Can a Bible translation be a work of the Devil??

[Mexdeaf]

I think it is worthwhile to hold a serious discussion on this because I believe it is a serious thing to give the Devil credit for things he had nothing to do with.

To reiterate, StillLearning said on another thread:

The “words” that Satan is trying to get us(Christians), to allow to be removed, are not the words found in the copies of the originals; But the English words in our English translation of the originals.

But this can never happen, because of Satan’s work in the late 1800's.
From that point in time, those in-charge of developing new English translations of the Bible, have been convinced that God’s Word has been lost and that the idea of a perfect translation, is impossible.

To which I replied:

I would be very, very careful about ascribing God's work to Satan- Matthew 12, Luke 3, Mark 11.

Satan does not need to do any monkeying around with the Bible. He rather seeks to undermine the truth through lies lived out in the lives of those who profess to be Christians.

Apply as needed.

To which Amy.G replied:

I totally disagree. Satan has been twisting God's words since Adam and Eve.

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, has God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?


Do you really think that Satan wasn't behind the NWT?



When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus quoted scripture to him because it is the truth. Satan wants us to believe lies. What better way than through the mishandling of God's printed word?

I doubt that there is any sane person on the BB who would not agree that the NWT is a corrupt translation. But to place the ESV or NIV or any other modern translation on the same level just does not compute.

 

[Amy.G]

I doubt that there is any sane person on the BB who would not agree that the NWT is a corrupt translation. But to place the ESV or NIV or any other modern translation on the same level just does not compute.

I did not make that claim. I only pointed out that Satan can and does attack God's word. The NWT is proof of that. I personally prefer the NKJV, which is a "modern" translation.

 

[Rippon]

I only pointed out that Satan can and does attack God's word.

But in what manner was Stilllearning referencing his devilish remark:the English Revised Version which he indicated was the start of Satan's work.

The NWT is proof of that.

Well,the NWT is certainly not mainstream. It one of the grand exceptions to the general rule that modern translations are faithfully translating the originals into current languages. Satan has nothing to do with the general run of Bible translations.

I personally prefer the NKJV, which is a "modern" translation.

Of sorts.

 

[Mexdeaf]

I did not make that claim. I only pointed out that Satan can and does attack God's word. The NWT is proof of that. I personally prefer the NKJV, which is a "modern" translation.

I didn't say that you did, either.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I think it is difficult to call even the NWT a 'work of Satan.' I would say that it is a poor translation done by false teachers with an agenda.

 

[Rippon]

I think it is difficult to call even the NWT a 'work of Satan.' I would say that it is a poor translation done by false teachers with an agenda.

That's right.Roger that.

 

[annsni]

I know people who were saved throught the NWT. So even though it is a translation that is full of errors - even doctrinally - it was still used by God to bring salvation to someone.

 

[Amy.G]

I think it is difficult to call even the NWT a 'work of Satan.' I would say that it is a poor translation done by false teachers with an agenda.

And who is behind false teachings?

 

[Mexdeaf]

All good comments so far. However, the real focus of my OP is not just the NWT but translations in general.

 

[Amy.G]

I know people who were saved throught the NWT. So even though it is a translation that is full of errors - even doctrinally - it was still used by God to bring salvation to someone.

I imagine people have been saved at a Benny Hinn "revival" but that doesn't mean that Satan isn't behind his so called ministry.

God saves apart from humans. If you don't believe me, send me your $1000 seed money and you will receive many blessings. :laugh:

 

[Amy.G]

All good comments so far. However, the real focus of my OP is not just the NWT but translations in general.

The question of your OP was:
Can a Bible translation be a work of the Devil??


My answer is yes. The best lie is one that is mixed with truth so that you don't know the difference.

 

[stilllearning]

Good morning Mexdeaf

You asked.....

“Can a Bible translation be a work of the Devil??”

It all depends upon who is doing the translating.

Any scholar or Bible translator, who is not born again or not living for the Lord, is a prime target for Satan to use, to “change” the Bible by creating a bad version.
--------------------------------------------------
Satan has already revealed to us, how he plans to work in this area.....
Matthew 4:6
“And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

When the Bible actually says
Psalms 91:11-12
V.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
V.12 They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Now the “changes” Satan made here to God’s Word, are hauntingly reminiscent to the “changes” made in most MV’s.

And the only question that we have been programed to ask is, “Do the changes effect any major doctrine?”

I contend that any deliberate changes, are part of Satan’s planned attack upon God’s Word.
--------------------------------------------------
Remember, all Satan has to do, is to get us to “doubt” that what we are reading is God’s perfectly preserved Word; If he can do that, than he has won the war of our minds....
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

This renewing of our mind, can only be done by God, as our faith in Him and His Word grows.
But if our faith is diminished, we will stop being transformed.
--------------------------------------------------
About 30 years ago, I decided never to buy or use a Bible, that would simultaneously be attacking my faith, while I was reading it.

Therefore I stopped buying Bibles that had footnotes that said.....
“This verse isn’t found in the best Greek manuscripts”

This is the most blatant attack upon our faith, that Satan ever devised.

I am not saying that Bible’s with these footnotes, are “Satan’s Bibles”, because they are great Bibles, that give us God’s Word.

But the “idea”, of placing these footnotes is foolish.
First of all, who determines which Greek manuscripts are “the best”?
--------------------------------------------------
Let me remind you of my earlier response to this “Satan’s Bible” question......

“I have not personally referenced any particular Bible version; I have only talked about the work of Wescott & Hort and then a few years later, the declaration made by BB Warfield.
The result of this, has done much more damage, than a single version of the Bible; Because it has changed our whole attitude about God’s Word in general.”

God has preserved His Word for us.
It’s our job to believe that He has; By rejecting such notions as the Bible should be changed as new discoveries of manuscripts are found. etc.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

About 30 years ago, I decided never to buy or use a Bible, that would simultaneously be attacking my faith, while I was reading it.

Therefore I stopped buying Bibles that had footnotes that said.....
“This verse isn’t found in the best Greek manuscripts”

This is the most blatant attack upon our faith, that Satan ever devised.

I am not saying that Bible’s with these footnotes, are “Satan’s Bibles”, because they are great Bibles, that give us God’s Word.

But the “idea”, of placing these footnotes is foolish.
First of all, who determines which Greek manuscripts are “the best”?

You do realise that your perfect Blaney Oxford 1769 also used marginal notes that, while they did not say 'better manuscripts' did question translations with 'or' or 'Gr'?

Were those notes in your perfect Bible Satanic?

 

[jbh28]

Satan has already revealed to us, how he plans to work in this area.....
Matthew 4:6
“And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

When the Bible actually says
Psalms 91:11-12
V.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
V.12 They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Maybe I missed it when I scanned it really quickly, but what is the major difference to meaning in the way that the verse is quoted?

Now the “changes” Satan made here to God’s Word, are hauntingly reminiscent to the “changes” made in most MV’s.

how so?

Therefore I stopped buying Bibles that had footnotes that said.....
“This verse isn’t found in the best Greek manuscripts”

The KJV had those you know...

But the “idea”, of placing these footnotes is foolish.
First of all, who determines which Greek manuscripts are “the best”?

Yeah, like those "foolish" KJV translators in Luke 17:36 that said, "verfe is wanting in moft of the Greek copies"(or verse is wanting(missing) in most of the Greek copies)

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Maybe I missed it when I scanned it really quickly, but what is the major difference to meaning in the way that the verse is quoted?
how so?


The KJV had those you know...

Yeah, like those "foolish" KJV translators in Luke 17:36 that said, "verfe is wanting in moft of the Greek copies"(or verse is wanting(missing) in most of the Greek copies)

No good, stilllearning is on record as rejecting the 1611 edition of the KJV.

 

[Rippon]

Satan has already revealed to us, how he plans to work in this area.....
Matthew 4:6
“And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

When the Bible actually says
Psalms 91:11-12
V.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
V.12 They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Old Testament citations made in the New Testament are rarely word-for-word the same. and that's okay,because that's what the Holy spirit wanted.

You will notice that the Lord did not rebuke Satan for mangling the Psalm text. Jesus said in verse 7:It is also written ...

Now the “changes” Satan made here to God’s Word, are hauntingly reminiscent to the “changes” made in most MV’s.

You really need to stop with your devilish remarks.

Remember, all Satan has to do, is to get us to “doubt” that what we are reading is God’s perfectly preserved Word; If he can do that, than he has won the war of our minds....

We have translations --none are perfect. They are approximations --faithful approximations of the original. And I belive that most of the newer English versions are closer to the original than those from the KJV/NKJV.

This renewing of our mind, can only be done by God, as our faith in Him and His Word grows.
But if our faith is diminished, we will stop being transformed.

Our faith and the renewing of our minds has nothing to do with any particular Bible version. Our faith is built on Christ. Faithful Bible translations help us mature in the faith. But our faith is not built on the foundation of a certain translation.

Therefore I stopped buying Bibles that had footnotes that said.....
“This verse isn’t found in the best Greek manuscripts”

That is foolish on your part. It is anti-intellectualism brought to a fine point. Biblical scholarship has made discoveries for our benefit. People have devoted their lives nowand in the past to open up God's Word for us through their studies and yet you dismiss it all with a wave of your hand.

This is the most blatant attack upon our faith, that Satan ever devised.

Seriously? I think KJVOism does a lot of damage to the Christian faith.And a host of other evils like Bart Erhman.

I am not saying that Bible’s with these footnotes, are “Satan’s Bibles”, because they are great Bibles, that give us God’s Word.

But the “idea”, of placing these footnotes is foolish.
First of all, who determines which Greek manuscripts are “the best”?

Foolish is as foolish does. Should everyone just remain in the dark and not acknowledge the finds of biblical scholarship since 1611?

 

[stilllearning]

Hello Rippon

You said.....

“Old Testament citations made in the New Testament are rarely word-for-word the same. and that's okay,because that's what the Holy spirit wanted.
You will notice that the Lord did not rebuke Satan for mangling the Psalm text. Jesus said in verse 7:It is also written ...”

So your saying, that Satan did not mis-quote Scripture?
--------------------------------------------------
You also said....

“Our faith and the renewing of our minds has nothing to do with any particular Bible version. Our faith is built on Christ. Faithful Bible translations help us mature in the faith. But our faith is not built on the foundation of a certain translation.”

You posted my exact quote, yet you still twisted my words.
I never said that renewing of our minds had anything to do with any particular Bible version.

My point was clear: I was talking about how our faith is attacked by doubt, and how a lack of faith really hurts us.
--------------------------------------------------
Next you said.....

“That is foolish on your part. It is anti-intellectualism brought to a fine point. Biblical scholarship has made discoveries for our benefit. People have devoted their lives nowand in the past to open up God's Word for us through their studies and yet you dismiss it all with a wave of your hand.”

I have never tried to hide, my anti-intellectualism; I have made that clear in many threads here.
And your statement here, demonstrates why I am anti-intellectual.

The so-called “Biblical” discoveries of today’s scholars, don’t impress me a bit, because they are clearly unbiblical. (Treating the Bible as any other man made document!)

If I am holding in my hand, God’s preserved Word, and I hear that some scholar has announced some new discovery, that adds to or takes away from the Bible, I ignore it.
Because we are talking about THE BIBLE!
--------------------------------------------------
Stop the presses.....next you said......

“Should everyone just remain in the dark and not acknowledge the finds of biblical scholarship since 1611?”

So you are saying, that as of 1611, God still hadn’t been able to provide a perfect copy of His Word to English speaking believers!!?!!

Are you also saying, that Christians during those wonderful centuries, of the 1600's, 1700's & 1800, where billions of people trusted Christ as their Savior, were in “darkness”?!?

So therefore you are also saying, that today’s Christians, who seem to be overwhelmingly accepting women or homosexual pastors, have more light, than Christians from the past?

 

[Rippon]

So your saying, that Satan did not mis-quote Scripture?

You are referencing Matt.4:6? No,he didn't.He didn't cite all of the Old Testament passage -- but neither did the Lord and the apostles cite all Old Testament passages word-for-word or in their entirety.

I told you that the Lord did not rebuke Satan for mangling the text from Psalms.

You posted my exact quote, yet you still twisted my words.

I didn't quote you. Do you agree,or disagree with the substance of what I said you are teaching?

I never said that renewing of our minds had anything to do with any particular Bible version.

My point was clear: I was talking about how our faith is attacked by doubt, and how a lack of faith really hurts us.

The doubt you are speaking of concerns uncertainty because some Christians whoo use versions other than your preferred one do not regard their translations as perfect. That has nothing to do with our faith.

The so-called “Biblical” discoveries of today’s scholars, don’t impress me a bit, because they are clearly unbiblical. (Treating the Bible as any other man made document!)

You're confusing lower textual criticism with higher criticism. The biblical research of today and in the past is a God-honoring thing. It is not evil as you are claiming.

If I am holding in my hand, God’s preserved Word, and I hear that some scholar has announced some new discovery, that adds to or takes away from the Bible, I ignore it.
Because we are talking about THE BIBLE!

You are speaking of a translation --not the original. Your translation is not perfect. It has mistakes. All translations have mistakes. You're making the KJV the standard. If another version differs from it than it has to be wrong because the KJV (of whatever variety)is perfect according to your reasoning.

So you are saying, that as of 1611, God still hadn’t been able to provide a perfect copy of His Word to English speaking believers!!?!!

God can do whatever He very well pleases! He's God. But we have no perfect copy of the original autographs. And then,the originals weren't in English anyway. So your prefectly perserved conviction is just a fantasy.

Are you also saying, that Christians during those wonderful centuries, of the 1600's, 1700's & 1800, where billions of people trusted Christ as their Savior, were in “darkness”?!?

Certainly not. But before the English translations many folks had portions of Scripture in paraphrased form. Were they in darkness? Well,not spiritual darkness as such. But they didn't have access to what we have today or even what they had in 1611. And I seriously doubt that there "billions of people" involved.

So therefore you are also saying, that today’s Christians, who seem to be overwhelmingly accepting women or homosexual pastors, have more light, than Christians from the past?

Say what! Where in the world did that come from SL? No one who sins has more light. Focus on what I say --not on some tangent that has nothing to do with anything.

 

[robycop3]

Fact is, Jesus answered eacha Satan's temptations with "It is written..." & Satan had no answers; he moved on to the next page. Nowhere does JESUS say Satan misquoted Scripture.

 

[Mexdeaf]

SL, thanks for your responses. I do pray that your wife is doing better.

It all depends upon who is doing the translating.

Any scholar or Bible translator, who is not born again or not living for the Lord, is a prime target for Satan to use, to “change” the Bible by creating a bad version.

Hmm, that leaves a lot of latitude for US to determine who is "born again" or who is "living for the Lord" and thus to judge their motives for translating the Bible.

I daresay the most godly of the KJV translators would not be welcome in your church today because they held to, and did many things that are not welcome in IFB churches today.

--------------------------------------------------
Satan has already revealed to us, how he plans to work in this area.....
Matthew 4:6
“And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written,
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

When the Bible actually says
Psalms 91:11-12
V.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
V.12 They shall bear thee up in [their] hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Now the “changes” Satan made here to God’s Word, are hauntingly reminiscent to the “changes” made in most MV’s.

And the only question that we have been programed to ask is, “Do the changes effect any major doctrine?”

I contend that any deliberate changes, are part of Satan’s planned attack upon God’s Word.
--------------------------------------------------

How about "not deliberate changes" to God's word, such as additions or deletions made by the scribes- are they from Satan or God?

Remember, all Satan has to do, is to get us to “doubt” that what we are reading is God’s perfectly preserved Word; If he can do that, than he has won the war of our minds....
Romans 12:2
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

This renewing of our mind, can only be done by God, as our faith in Him and His Word grows.
But if our faith is diminished, we will stop being transformed.
--------------------------------------------------

I have read the Bible from cover to cover in at least five different translations, in both English and Spanish. Each translation had some differences but they NEVER have led me to doubt that what I was reading was God's perfectly preserved Word. Preservation rests in the original manuscripts. God's Word does not change. However, language DOES change. God knew that- that is why He had the NT written in Greek instead of sticking with the 'tried and true' Hebrew.

About 30 years ago, I decided never to buy or use a Bible, that would simultaneously be attacking my faith, while I was reading it.

Therefore I stopped buying Bibles that had footnotes that said.....
“This verse isn’t found in the best Greek manuscripts”

This is the most blatant attack upon our faith, that Satan ever devised.

I am not saying that Bible’s with these footnotes, are “Satan’s Bibles”, because they are great Bibles, that give us God’s Word.

But the “idea”, of placing these footnotes is foolish.
First of all, who determines which Greek manuscripts are “the best”?
--------------------------------------------------

Satan has never been interested in honesty, but Bible translators ARE- that is why they use those footnotes, just as the KJV translators did.

Let me remind you of my earlier response to this “Satan’s Bible” question......


God has preserved His Word for us.
It’s our job to believe that He has; By rejecting such notions as the Bible should be changed as new discoveries of manuscripts are found. etc.

I really, really would like to have Scriptural support for the bolded notion above.