What's with All the Translations?

READ: HEBREWS 4:12; 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17

Have you ever been following along in your Bible at church and realized none of the words on the page matched what your pastor was reading aloud? Why is that? It’s likely because you and your pastor were reading different Bible translations. A Bible translation is created when a group of scholars study the original languages of the Bible (Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic) and then translate the ancient manuscripts into the most accurate or understandable English possible.

There are quite a few English translations, and there are also some paraphrases. Paraphrases don’t meet the criteria for an official translation, but they attempt to convey the meaning of the Bible in today’s language. But why are there so many?

To answer this question, let me give an example. I once led a meeting for work in which I was one of only two monolingual people in the room. I only speak English, one of the other attendees only spoke Spanish, and everyone else in the room spoke both. When I spoke, a translator interpreted for me. But then everyone else in the room chimed in, explaining it slightly differently. I only spoke once, but my words were translated four or five times.

So it is with the Word of God. God spoke once, inspiring the human writers of the Bible. However, as modern language and our understanding of word origins change, new translations of the Bible are regularly created. They all share the same purpose: to help as many people as possible hear about the gospel—about God’s pursuit of His people, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Some translations use very formal language, like the King James Version. Some are very poetic, like The Passion Translation (which is, in fact, a paraphrase). Others are very blunt, like the Contemporary English Version. Some Bible translations seek to translate word-for-word as closely as possible, and others try to summarize the meaning of each phrase in a way that is easily understandable. All endeavor to help people know how much God loves them and how they should live in response to His love.

Which is the “best” translation? Everyone you talk to will likely give you a different answer, but I tend to believe the richest study of the Word uses multiple translations, giving us a fuller picture of who God is and what He wants to say to us. • Abigail Aswegen

• How can reading multiple translations of the Bible help us understand it better?

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Psalm 119:18 (NLT)