Sometimes people who read versions like the King James conclude that
the way a word is translated in it has to be correct because as they say,
"Forty-seven of the world's ripest scholars gave us the KJV." One man
argued that modern translations are inaccurate because they do not translate
the Greek adjective monogenes by using the words "only begotten" as the
KJV does. He said, "The King James and American Standard versions of
the Bible translate the Greek adjective monogenes as 'only begotten.' The
KJV was translated by 47 of the world's ripest scholars, and the ASV was
translated by 101 of the ripest scholars. A total of 148 of the ripest scholars
in the world say monogenes means 'only begotten ' in John 1:14, 18; 3:16,
18 and 1 Jno. 4:9." His concept is misguided and inaccurate. This is not how
the translation process works. The KJV and most other translations are
produced by committees.
Let's say a committee consists of 50 translators. Perhaps 30 of them will
work on the Old Testament text because they are scholars of the semitic
languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic. They may also have men in their
group who are experts in Akkadian, Arabic, and related languages. Three
men on the Old Testament committee are assigned to translate the
Pentateuch, five are assigned to the historical books, ten to the wisdom
literature, and the remaining twelve are assigned to the major and
minor prophets. The New Testament committee consists of 20 men. Five
are assigned to translate Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts, five are
assigned to translate the letters of Paul (Romans through Philemon), five
are assigned to Hebrews through the letters of Peter and the remaining
five translate the letters of John, Jude, and Revelation.
When differences arise within the Old Testament committee, they
deliberate with open Hebrew texts, lexicons, grammars, and related
references. The committee will often take a vote on the points of difference
and place the majority opinion in the text and the minority opinion in the
footnotes. The point is, all of the translators on the Old and New
Testament committees do not agree with all the textual decisions that
their fellow committee members make. It is therefore inaccurate to
ascribe a particular reading in an English version to all the translators of
both Old and New Testaments of that version. (Adapted from A
Perspective On Bible Translations, by Ron Daly, Erhardt Publishing
Company, Louisville, Ky., Copyright 2010)
RD
Copyright 2011
the way a word is translated in it has to be correct because as they say,
"Forty-seven of the world's ripest scholars gave us the KJV." One man
argued that modern translations are inaccurate because they do not translate
the Greek adjective monogenes by using the words "only begotten" as the
KJV does. He said, "The King James and American Standard versions of
the Bible translate the Greek adjective monogenes as 'only begotten.' The
KJV was translated by 47 of the world's ripest scholars, and the ASV was
translated by 101 of the ripest scholars. A total of 148 of the ripest scholars
in the world say monogenes means 'only begotten ' in John 1:14, 18; 3:16,
18 and 1 Jno. 4:9." His concept is misguided and inaccurate. This is not how
the translation process works. The KJV and most other translations are
produced by committees.
Let's say a committee consists of 50 translators. Perhaps 30 of them will
work on the Old Testament text because they are scholars of the semitic
languages such as Hebrew and Aramaic. They may also have men in their
group who are experts in Akkadian, Arabic, and related languages. Three
men on the Old Testament committee are assigned to translate the
Pentateuch, five are assigned to the historical books, ten to the wisdom
literature, and the remaining twelve are assigned to the major and
minor prophets. The New Testament committee consists of 20 men. Five
are assigned to translate Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts, five are
assigned to translate the letters of Paul (Romans through Philemon), five
are assigned to Hebrews through the letters of Peter and the remaining
five translate the letters of John, Jude, and Revelation.
When differences arise within the Old Testament committee, they
deliberate with open Hebrew texts, lexicons, grammars, and related
references. The committee will often take a vote on the points of difference
and place the majority opinion in the text and the minority opinion in the
footnotes. The point is, all of the translators on the Old and New
Testament committees do not agree with all the textual decisions that
their fellow committee members make. It is therefore inaccurate to
ascribe a particular reading in an English version to all the translators of
both Old and New Testaments of that version. (Adapted from A
Perspective On Bible Translations, by Ron Daly, Erhardt Publishing
Company, Louisville, Ky., Copyright 2010)
RD
Copyright 2011
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