Comments | meredith_wood: In which I ramble about religion

meredith_wood

In which I ramble about religion

Mar 04, 2011 09:42

I've been holding back a soap box regarding tons of outrage over the replaced words in one of the newer versions of the Bible. Put as simply as I can: I teach kids from a KJV because that's all I'm allowed to teach from. They get glazed eyes as I read and don't understand a word of what I'm saying. Lucky for me, my teaching book translates it all ( Read more... )

when in doubt just babble

Comments 12

olmue March 4 2011, 17:04:41 UTC

There are a lot of versions within other languages, too. I'm LDS and I guess we sort of have a hangup about translations :). We use the classic KJV in English, and probably because that's what I've used all my life, it feels the "realest" to me. But I like looking at other translations, too, because some things just make more sense if you look at it from a couple of different angles ( ... )

meredith_wood March 4 2011, 17:21:14 UTC

I was really hoping you'd pop in and tell me some of the versions used in other countries. My curious mind adores these little tidbits. I'd love to get my hands on the very first English translated one. I think it was during Henry the 8th. Is that the Luther Bible? Most people where I live use the KJV and stand by it wholeheartedly. It is amazing. I love the flow of the words in KJV and some verses I couldn't imagine reciting in any other version, but like I said it doesn't bother me if others use a different version. And like you said, the point is they read it. lol

olmue March 4 2011, 18:02:45 UTC

Well, the Luther Bible is in German, and was first printed in 1534. There were other German translations before that (and there have been updates since, like with the KJV), but it was comprehensive enough to carry the same weight the KJV does in English. I have been in the room where he translated Isaiah into German. :) (The Veste Coburg, if you're curious ( ... )

peadarog March 4 2011, 17:57:35 UTC

Lovely language in the KJ, I must say, but the whole point of translating it in the first place (if we ignore the political reasons) was clarity. Now that the clarity is gone...

meredith_wood March 4 2011, 17:58:58 UTC

Yep. Those are my thoughts as well. :-)

wendigomountain March 4 2011, 18:57:24 UTC

This is a great post! I hadn't thought of the cutting aspect either! Whoa.

meredith_wood March 5 2011, 02:49:17 UTC

Thank you. :-)

tracy_d74 March 5 2011, 00:09:19 UTC

I like the different translations. I do believe that nuances are lost, however, when you move away from KJ. Our church uses NIV. When I study at home, I will ofen use a parallel bible (KJ, NIV, Amplified, ?) so I make sure I really GET IT.

meredith_wood March 5 2011, 02:49:42 UTC

I do the same thing, Tracy. Great minds think alike, huh?

bbovenguy March 5 2011, 03:04:28 UTC

There's an apocryphal story I've heard - and I hope it's a joke but I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't - in which a fundamentalist defends the KJV by saying, "If it was good enough for Jesus, then it should be good enough for you!"

We Episcopalians use the New Revised Standard Version officially, but at All Saints we'll use other translations as well. Really, unless you're willing to learn ancient Hebrew and Greek, you're going to get someone else's interpretation no matter what you do.

meredith_wood March 5 2011, 03:34:28 UTC

I really, really hope that's a joke, but to be honest I've heard some crazy things in my lifetime so it's probably true. Hebrew and Greek... well, it's just all Greek to me. ;-)