OZTheology

  WHICH BIBLE? - AN EXAMINATION OF TRANSLATIONS - Part Two Previously, I considered the original manuscripts and the subsequent copies as the foundation for the Bible.   This post discusses the biblical text contained in those copies, which then forms the textual tradition from which Bible translations are created.   THE BIBLICAL TEXT CONTAINED IN THE COPIES   It is here that there has been considerable debate, but only with respect to the Greek text of the New Testament.   The Old Testament text has generally been agreed on for many centuries.   During the Masoretic Period (c. AD 500-1000), this text was standardized, and the Masoretic text has been the basis of translation from that time onwards.   Because of the variations between the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, it was and still is necessary to choose the correct one, the one that represents the original.   This process is known as textual criticism, which despite being...

  WHICH BIBLE? - AN EXAMINATION OF TRANSLATIONS - 2 Timothy 3:10-17 I am often asked for advice on which Bible to use and why.   With so many Bibles on sale from which to select, I can appreciate the difficulty in making such a choice, and it is not getting any easier with new versions and editions constantly appearing.   What are the differences between them, and does it really matter which version you use? I hope that this series of posts will assist you in assessing the quality of a particular translation.   I also hope to address in brief the claim that the King James Version is the only true Bible for English-speaking people.   I will approach this subject using the following steps:   1.                   The Original Manuscripts and Subsequent Copies 2.                   The...