What's wrong with God? There must be something wrong with
Him, since people reject Him. The strongest example would be people who once
followed Him but who have since turned away. They must have found some fault in
God that made Him no longer worthy of following.
This consideration is precisely the issue that God addressed
with Israel. They followed Him for a time but then fell away. God confronted
them with this question: "What injustice did your fathers find in Me, that
they went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty?" (Jeremiah
2:5).
God demanded an answer. What had the people found wrong with
Him? There could be no answer to that question, because there is nothing wrong
with God. He has no injustice, no fault, no flaw, no failure. Such shortcomings
are not possible for God.
Actually, those who alleged an injustice in God were ignoring
fact. They did not consider the right data. "They did not say, 'Where is
the LORD who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the
wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought
and of deep darkness, through a land that no one crossed and where no man
dwelt?' I brought you into the fruitful land to eat its fruit and its good
things" (vs. 6-7).
Far from showing injustice toward Israel, God had done for
them infinitely more than they deserved. After rescuing them from brutal
bondage, God led them through a wilderness, providing for every need of a vast
nation of people. He brought them exactly where He wanted them to be, to a
promised land flowing with milk and honey. He intervened to give them that land
by driving out the nations that were already established.
Does that sound like injustice? Does it sound like fault in
God? Quite the contrary. In fact, God had repeatedly overlooked and forgiven
their sins, shortcomings, griping, and rebellion. He had done all these good
things in spite of their qualifications or behavior.
God wasn't unjust. He didn't ruin things. Perhaps the reason
why the people later turned against God was that they thought things were
ruined. The years of blessing and of plentiful harvest stopped. Their military
power faded, and they were repeatedly plundered by foreign nations. Their
treasures were stolen, and harsh tribute was required. Many of their people
were killed in battle, and some were carried into exile.
None of that, however, was God's fault. The people were the
ones who had ruined everything. "But you came and defiled My land, and My
inheritance you made an abomination" (v. 7). What God gave them was good,
even amazing. Their rebellion, disobedience, and mistreatment changed that.
They brought down on themselves the inevitable results of their own behavior.
To be clear, the end result was ruin. The people "defiled"
the land (v. 7). They made it "an abomination" (v. 7). They
themselves "became empty" (v. 5). Walking in God's paths does not
bring these disastrous results, but His Word makes it clear that following
one's own way does bring disaster.
How many people today grow cold toward God because (whether
they overtly state it or not) they blame Him for the disastrous status of their
lives? They argue that God has let them down. Like Israel, they have forgotten
all that He has done for them. They have forgotten His displays of mercy when
they have fallen short. They have failed to realize that they are the ones to
blame for the way their lives have ended up.
Nobody's life is perfect. Troubles do come, sometimes just
because this world is fallen, sometimes because God is working out larger
plans, including the maturing of His children. Everyone's life is a work in
progress. Sometimes disaster and ruin seem like the result, when those are only
temporary stages that will turn around for good.
So when a believer's life seems in ruin, there are two
possibilities to consider. First, he does not yet see the end of the story. The
difficulty may be temporary and not what God intends forever. Second, the
disaster may have been self-inflicted, brought on by ignoring God's way and by
forgetting His blessings. Either way, the answer is never that God is unjust or
that He has failed. God's character does not allow that, and history has
repeatedly verified His infallibility.
In times of trouble, do not turn from God in disappointment
or disillusionment, my friend. Instead, run to Him and cling to the faithful
God. There is nothing wrong with Him.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Approachable God
Idols have no power. They can't communicate, and they can't
help those who carry them around. Those who worship them wander about with
"no knowledge," and "pray to a god who cannot save" (Isaiah
45:20).
God is far different. He has all power. He "created the heavens"; He "formed the earth" (45:18). God's intent was to fill that earth with people. He "did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited" (45:18). He wants those people to know Him.
Some have accused God of being hidden or unknowable. "Truly, You are a God who hides Himself" (45:15). This is not the case. God reveals Himself in many ways, desiring "that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other" (45:6).
God is open and vocal in His pursuit of men. He says, "I have not spoken in secret, in some dark land; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek Me in a waste place'" (45:19). He invites people to "Gather yourselves and come; draw near together, you fugitives of the nations" (45:20).
His invitation is open and free. "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other" (45:22). God is not hidden or hard to find. His call is not subdued, and His presence is not remote. What a wonder that the mighty Creator-God wants people to know Him! What a blessing that He reveals Himself to them and welcomes them with open and loving arms!
God is far different. He has all power. He "created the heavens"; He "formed the earth" (45:18). God's intent was to fill that earth with people. He "did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited" (45:18). He wants those people to know Him.
Some have accused God of being hidden or unknowable. "Truly, You are a God who hides Himself" (45:15). This is not the case. God reveals Himself in many ways, desiring "that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other" (45:6).
God is open and vocal in His pursuit of men. He says, "I have not spoken in secret, in some dark land; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek Me in a waste place'" (45:19). He invites people to "Gather yourselves and come; draw near together, you fugitives of the nations" (45:20).
His invitation is open and free. "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other" (45:22). God is not hidden or hard to find. His call is not subdued, and His presence is not remote. What a wonder that the mighty Creator-God wants people to know Him! What a blessing that He reveals Himself to them and welcomes them with open and loving arms!
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Wrong Payment
God did much for the people of Israel. They did not exist until
God formed them as a nation. He brought them through the years of the
patriarchs when their continuation as a nation hung by a thread. He prospered
and multiplied them through the provision of Egypt. He miraculously delivered
them from slavery. He led them and provided for them through the wilderness. He
expelled heathen nations before them. He made a mighty and prosperous nation
out of a periodically barren and desert land. He repeatedly delivered them in
battle against tremendous odds. He sent them rain and other blessings. He
claimed them as His special people.
How did Israel respond to this attention and devotion of God? The response varied among individuals and changed corporately over time. Some loved and served God, but Israel reached the point of rejecting God as a nation. Isaiah 43:22-24 recounts this sad result:
"Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob; but you have become weary of Me, O Israel. You have not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings, nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices. ... You have bought Me not sweet cane with money, nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices; rather you have burdened Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your iniquities."
Israel stopped talking to God, stopped depending on Him. They became tired of Him and cast Him off as an empty ritual. They stopped bringing Him offerings and gifts. Instead of these good things, or even mere neutrality, Israel began giving God negative responses. All they gave Him were sins and iniquities to the point that He tired of such responses.
Christians have likewise been greatly blessed by God. He designed and carried out a plan of redemption long before they existed. He sent a Savior, who at great cost provided for their salvation. He inspired the Bible to instruct them about Himself and His salvation. He preserved that Word through millennia and allowed it to be translated into common languages. He ordained messengers to proclaim His truth. His Spirit brought conviction. He took those who believed and made them His beloved children when they were previously His enemies. He brought them from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. He showered them with blessings: provisions, answered prayer, guidance, wisdom, fellow believers, faithful pastors, good churches, mentors, resources, and much more.
Do Christians today respond better than Israel did? Again, the response differs among individuals and can vary over time. Many Christians have followed faithfully and have given God their devoted service. Others have walked completely away, turning their backs on the One they once claimed to love. Many others fall somewhere in the middle; they claim to love and follow God, but their actions are much like those of Israel.
Sadly, some Christians have stopped talking to God. They have stopped depending on God. Personal pursuit of God, church attendance, and service for God have become old; Christianity has become an empty ritual. These Christians stop bringing God gifts - no more devoted service, only grudging tithes but nothing beyond, or perhaps only occasional giving toward a special project. They stop fellowshipping with other believers, stop sharing in one another's lives. Indeed, beyond an absence of proper and good gifts, and beyond mere neutrality, their only "gifts" to God are rebellion, resistance, and opposition. They owe God everything, but give Him only sorrow and grief through obstinate pursuit of worldliness and reckless acceptance of sin.
Why was it so easy for Israel to fall into this condition? Why is it so common for Christians to follow this routine? The answer is found in the heart. "This people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote" (Isaiah 29:13). When following of God is mere mimicry or conformity, it will fail. Christianity cannot be a cultural or family tradition; it must be a personal and individual commitment. Those who are merely following family practices or traditional expectations will not endure.
The answer is also found in remembering. Psalm 78 addresses this problem in Israel's history. Asaph recounts how God had done so much for Israel, but how they rebelled against Him. Asaph challenges new generations to "not forget the works of God" (v. 7). He tells that the previous generations who rebelled "forgot His deeds" (v. 11). "They did not remember His power" (v. 42). Only when they temporarily "remembered that God was their Rock" (v. 35) did they follow Him for a short time. In general, however, they forgot what He had done and they therefore turned away from Him.
It is important for Christians to remember their salvation. The Lord's Supper (Communion) is designed to help in this necessary reminder. Additionally, Christians must deliberately take note of God's good gifts - His daily provision, His answers to prayer, His blessings. They need to regularly recognize and thank God for His goodness.
Those who truly know God in their hearts and who regularly remember what He has done for them will not fall into the trap of giving God the wrong payment - rebellion, sin, and worldliness - in place of the payment He deserves - worship, service, and obedience.
Christians who properly recognize God's good and gracious work will never get tired of God; rather, they will say with the psalmist, "What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?" (Psalm 116:12). The answer will certainly not be burdening sins or wearying iniquities; instead, their lives will be characterized by offerings, sacrifices, and sweet cane.
How did Israel respond to this attention and devotion of God? The response varied among individuals and changed corporately over time. Some loved and served God, but Israel reached the point of rejecting God as a nation. Isaiah 43:22-24 recounts this sad result:
"Yet you have not called on Me, O Jacob; but you have become weary of Me, O Israel. You have not brought to Me the sheep of your burnt offerings, nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices. ... You have bought Me not sweet cane with money, nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices; rather you have burdened Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your iniquities."
Israel stopped talking to God, stopped depending on Him. They became tired of Him and cast Him off as an empty ritual. They stopped bringing Him offerings and gifts. Instead of these good things, or even mere neutrality, Israel began giving God negative responses. All they gave Him were sins and iniquities to the point that He tired of such responses.
Christians have likewise been greatly blessed by God. He designed and carried out a plan of redemption long before they existed. He sent a Savior, who at great cost provided for their salvation. He inspired the Bible to instruct them about Himself and His salvation. He preserved that Word through millennia and allowed it to be translated into common languages. He ordained messengers to proclaim His truth. His Spirit brought conviction. He took those who believed and made them His beloved children when they were previously His enemies. He brought them from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. He showered them with blessings: provisions, answered prayer, guidance, wisdom, fellow believers, faithful pastors, good churches, mentors, resources, and much more.
Do Christians today respond better than Israel did? Again, the response differs among individuals and can vary over time. Many Christians have followed faithfully and have given God their devoted service. Others have walked completely away, turning their backs on the One they once claimed to love. Many others fall somewhere in the middle; they claim to love and follow God, but their actions are much like those of Israel.
Sadly, some Christians have stopped talking to God. They have stopped depending on God. Personal pursuit of God, church attendance, and service for God have become old; Christianity has become an empty ritual. These Christians stop bringing God gifts - no more devoted service, only grudging tithes but nothing beyond, or perhaps only occasional giving toward a special project. They stop fellowshipping with other believers, stop sharing in one another's lives. Indeed, beyond an absence of proper and good gifts, and beyond mere neutrality, their only "gifts" to God are rebellion, resistance, and opposition. They owe God everything, but give Him only sorrow and grief through obstinate pursuit of worldliness and reckless acceptance of sin.
Why was it so easy for Israel to fall into this condition? Why is it so common for Christians to follow this routine? The answer is found in the heart. "This people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote" (Isaiah 29:13). When following of God is mere mimicry or conformity, it will fail. Christianity cannot be a cultural or family tradition; it must be a personal and individual commitment. Those who are merely following family practices or traditional expectations will not endure.
The answer is also found in remembering. Psalm 78 addresses this problem in Israel's history. Asaph recounts how God had done so much for Israel, but how they rebelled against Him. Asaph challenges new generations to "not forget the works of God" (v. 7). He tells that the previous generations who rebelled "forgot His deeds" (v. 11). "They did not remember His power" (v. 42). Only when they temporarily "remembered that God was their Rock" (v. 35) did they follow Him for a short time. In general, however, they forgot what He had done and they therefore turned away from Him.
It is important for Christians to remember their salvation. The Lord's Supper (Communion) is designed to help in this necessary reminder. Additionally, Christians must deliberately take note of God's good gifts - His daily provision, His answers to prayer, His blessings. They need to regularly recognize and thank God for His goodness.
Those who truly know God in their hearts and who regularly remember what He has done for them will not fall into the trap of giving God the wrong payment - rebellion, sin, and worldliness - in place of the payment He deserves - worship, service, and obedience.
Christians who properly recognize God's good and gracious work will never get tired of God; rather, they will say with the psalmist, "What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?" (Psalm 116:12). The answer will certainly not be burdening sins or wearying iniquities; instead, their lives will be characterized by offerings, sacrifices, and sweet cane.
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Sowing and Reaping
Choices matter. The decisions people make are important,
because every decision yields results. Every choice results in consequences.
The Bible calls it the law of sowing and reaping.
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7-8).
Fleshly choices do not turn out well. "Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death" (James 1:15). Godly choices bring great reward. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit" (John 15:5).
Couldn't God stop someone from making bad choices? Couldn't God prevent foolish decisions that will adversely alter the course of one's life? Yes, God has that ability, and sometimes God deliberately intervenes. In general, however, He allows His law of sowing and reaping to work as it is designed. God gives man a free will, allowing him to make choices for good or for evil; those choices must of necessity bring the fitting results.
God starts man in the right direction, with a knowledge of Him and of right and wrong. Many men choose to reject that guidance, and their path becomes a downward spiral, as God allows each step to bear its natural fruit. Romans 1 describes those who reject God. Three times the passage mentions a godless choice, and each time God responds by letting the wrong choice work out its destructive end.
"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie. ... For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions. ... And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper" (Romans 1:21-28).
Not only does God start man with the right knowledge, but God continues to try to get man to see Him. As God dealt with Pharaoh, He stated at least nine times that His desire was for the Egyptians in general and Pharaoh specifically to know that He was God. God powerfully demonstrated Himself to Pharaoh over and over again. Pharaoh refused to yield. He repeatedly made wrong choices. He continually hardened his heart against God.
Several passages reveal the status of Pharaoh's heart, stating in a passive way that it was hardened. (Exodus 7:13; 7:14; 7:22; 8:19; 9:7; 9:35). Other verses (8:15; 8:32; 9:34) clarify that it was Pharaoh himself who made this choice to harden his heart; 8:32 indicates he did so repeatedly. Eventually, God responded to Pharaoh's obstinacy by participating in the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. Six of the final seven statements (9:12; 10:1; 10:20; 10:27; 11:10; 14:8) say that God hardened his heart. God chose to have Pharaoh reap the natural results of his decisions by having his habitual hardening become inescapable.
God gives man knowledge, God reveals Himself, and God also sends warnings to those who are making wrong choices. The nation of Israel was a prime example, as they continued to rebel, and God continued to warn. "The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy. Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans" (II Chronicles 36:15-17).
Eventually, Israel reaped the inevitable consequences of rebellion, but God did warn them. What message did the prophets bring? "Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you. You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies" (Hosea 10:12-13). They were to sow good choices in order to have a good harvest; they were to abandon their bad choices in order to avoid disaster.
God's warnings to Israel continue to His people today. God warns, "Don't sow that seed." He calls out, "Don't nourish those plants." "That's the wrong package," He admonishes. "Don't water or cultivate there." "Do not love the world nor the things in the world" (I John 2:15). "Abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul" (I Peter 2:11). "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction" (I Timothy 6:9). "Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?" (James 4:4).
"But I like it," Christians protest. "I want to have fun." "I want to be happy." "I deserve this." "I'll only do it for a little while." "I can handle it."
Okay, then, make choices accordingly - but remember, choices have consequences. God is clear about the destructive nature of those consequences. He is also clear that there is a time when He curtails His warnings and allows man's deliberate and obstinate choices to bring about their natural result. It will not be a pretty sight. Better to heed God's warnings and make right choices now.
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:7-8).
Fleshly choices do not turn out well. "Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death" (James 1:15). Godly choices bring great reward. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit" (John 15:5).
Couldn't God stop someone from making bad choices? Couldn't God prevent foolish decisions that will adversely alter the course of one's life? Yes, God has that ability, and sometimes God deliberately intervenes. In general, however, He allows His law of sowing and reaping to work as it is designed. God gives man a free will, allowing him to make choices for good or for evil; those choices must of necessity bring the fitting results.
God starts man in the right direction, with a knowledge of Him and of right and wrong. Many men choose to reject that guidance, and their path becomes a downward spiral, as God allows each step to bear its natural fruit. Romans 1 describes those who reject God. Three times the passage mentions a godless choice, and each time God responds by letting the wrong choice work out its destructive end.
"For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie. ... For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions. ... And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper" (Romans 1:21-28).
Not only does God start man with the right knowledge, but God continues to try to get man to see Him. As God dealt with Pharaoh, He stated at least nine times that His desire was for the Egyptians in general and Pharaoh specifically to know that He was God. God powerfully demonstrated Himself to Pharaoh over and over again. Pharaoh refused to yield. He repeatedly made wrong choices. He continually hardened his heart against God.
Several passages reveal the status of Pharaoh's heart, stating in a passive way that it was hardened. (Exodus 7:13; 7:14; 7:22; 8:19; 9:7; 9:35). Other verses (8:15; 8:32; 9:34) clarify that it was Pharaoh himself who made this choice to harden his heart; 8:32 indicates he did so repeatedly. Eventually, God responded to Pharaoh's obstinacy by participating in the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. Six of the final seven statements (9:12; 10:1; 10:20; 10:27; 11:10; 14:8) say that God hardened his heart. God chose to have Pharaoh reap the natural results of his decisions by having his habitual hardening become inescapable.
God gives man knowledge, God reveals Himself, and God also sends warnings to those who are making wrong choices. The nation of Israel was a prime example, as they continued to rebel, and God continued to warn. "The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy. Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans" (II Chronicles 36:15-17).
Eventually, Israel reaped the inevitable consequences of rebellion, but God did warn them. What message did the prophets bring? "Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you. You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies" (Hosea 10:12-13). They were to sow good choices in order to have a good harvest; they were to abandon their bad choices in order to avoid disaster.
God's warnings to Israel continue to His people today. God warns, "Don't sow that seed." He calls out, "Don't nourish those plants." "That's the wrong package," He admonishes. "Don't water or cultivate there." "Do not love the world nor the things in the world" (I John 2:15). "Abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul" (I Peter 2:11). "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction" (I Timothy 6:9). "Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?" (James 4:4).
"But I like it," Christians protest. "I want to have fun." "I want to be happy." "I deserve this." "I'll only do it for a little while." "I can handle it."
Okay, then, make choices accordingly - but remember, choices have consequences. God is clear about the destructive nature of those consequences. He is also clear that there is a time when He curtails His warnings and allows man's deliberate and obstinate choices to bring about their natural result. It will not be a pretty sight. Better to heed God's warnings and make right choices now.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Bible Translation Part 5: Modern Versions Compared
"No Baptist should ever fear any honest attempt to
produce the correct text and an accurate interpretation of the Old and New
Testaments. ... [W]e ought to have the Word of God translated in the best possible
manner. ... All we want is the exact mind of the Spirit as far as we can get it,
by the best and most honest scholarship that can be found. We desire that the
common version may be purged of every blunder of transcribers or addition of
human ignorance or human knowledge, that so the Word of God may come to us as
it came from His own hand." (Spurgeon)
Spurgeon's comment expresses the historically common position of God's people, that honest attempts at accurate translations are welcome. The dilemma in choosing a modern English version can be uncertainty about which ones are honest attempts at accuracy. Part one of this series examined pertinent concerns.
Following are summaries of many modern English translations. Any of them could be used, but readers should choose translations based on understanding their advantages and limitations. Versions not listed might be included as examples in part one or can be researched online, as publishers provide purpose statements and guiding principles for their translations. For comparison, the King James Version reads at 14th grade level.
English Revised Version (1881). This was a British revision of the KJV. The NT was completed in 1881 and the whole Bible in 1885. It used the Westcott/Hort Greek NT, although varying from it several hundred times.
American Standard (Revised) Version (1901). This Americanized revision of the KJV corresponded to the English Revised Version. Translation was done simultaneously, but the Americans delayed release until the British version was established. Nearly 30 American scholars worked on the project, which was greatly valued and respected in the USA. The translators updated many archaic words of the KJV. Reading level is high school.
Revised Standard Version (1952). This revision of the English Revised Version aimed for modern rather than Elizabethan English. 32 men worked on the project. It was basically a good translation, but with several cautions. Some notorious liberals were on the committee, and the translation was promoted as the Bible of the liberal movement. Noteworthy is the translation of "young woman" instead of "virgin" regarding the virgin birth of Christ; that was understandably a concern for conservatives, who never accepted this translation. Reading level is middle school.
New American Standard Bible (1963). The NT was completed in 1963 and the whole Bible in 1971, with an updated version in 1995. Not just a revision of the American Standard Version, this was a new translation. 58 conservative scholars from 16 denominations worked on the project. Each signed a statement professing belief in inspiration and other articles of faith. Their goals included fidelity to the original texts, grammatical correctness, and understandability; the translation is universally recognized as being very accurate and literal. The translators were careful with accuracy of Greek tenses and precision of vocabulary. The translation used the older as well as the younger manuscripts; in general, it gave preference to the older manuscripts, but handled each variation individually. Additional archaic wording was removed, OT quotations were offset, poetry was divided into lines, and pronouns for deity were capitalized. Italics were used for supplied words, and marginal notes supplied literal readings and variants. Due to the very literal translation, there is some stiffness in reading. Reading level is 11th grade.
New International Version (1973). The NT was completed in 1973 and the whole Bible in 1978. 110 conservative scholars from 34 religious groups worked on the project, utilizing English stylists for enhanced readability. There was substantial promotion of and tremendous response to this translation. Reputable scholars acknowledged fidelity to the text and sensitivity to modern usage. The dynamic equivalence approach was used, which focuses more on overall message and meaning than on literal wording. Sometimes this means a substitution of terms, like Moses putting his hand into his "cloak" rather than "bosom." The NIV does not take this concept to the level of a paraphrase, but does use it extensively. Sometimes this results in interpretation where the original text is ambiguous. More meaning is thus conveyed and less reader interpretation required, but there can be misinterpretation by the translators and occasional embellishment of the text. Unlike other translations, the NIV does not use italics or footnotes to indicate these adaptations. The translation reads easily, allowing for rapid reading and good overviews of otherwise difficult books, but is not a good choice for a serious study Bible and should be compared with a literal version to confirm meanings. Reading level is 7th grade.
New King James Version (1983). The 130 mainstream evangelicals who worked on the project signed statements affirming their belief in the verbal, plenary inspiration and inerrancy of the autographs. The completely new translation maintained the KJV style, wording, and structure, and it retained theological terms. It used quotation marks, offset OT quotes, and divided poetry into lines. The version changed to contemporary pronouns and verb endings and updated many archaic words. While some confusing wording of the KJV was updated, some was merely clarified with footnotes, and the similar patterns and wording make the translation comfortable to someone accustomed to the KJV. It uses the traditional Greek text (Textus Receptus). Reading level is 8th-9th grade.
English Standard Version (2001). The translation used the Revised Standard Version (2nd edition) as a starting point and did a 6% revision, going back to the original languages. The team of over 100 evangelicals replaced archaic language and made translation corrections (including properly translating "virgin"). It is a literal translation, striving for word-for-word accuracy as well as literary excellence. Its accuracy is highly respected and great readability touted as accessible. It retains theological terminology, tries to facilitate long sentences, and improves punctuation. Poetry is divided into lines, and prose is in paragraph form. It does not capitalize pronouns for deity. Its gender inclusive language is limited to situations like "anyone" instead of "any man," reserving "man" for contexts clearly indicating a male or to distinguish between mankind and God. It uses the younger texts for the OT, consulting the older texts only in especially difficult cases. It does include footnotes with variations and alternate readings. Reading level is 8th grade.
(Much of this material was gleaned from teaching by Dr. Mark Minnick. For additional resources, visit www.mountcalvarybaptist.org, choose the Resources tab, then Translations.)
Spurgeon's comment expresses the historically common position of God's people, that honest attempts at accurate translations are welcome. The dilemma in choosing a modern English version can be uncertainty about which ones are honest attempts at accuracy. Part one of this series examined pertinent concerns.
Following are summaries of many modern English translations. Any of them could be used, but readers should choose translations based on understanding their advantages and limitations. Versions not listed might be included as examples in part one or can be researched online, as publishers provide purpose statements and guiding principles for their translations. For comparison, the King James Version reads at 14th grade level.
English Revised Version (1881). This was a British revision of the KJV. The NT was completed in 1881 and the whole Bible in 1885. It used the Westcott/Hort Greek NT, although varying from it several hundred times.
American Standard (Revised) Version (1901). This Americanized revision of the KJV corresponded to the English Revised Version. Translation was done simultaneously, but the Americans delayed release until the British version was established. Nearly 30 American scholars worked on the project, which was greatly valued and respected in the USA. The translators updated many archaic words of the KJV. Reading level is high school.
Revised Standard Version (1952). This revision of the English Revised Version aimed for modern rather than Elizabethan English. 32 men worked on the project. It was basically a good translation, but with several cautions. Some notorious liberals were on the committee, and the translation was promoted as the Bible of the liberal movement. Noteworthy is the translation of "young woman" instead of "virgin" regarding the virgin birth of Christ; that was understandably a concern for conservatives, who never accepted this translation. Reading level is middle school.
New American Standard Bible (1963). The NT was completed in 1963 and the whole Bible in 1971, with an updated version in 1995. Not just a revision of the American Standard Version, this was a new translation. 58 conservative scholars from 16 denominations worked on the project. Each signed a statement professing belief in inspiration and other articles of faith. Their goals included fidelity to the original texts, grammatical correctness, and understandability; the translation is universally recognized as being very accurate and literal. The translators were careful with accuracy of Greek tenses and precision of vocabulary. The translation used the older as well as the younger manuscripts; in general, it gave preference to the older manuscripts, but handled each variation individually. Additional archaic wording was removed, OT quotations were offset, poetry was divided into lines, and pronouns for deity were capitalized. Italics were used for supplied words, and marginal notes supplied literal readings and variants. Due to the very literal translation, there is some stiffness in reading. Reading level is 11th grade.
New International Version (1973). The NT was completed in 1973 and the whole Bible in 1978. 110 conservative scholars from 34 religious groups worked on the project, utilizing English stylists for enhanced readability. There was substantial promotion of and tremendous response to this translation. Reputable scholars acknowledged fidelity to the text and sensitivity to modern usage. The dynamic equivalence approach was used, which focuses more on overall message and meaning than on literal wording. Sometimes this means a substitution of terms, like Moses putting his hand into his "cloak" rather than "bosom." The NIV does not take this concept to the level of a paraphrase, but does use it extensively. Sometimes this results in interpretation where the original text is ambiguous. More meaning is thus conveyed and less reader interpretation required, but there can be misinterpretation by the translators and occasional embellishment of the text. Unlike other translations, the NIV does not use italics or footnotes to indicate these adaptations. The translation reads easily, allowing for rapid reading and good overviews of otherwise difficult books, but is not a good choice for a serious study Bible and should be compared with a literal version to confirm meanings. Reading level is 7th grade.
New King James Version (1983). The 130 mainstream evangelicals who worked on the project signed statements affirming their belief in the verbal, plenary inspiration and inerrancy of the autographs. The completely new translation maintained the KJV style, wording, and structure, and it retained theological terms. It used quotation marks, offset OT quotes, and divided poetry into lines. The version changed to contemporary pronouns and verb endings and updated many archaic words. While some confusing wording of the KJV was updated, some was merely clarified with footnotes, and the similar patterns and wording make the translation comfortable to someone accustomed to the KJV. It uses the traditional Greek text (Textus Receptus). Reading level is 8th-9th grade.
English Standard Version (2001). The translation used the Revised Standard Version (2nd edition) as a starting point and did a 6% revision, going back to the original languages. The team of over 100 evangelicals replaced archaic language and made translation corrections (including properly translating "virgin"). It is a literal translation, striving for word-for-word accuracy as well as literary excellence. Its accuracy is highly respected and great readability touted as accessible. It retains theological terminology, tries to facilitate long sentences, and improves punctuation. Poetry is divided into lines, and prose is in paragraph form. It does not capitalize pronouns for deity. Its gender inclusive language is limited to situations like "anyone" instead of "any man," reserving "man" for contexts clearly indicating a male or to distinguish between mankind and God. It uses the younger texts for the OT, consulting the older texts only in especially difficult cases. It does include footnotes with variations and alternate readings. Reading level is 8th grade.
(Much of this material was gleaned from teaching by Dr. Mark Minnick. For additional resources, visit www.mountcalvarybaptist.org, choose the Resources tab, then Translations.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)