, it is unacceptable as a serious study bible. Comparative Bibles - These Bibles, also known as Parallel Bibles, contain different versions of the same text, side by side, usually in parallel columns on facing pages. The most popular editions usually include the King James Version, the New American Standard, the New International Version, and the Amplified Bible. A good study bible should contain as many of the following study helps as possible. Cross references - Notes alongside the text that show where similar words or thoughts may appear in other Bible passages. Book backgrounds - Introductory notes to a book of the Bible that give information regarding the author, the historical background, the apparent purpose, and those who were to read the book. Maps - The bible should contain maps of the Middle East and pertinent surrounding areas at various times during biblical history. Various inclusions could be the missionary journeys of Paul, the journey of Israel in the wilderness, and the places that Abraham lived. Concordance - This shows the passages where various words appear. It would not be practical for a bible to contain a complete concordance with all of the words and all of the places where each appears (there is a separate book for that), but it is handy to have a concordance in the back of a bible for a quick word study if a full concordance is unavailable. Topical Index - This lists various topics, such as salvation, sin, Christ, etc. and where these topics may be found. This is helpful for topical studies and for answering questions that you or others may have.
Additional References - Studying the Bible without supplemental study aids is a bit like driving at night with sunglasses on. You can get where you are going, but it is more difficult than it needs to be. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance - This standard reference includes a listing of every text in the Bible where any particular word is used. Be sure to get the version which matches your Bible translation. Nave's Topical Bible - Virtually every subject in the Bible is categorized, and a list of texts pertinent to that topic is given. Computer Bible Software - Several companies have prepared Bible Study tools for computers. These packages include such tools as:
Typically, all of these tools are on a single CD-ROM, for a price far less than the reference books would cost. Computer hyperlinks make all of the references easy to use. Two such publishers are Logos Research and Biblesoft. Advanced Bible study software is available from Bibleworks. Your webmaster uses Bibleworks 6.0 almost exclusively because of its powerful search and original language tools. For the Macintosh crowd, Accordance is available from Oak Tree Software. It is equal to Bibleworks in its capabilities. These two packages are the standard tools for academic researchers.
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