1. Modern Bible Translations
Group 12
Kevin Weng
Howard Liao
Lily Wu
Annie Kang

2. Background
Started around the time of early 19th century with the creation of the Revised Version in 1885
More formal equivalence of the modification to the King James Version soon follow
Formal Version=> Dynamic Version
=>New International Version

3. Different Translations
Formal Equivalence
Revised Standard Version(1952)
The New Revised Standard Version(1989)
English Standard Version (2001)
Dynamic Equivalence (Functional) (Departure from King James)
New English Bible initiated in the United Kingdom (1946)
The Living Bible by Kenneth N. Taylor (1971)
Good News Bible by the American Bible Society (1976)
Intermediate approach
Between King James Version & Good News Bible
New International Version 3

4. Purpose Response to the rapid spread of Christianity
Address the needs of different English speakers of all walks of life
Complementing instead of Replacing

5. Formal Equivalence Render the text Word-for-word
Strict adherence to structures, word order, and grammar
at the expense of natural expression in the target language, if necessary
Emphasis on literal fidelity

6. New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The New Testament was first published in 1963, and the complete Bible was published in The revision of the American Standard Version (ASV)(1901)
The most literally translated of 20th-century English Bible translations
preserving the literal accuracy of the 1901 ASV
sought to render grammar and terminology in contemporary English.
Special attention has been given to the rendering of verb tenses to give the English reader a rendering as close as possible to the sense of the original Greek and Hebrew texts.

7. Awkward and Unnatural English
“Strong in Greek, but weak in English.”　
preferred by those who want an English version that reflects the grammar of the original
For this reason, many people used the NASB only for reference when doing close study, while using other more "readable" versions for other purposes

8. English Standard Version (ESV)
First published in 2001
Very accurate (word for word), very readable.
Goals: capture the precise wording of the original text, while taking
into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom
between current literary English and the original languages
more literal than New International Version, but more idiomatic than the New American Standard Bible
A great deal of “Biblish”

9. NASB
John 1: 1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
ESV
John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

10. Dynamic Equivalence also called Functional equivalence or
meaning based translation
translator attempts to keep a constant
historical distance with regard to history
and facts, but updates the writing style
and grammar (though-for-though)

11. avoid strict adherence to the grammatical
structure of the original text
used when the readability of the translation
is more important
more pleasing and understandable to the
modern ear

12. Dynamic Equivalence Bible Versions
Jerusalem Bible (JB)
-- (1966) translated from the French La Sainte
Bible. The English version revised and re-
released as New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) in
1966
New English Bible (NEB)
-- (1970) translated into contemporary British
English; the first British Bible translated from
the original languages since the KJV.

13. New International Version (NIV)
-- (1973) produced by 115 translators, attempt
at “an accurate translation, suitable for public
and private reading, teaching, preaching,
memorizing, and liturgical use.”
Good News Bible (GNB)
-- (1974) written at a 6th-grade reading level in
contemporary English. Also known as
Today’s English Version.

14. -- (1989) a revision of the New English Bible.
Revised English Bible (REB)
-- (1989) a revision of the New English Bible.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
-- (1995) Written at an elementary-school
reading level in simple English.
God’s Word (GW)
-- (1995) Designed to be an accurate, readable
translation, using modern English language
idioms to convey the meaning of the original
texts.

15. New Living Translation (NLT)
-- (1996) based on original sources, the goal of
the NLT is to produce the closest natural
equivalent, using the vocabulary and
language structures of modern English.

16. Against Dynamic Equivalence ?
J.B Phillips says: “Dynamic equivalence is to produce in the hearts and mind of his readers an effect equivalent to that produced by the author on his original readers.”

17. Intermediate approach
Today's New International Version (TNIV)
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

18. Holman Christian Standard Bible
A balance between the two prevailing philosophies( formal equivalence and functional equivalence )
Goals of this translation are:
* Provide an accurate, readable Bible
* Equip an accurate translation for personal
study, private devotions, and memorization
* Visually attractive on the page, appealing
when heard
* Affirm the authority of Scripture as
God's Word

19. Today's New International Version (TNIV)
Based on the NIV
Complete in February 2005
Wanted to build a new version
Differences
Matthew 1:18 Mary “pregnant”
Luke 12:38 the phrase
“middle of the night or toward daybreak”
Gender Language