Which English Translation is Perfect?

I've heard many jokes from the pulput because of the KJV's rendering of this verse. I admit it is quite funny! So in the HCSB, to whom does "the people" refer, Assyrians or Jews?

Yours,

Bluefalcon

 

So the HCSB's "the people" who got up the next morning is referring to the Assyrians who did not get struck down by the Angel of the Lord? I can also get this meaning from the KJV, though, because obviously it was not the dead Assyrians that woke up in the morning, but the alive ones. In fact, the HCSB's "the people" is not any more clear than the KJV's "they" in my opinion, and "the people," though it may be supplied in translation, is not technically part of the Hebrew construction here, although it certainly could have been if it really made things clearer, but since it doesn't is probably why it wasn't included. So with the HCSB we're left wondering to whom "the people" refers, instead of the "they", even though "the people" was unbeknownst to us supplied by the translators and not a part of the original.

Yours,

Bluefalcon

 

I feel my old NIV is sufficient.
I read online, somewhere, that the Holman translation rendered the little girl that Jesus raised from the dead as having been "asleep."

I read in the Lifeway material of "beer" in the OT.

I suppose I will be defending my NIV in the same way that the KJVers defend their Bible.

Sigh. How shall the French and Japanese speaking believers ever make do?

MR

 

I like the NASB (1995). It seems to me that it makes very good attempt to be as close as possible to the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic as the English language will allow it to be.

Consider the Lockman Foundation’s fourfold aim:

1. These publications shall be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
2. They shall be grammatically correct.
3. They shall be understandable.
4. They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place which the Word gives Him; therefore, no work will ever be personalized.


I like it because:

1. It is a conservative translation
2. I like the methods used to create the NASV.
3. Recently discovered manuscripts should be considered when creating a bible.
4. I fully believe that it is the best translation on the market today.
5. The names of God are capitalized.


I can see how people say the 1977 NASB is stiff to read but the 1995 NASB is pretty smooth and straight forward for the most part.

Not to start a flame war but I feel the Rev 22:14: those that wash their robes, is correct in the NASB. Some versions that say,” Blessed are those the do” can be and have been twisted to support a works based salvation.

Also the NASB correctly applies the Granville Sharpe Rule in 2 Peter 1:1, etc...

That’s just some of the reasons that I like the NASB.

I don’t have a problem with faithful translations like the KJV, NKJV, KJ21, TMB, NIV, ESV, HCSB, etc… I don’t care for weak translations like the Message, etc…

 

I believe the well-known pre AV versions, the AV and all its children, the NASV, NIV, NKJV, and several newer English versions are perfect for God's intended readership of each or all of them. As for word-for-word perfect, I doubt if we'll ever have agreement that any one version is that kind of perfect, because many well-meaning and honest scholars cannot agree as to what the best meanings are for many manuscript-language words.

 

There is no perfect version as they have all been translated by human hands. I rely on a variety of translations, however the one's I like are the HCSB, KJV, ESV, and NASB.

 

I like reading the NASB, it reads smoothly to me (compared to my old NKJV). I don't find the NASB stiff or hard to read (but I admit that I don't know the definition of "stiff" as it applies to the written word and in comparison to other translations, nor could I define "smooth"). I have been reading some in the HCSB that came in the Bible Navigator software - it reads smoothly to me also. Bruce

 

What is wrong with "beer" being used in the Old Testament? It was around then and people drank it.
I think there was another thread on this about a month ago!

Check out the following verses from your beloved NIV!

I Samuel 1:15 (NIV)
"Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD .

PROVERBS 20:1 (NIV)
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.


PROVERBS 31:4 (NIV)
"It is not for kings, O Lemuel- not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,


PROVERBS 31:6 (NIV)
Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish;

Isaiah 24:9 (NIV)
No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers.


Isaiah 28:7 (NIV)
And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions.

Isaiah 29:9 (NIV)
Be stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from beer.

Isaiah 56:12 (NIV)
"Come," each one cries, "let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better."

Micah 2:11 (NIV)
If a liar and deceiver comes and says, 'I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,' he would be just the prophet for this people!

WARNING! Some of the above verses offer proof as to why Bible passages should not be taken out of context!

Eaglewing <><