1. Why Are There So Many Translations? October 25, 2009 DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE

2. DEFINITIONS Translation Transliteration

3. DEFINITIONS Translation Transliteration Paraphrase Amplified or Expanded Translation

4. BIBLE TRANSLATION PHILOSOPHIES 1.Literal or formal equivalence method 2.Free or dynamic equivalence method

5. DEGREE OF DEVIATION 1.Select a passage of 30-50 words 2.Literal transfer 3.Minimal transfer 4.Closest equivalent 5.Degree of deviation

6. TRADUTTORE TRADITORE “The translator is a traitor!”

7. HISTORY OF EARLY ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

8. KING ALFRED THE GREAT (849-901) “The wisest, best, and greatest king that ever reigned in England.”

9. WYCLIFFE BIBLE (1388)

10. TYNDALE BIBLE (1526) “If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than thou dost.”

11. COVERDALE BIBLE (1535)

12. Henry VIII Catherine of Aragon Mary Tudor annulled Elizabeth Anne Boleyn

13. Henry VIII Catherine of Aragon Mary Tudor annulled Elizabeth Anne Boleyn beheaded

14. Henry VIII Catherine of Aragon Mary Tudor annulled Elizabeth Anne Boleyn beheaded Jane Seymour Edward VI natural death

15. Henry VIII Catherine of Aragon Mary Tudor annulled Elizabeth Anne Boleyn beheaded Jane Seymour Edward VI natural death Anne of Cleves divorced matchmaker beheaded

16. Henry VIII Catherine of Aragon Mary Tudor annulled Elizabeth Anne Boleyn beheaded Jane Seymour Edward VI natural death Anne of Cleves divorced Catherine Howard beheaded in disgrace

17. Henry VIII Catherine of Aragon Mary Tudor annulled Elizabeth Anne Boleyn beheaded Jane Seymour Edward VI natural death Anne of Cleves divorced Catherine Howard beheaded in disgrace Catherine Parr outlived Henry

18. MATTHEW’S BIBLE (1537) “And yf she be not obedient and healpfull unto hym endeavoureth to beate the feare of God into her heade, that thereby she maye be compelled to learne her duitie and do it.”

19. GREAT BIBLE (1539)

20. GENEVA BIBLE (1560) [Adam and Eve] “sewed figge tree leaves together, and made themselves breeches.” - Gen 3:7

21. BISHOP’S BIBLE (1568)

22. DOUAI-RHEIMS BIBLE (1582 NT; 1602 OT)

23. KING JAMES BIBLE (1611)

24. 1.Limited knowledge of textual criticism 2.Limited manuscripts 3.Limited knowledge of NT Greek

25. KING JAMES ONLY? 1.I prefer the KJV 2.The KJV is based on the most accurate Bible 3.The KJV is an inspired translation 4.The KJV is New Revelation from God

26. PARALLELS TO KJV-ONLY 1.Septuagint (250-150 BC) - “Why translate the Hebrew Scriptures into an inferior language when Hebrew is the original language which the Scriptures were written in and the Hebrew has worked just fine for 1500 years?”

27. PARALLELS TO KJV-ONLY 1.Septuagint (250-150 BC) 2.Vulgate (AD 375) - “Why translate the Bible into Latin when the LXX Greek text has worked just fine for 500 years and the New Testament Greek text has worked just fine for 300 years?”

28. PARALLELS TO KJV-ONLY 1.Septuagint (250-150 BC) 2.Vulgate (AD 375) 3.Erasmus’ Greek text (1516)

29. WHY NOT KJV-ONLY? 1.Outdated language 2.Errors in the KJV 3.Advances in textual criticism 4.Better text type 5.Better manuscripts 6.Need for greater accuracy

30. TEXTUS RECEPTUS Major text families Erasmus

31. TEXTUS RECEPTUS Major text families Erasmus Elzevir - “The text which is now received by all, in which we give nothing changed or corrupted.”

32. TEXTUS RECEPTUS So superstitious has been the reference accorded the Textus Receptus that in some cases attempts to criticize or amend it have been regarded as akin to sacrilege. Yet its textual basis is essentially a handful of late and haphazardly collected minuscule manuscripts, and in a dozen passages its reading is supported by no known Greek witness. - Bruce Metzger

33. LESSONS LEARNED Greater confidence? Greater love? “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”

34. SCHEDULE 09/27 Introduction 10/04 How did we get our Bible? 10/11 How do we know we have the true Bible? (Part 1) 10/18 How do we know we have the true Bible? (Part 2) 10/25 Why are there so many different translations? 11/01 How do we know the Bible is true? (Part 1) 11/08 How do we know the Bible is true? (Part 2) 11/15 The testimony of Scripture to itself (Part 1) 11/22 The testimony of Scripture to itself (Part 2) 11/29 Thanksgiving 12/06 The testimony of the early church 12/13 The testimony of extrabiblical sources 12/20 The testimony of changed lives 12/27 Christmas