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February 2002, Page 4.
Index of articles.
Bible & Sermons:
index,
David,
Ephesians,
Bible reading,
Pentecost,
Bible versions,
The cross.
In this issue:
(February 2002)
Vicar's Letter,
Foot & Mouth,
Bible versions,
Question,
History.
The PCC has recently launched a fund for new pew bibles...
Which version of the bible?
We have had bibles in the pews at St Luke’s for many years, but it is becoming obvious that we ought to replace them. So the PCC has recently launched a fund for new ones. Don’t worry - we intend to make sure that those remembered in the gifts of the old bibles will continue to be remembered in the new bibles (although we haven’t yet decided exactly how to do this).
Why replace them? Two obvious reasons are that the copies are very battered by now, and the print is very small. This was particularly so at the Harvest Service last autumn: Deuteronomy was tiny!
It would be possible to buy the same translation of the bible again, but we ought to consider the pros and cons rather carefully. Here are some things to think about:
| Some versions are "paraphrases", others are literal translations: | ||
| The Living Bible often uses a phrase instead of a single word. It's great for the general gist, but not for precision. |  |
The Revised Version does a word-for-word match-up. It sounds odd, but you know you get the exact Greek / Hebrew. |
| Some use simple words, others employ complicated vocabulary: | ||
| The Good News Bible is written so that the person who left school without an "O"-level could still read it. | |
The New English Bible has complicated words. Like "calumny" (Matthew 5:16) or "votaries" (Isaiah 44:11). |
| Some mirror the old King James, others go for a distinctive sound: | ||
| The New King James Version makes a deliberate attempt to stick close to the KJV. And it shows! | |
The Jerusalem Bible has a style of its own: John's gospel is almost entirely in poetic stanzas - a striking effect. |
No translation of the bible is perfect. In due course the PCC will have to make up its mind which one to use - maybe you'd like to tell us your favourite one?
John Hartley