H ebrew . And i t i s f a i t h f u l l y t r a n s l a t e d i n th e A u t h o r iz e d V e r s i o n . The t r a g i c f a c t i s t h a t i n b o t h th e R e v is e d S tan d a r d V e r s io n and th e New E n g li s h B i b l e t h e r e i s much l e f t t o b e d e s i r e d i n th e "c o n t em p o r a r y E n g li s h " t h a t i s u s e d t o c o n v e y t h i s g r e a t f o u n d a t i o n a l d o c t r i n e o f th e a ton em en t o f o u r L o rd J e s u s C h r i s t on C a l v a r y 's c r o s s . The R e v i s e d V e r s i o n o f 1 8 8 1 , and th e Am e rican S tan d a rd V e r s i o n o f 1 9 0 1 , r e t a i n a lm o s t a l t o g e t h e r th e m a j e s t i c p h r a s e o l o g y fo u n d i n th e K in g James t r a n s l a t i o n . At th e same t im e , t h e t r a n s l a t o r s had t h e a d v a n ta g e o f a l l o f th e l a t e s t m a n u s c r ip t d i s c o v e r i e s s o t h a t t h e y ( a ) n o t e d th e "c h a n g e s i n c e 1611 i n E n g li s h u s a g e , " ( b ) ch an g ed th e w ords t h a t " a r e o b s o l e t e and no l o n g e r u n d e r s t o o d b y th e common r e a d e r , " ( c ) ch an g ed th e w o rd s "w h ich a r e s t i l l i n c o n s t a n t u s e b u t now c o n v e y a d i f f e r e n t m ean ing fr om t h a t w h ich t h e y had i n th e K in g James V e r s i o n . " A lth o u g h v e r y a n c ie n t c o p i e s o f p o r t i o n s o f th e New T estam en t h av e b e e n d i s c o v e r e d i n more r e c e n t t im e s , y e t no new m a n u s c r ip t s h a v e b e e n un e a r t h e d t h a t w ou ld n e c e s s i t a t e c h a n g in g t h e s e t r a n s l a t i o n s t o any s i g n i f i c a n t d e g r e e w h a t e v e r . But e v e n t h e s e word p r o b lem s a r e c o m p a r a t iv e ly r a r e and o f r e l a t i v e l y m in o r im p o r t a n c e . We do n o t a p p r e c i a t e i n th e l e a s t th e t e n d e n c y t o downgrade th e K in g James V e r s i o n . These t r a n s l a t o r s o f th e "c o n t em p o r a r y E n g li s h " v e r s i o n s h av e n o t s t r e n g t h e n e d th e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e Word o f God i n t h e i r t r a n s l a t i o n s i n t h e l e a s t . R a th e r t h e y them s e l v e s h av e p r o d u c e d an i n f e r i o r t r a n s l a t i o n b o t h i n t y p e o f e x p r e s s i o n and c - e r t a i n l y i n d o c t r i n a l c o n t e n t . I t seems t o be q u i t e t h e f a d t o r e a d fr om t h e s e m odern t r a n s l a t i o n s . I t w i l l be i n t e r e s t i n g t o s e e how l o n g t h i s p a r t i c u l a r f a d l a s t s . I t i s im p o s s i b l e t o a c c e p t any t r a n s l a t i o n m e r e ly a t i t s f a c e v a l u e . One must a lw a y s c o n s i d e r th e t h e o l o g i c a l p o s i t i o n o f th e t r a n s l a t o r s . T h rou gh ou t th e B i b l e t h e r e i s t h e u n m is t a k a b le e v i d e n c e o f th e f a c t t h a t i t c l a im s t o b e th e Word o f God. B e ca u se o f la n g u a g e l i m i t a t i o n s , i t i s im p o s s i b l e t o g i v e an a b s o l u t e l y l i t e r a l t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e e n t i r e B o ok . Th ose who b e l i e v e th e B i b l e i s v e r b a l l y and f u l l y i n s p i r e d o f God w i l l p r o d u c e one t y p e o f t r a n s l a t i o n ; t h o s e who do n o t b e l i e v e t h a t i t i s th e i n s p i r e d Word o f God w i l l p r o d u c e an e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t t y p e o f t r a n s l a t i o n . The h i s t o r i c p o s i t i o n o f t h e Church o f J e su s C h r is t i s t h a t t h e B i b l e i s th e Word o f God. The t r a n s l a t o r s o f th e K in g James V e r s i o n b e l i e v e d e x a c t l y t h a t . The c om m itt e e s o f th e v e r s i o n s o f 1881 and 1901 b e l i e v e d e x a c t l y t h a t . Th ese "c o n t em p o r a r y E n g li s h " t r a n s l a t i o n s r e v e a l t h e f a c t t h a t t h e i r c om m itt e e s do n o t b e l i e v e i n th e v e r b a l and f u l l i n s p i r a t i o n o f th e S c r i p t u r e s . T h e r e f o r e , r e g a r d l e s s o f how i n t e r e s t i n g any g i v e n v e r s e may b e i n th e modern t r a n s l a t i o n s , t h i s w h o le p h i l o s o p h y of- i n s p i r a t i o n and o f th e p u r p o s e and w ork o f t r a n s l a t i n g t h e S c r i p t u r e s must be k e p t i n m ind . The r e a d e r must b e c o n s t a n t l y on gu a rd l e s t he f i n d h im s e l f b e in g l e d a s t r a y i n what he e r r o n e o u s l y c o n s i d e r s t o b e th e "Word o f G o d ." F o r one who i s d e s i r o u s o f o b t a i n i n g a new B i b l e , e i t h e r f o r p e r s o n a l u s e o r a s a g i f t , we w ou ld s t r o n g l y recommend th e K in g James V e r s i o n w it h t h e S c o f i e l d N o t e s . I t i s ap p r o p r i a t e l y c a l l e d t h e S c o f i e l d R e f e r e n c e B i b l e . In th e m a r g in a l n o t e s , t h e S c o f i e l d R e f e r e n c e B i b l e i n c o r p o r a t e s many o f th e w ord ch a n g e s w h ich a r e fo u n d i n t h e R e v is e d V e r s i o n o f 1 8 8 1 , s o t h a t th e r e a d e r h a s th e a d v a n ta g e n o t o n l y o f h a v in g th e A u t h o r i z e d V e r s io n b u t a l s o th e R e v is e d V e r m o n t in u e d on p a g e 2 4 )
Mission To the
& MARIE DROWN An insp iring story of two dedicated missionaries in the Ecuadorian jungle. “ One of the best missionary stories in the world.” — C l a b e n c e W. H a l l . 16 pages o f sta rtlin g jungle photographs. $3.95
Harper’s famous jungle missionary classics
The Savage My Kinsman B y E lisabeth E lliot . Mrs. Elliot reports on her life among the Auca killers of her missionary husband. 123 photographs by Cornell Capa. $5.95 The Dayuma Story L ife Under Auca Spears By E thel E mily W allis . The first Christian member of the Auca tribe tells her startling story. 16 pages of photographs. $3.95 Jungle Pilot The L ife and W itness of Nate Saint By R ussell T. H itt . “An example of absolute dedication to a cause fully believed in.”— Kansas City Star. Illustrated with photographs. $3.75 Shadow of the Almighty The L ife and Testament of Jim E lliot By E lisabeth E lliot . With the Jim Elliot “spiritual classic” journals. Illustrated with photographs. $3.95 Through Gates of Splendor By E lisabeth E lliot . The first great account of the five missionary mar tyrs in Ecuador. With the Cornell Capa photographs. $3.95 At your bookseller HARPER & BROTHERS, N. Y. 16
7
SEPTEMBER, 1961
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online