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Critics say that because we don't have the original texts of the Bible we therefore can't trust the accuracy of our present day translations. They say that the Biblical text has been corrupted. This is an invalid assumption. Here's why.
One reason we know that the Bible has been translated correctly (aside from the translations that have been purposely altered) is because of Lectionaries.
Lectionaries were used in church-services of the early church and contained selected scripture quotations that were copied from the original texts and were used by the pastor of a given church during his message. These Lectionaries are far more ancient than the manuscripts that are available to us today.
Thousands of these Lectionaries have been found and can be seen in museum's. There are thousands of these Lectionaries with about 86,000 quotations of various Bible passages. And there are only minute differences between our Bible translations and the Bible passages that are contained on these Lectionaries which again were taken from the original texts.
There are other reasons we can trust the accuracy of our Bible. The science of Textual Criticism being one of those reasons. For more information refer to these links:
We have available to us in our modern day Bibles, the Word of God, with only some minor variances that do not affect the doctrinal content. For instance, differences in spelling, or word order such as Jesus Christ instead of Christ Jesus. There are some copyist errors that crept in, but again nothing of significance.
As I said earlier, there are some newer translations that have been intentionaly changed to make them more acceptable to certain groups. I think there is a Bible translation that's aimed at young people, for instance, that I hear butchers the Biblical text. But that's another story.
I personally prefer the King James version because it is what I am most comfortable reading. However, I totally agree with you. I think, through the work of the Holy Spirit, that a person can be in the middle of the desert and find only one page of the Bible in any translation and God can get this person the message they need to hear. My God is just that good.
All this debate on modern translation accuracy leaves God's power out of the equation.
Thanks for pointing out how much original scripture is available to back everything up. Most people don't seem to know that.
I personally prefer the King James version because it is what I am most comfortable reading. However, I totally agree with you. I think, through the work of the Holy Spirit, that a person can be in the middle of the desert and find only one page of the Bible in any translation and God can get this person the message they need to hear. My God is just that good.
All this debate on modern translation accuracy leaves God's power out of the equation.
Thanks for pointing out how much original scripture is available to back everything up. Most people don't seem to know that.
You're welcome. And you are right that most people don't know that the reliability of our modern Bible translations can be proven. Unfortunately, this leaves some people vulnerable to having their faith shaken when critics make an issue out of it. I hope that this information will help whoever reads it.
Critics say that because we don't have the original texts of the Bible we therefore can't trust the accuracy of our present day translations. They say that the Biblical text has been corrupted. This is an invalid assumption. Here's why.
One reason we know that the Bible has been translated correctly (aside from the translations that have been purposely altered) is because of Lectionaries.
Lectionaries were used in church-services of the early church and contained selected scripture quotations that were copied from the original texts and were used by the pastor of a given church during his message. These Lectionaries are far more ancient than the manuscripts that are available to us today.
Thousands of these Lectionaries have been found and can be seen in museum's. There are thousands of these Lectionaries with about 86,000 quotations of various Bible passages. And there are only minute differences between our Bible translations and the Bible passages that are contained on these Lectionaries which again were taken from the original texts.
There are other reasons we can trust the accuracy of our Bible. The science of Textual Criticism being one of those reasons. For more information refer to these links:
We have available to us in our modern day Bibles, the Word of God, with only some minor variances that do not affect the doctrinal content. For instance, differences in spelling, or word order such as Jesus Christ instead of Christ Jesus. There are some copyist errors that crept in, but again nothing of significance.
As I said earlier, there are some newer translations that have been intentionaly changed to make them more acceptable to certain groups. I think there is a Bible translation that's aimed at young people, for instance, that I hear butchers the Biblical text. But that's another story.
Quote:
Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA
I believe God is capable of keeping His Word error free.
There are some wonderfully accurate translations today. The NASB, and ESV are great translations. The NIV is pretty good...but leans more toward readability over word-for-word accuracy.
The KJV is an amazingly good piece of work considering the few manuscripts that they had to work with at the time of its translation.
Personally, I'd stay away from the NLT, The Message and some of the more liberal translations like them.
Now here is the thing : Even if there may be some bad interpretation in the bible, for example a word is supposed to be like not love, or young woman and not virgin as we know it, the story in the bible does not change, even with those adjustments and possibilities for error. This is very very very important to bear in mind. The basic and primary message of the bible is God came down to earth in a human form, lived among us, died for our sins, rose on the third day, gave us His holy spirit, sent us to spread the good news of His salvation, and lastly promised to come back for us and usher in the new heaven and earth. Now you can argue grammar, you can say interpretation is wrong, but you can never change the fundamental story in the bible. You cant. You may say mary was not a virgin, and that interpretation there is wrong, but you are left with the fact that mary was with child of the holy spirit, virgin or no virgin, and that is amongst many things what makes Jesus the Son of God. The only way to say Jesus was not the son of God is by saying the bible is a lie or some parts of it are lies, AND THAT MY FRIENDS HAS GOT NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH INTERPRETATION, NOT AT ALL. The whole interpretation debate is nothing but a mask, because interpretation arguments do nothing to the fundamental story in the bible. If you know your bible you will know this is true. Even if we do not have the original books, we do have historical evidence. ANYWAY, MORE IMPORTANT,NO ONE IS FORCED TO BELIEVE THE BIBLE, IT WAS NOT WRITTEN FOR SCIENTIFIC STUDIES - IT IS A RELIGIOUS BOOK, YOU CAN ACCEPT IT OR LEAVE IT, EVIDENCE IS NOT COMPULSORY. AND IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN THE BIBLE SAYS YOU ARE FREED BY THE WORDS OF YOUR TESTIMONY, YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS ENOUGH PROOF.
Critics say that because we don't have the original texts of the Bible we therefore can't trust the accuracy of our present day translations. They say that the Biblical text has been corrupted. This is an invalid assumption. Here's why.
One reason we know that the Bible has been translated correctly (aside from the translations that have been purposely altered) is because of Lectionaries.
Lectionaries were used in church-services of the early church and contained selected scripture quotations that were copied from the original texts and were used by the pastor of a given church during his message. These Lectionaries are far more ancient than the manuscripts that are available to us today.
Thousands of these Lectionaries have been found and can be seen in museum's. There are thousands of these Lectionaries with about 86,000 quotations of various Bible passages. And there are only minute differences between our Bible translations and the Bible passages that are contained on these Lectionaries which again were taken from the original texts.
There are other reasons we can trust the accuracy of our Bible. The science of Textual Criticism being one of those reasons. For more information refer to these links:
We have available to us in our modern day Bibles, the Word of God, with only some minor variances that do not affect the doctrinal content. For instance, differences in spelling, or word order such as Jesus Christ instead of Christ Jesus. There are some copyist errors that crept in, but again nothing of significance.
As I said earlier, there are some newer translations that have been intentionaly changed to make them more acceptable to certain groups. I think there is a Bible translation that's aimed at young people, for instance, that I hear butchers the Biblical text. But that's another story.
Btw thanks for the info Mike, totally cool man. There is nothing that bugs me than non Christians who try to think they know better than us about our faith. I mean hello, what gives?!
Thank you Mike. I appreciate the links...and I agree with what you say wholeheartedly.
In my King James Version...God speaks to me quite clearly, and I have benefited greatly from the Word of God through this precious Book...there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING in this world that gives me more freedom...more comfort, than this Truth.
I thank God every hour for leaving us this letter of faithfulness and truth...mercy and grace...fairness and righteousness...I cannot imagine my life wihout it to run to.
The translations are only part of the problem . . . the interpretation of their spiritual import is far more problematic. Using ancient primitive mindsets and thought processes steeped in their ignorance and interpreting non-verbal right brain inspirations and impressions or their understanding of hearsay or rumors or events . . . AS IF they were modern adults recording direct dictation is absurd in the extreme.
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