Delta4Embassy
Gold Member
As a Jew (full disclosure,) the 'best' OT version is an actual Jewish Tanach. No Bible OT should be relied upon imo.
For the most accurate English translation of the original Greek NT texts (there were Hebrew language versions, but they're lost or otherwise unavailable,) much depends on which denomination you belong to. Most Christian denominations have an official Bible version (Catholics and Mormons both use the KJV for example.) Whereas other denominations may use other versions.
"In the 10th century a priest named Aldred wrote an English rendition of the Evangels between the lines of a Latin text he was copying, thus producing the oldest English translation of the New Testament for which evidence exists. Aelfric of Bath, an Anglo Saxon abbot, shortly afterward produced an English translation of the four Evangels.
It was 400 years later that the reformer John Wycliffe translated the first complete English Bible, relying primarily on the Latin Vulgate. The 1382 Wycliffe Bible paved the way for the Protestant Reformation.
Another influential translator was William Tyndale. He was a member of the Catholic order and friend of Martin Luther. In 1525 he published an English New Testament from the Greek, as well as the Book of Jonah from the Hebrew. It was the first English version made directly from the Hebrew and Greek and the first to be printed. His work was consulted in subsequent English translations, including the King James. For his efforts, Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake, being accused of producing “untrue translations.”"
" No Perfect Translation
Because it is produced by well-meaning but fallible men, no Bible translation is perfect. Only the original manuscripts by the prophets, apostles, and writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Languages are not precisely parallel in meaning. Often a translator has to make a judgment call as to which would be a better word to use based on his own competence with the languages and his own background in understanding the Scriptures.
Because the originals are unavailable, many modern translations are based on less than perfect source texts that are themselves born of translator biases. Some translations interpret certain passages according to traditional theological understanding (for instance, “Easter” in Acts 12:4 instead of the proper “Passover”); some are very loose or general in the use of language; others use outdated language (what does the KJV mean in reference to the Kingdom in Luke 16:16 that every man “presses into it”?); while nearly all suffer from the fluid nature of language as old meanings are replaced by new inferences. (Remember when “gay” meant happy and “bad” always denoted something harmful?)"
Tons more about the origins of various popular English Bibles here, invaluable info if accuracy is important to you.
Is There a Best Bible Version
For the most accurate English translation of the original Greek NT texts (there were Hebrew language versions, but they're lost or otherwise unavailable,) much depends on which denomination you belong to. Most Christian denominations have an official Bible version (Catholics and Mormons both use the KJV for example.) Whereas other denominations may use other versions.
"In the 10th century a priest named Aldred wrote an English rendition of the Evangels between the lines of a Latin text he was copying, thus producing the oldest English translation of the New Testament for which evidence exists. Aelfric of Bath, an Anglo Saxon abbot, shortly afterward produced an English translation of the four Evangels.
It was 400 years later that the reformer John Wycliffe translated the first complete English Bible, relying primarily on the Latin Vulgate. The 1382 Wycliffe Bible paved the way for the Protestant Reformation.
Another influential translator was William Tyndale. He was a member of the Catholic order and friend of Martin Luther. In 1525 he published an English New Testament from the Greek, as well as the Book of Jonah from the Hebrew. It was the first English version made directly from the Hebrew and Greek and the first to be printed. His work was consulted in subsequent English translations, including the King James. For his efforts, Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake, being accused of producing “untrue translations.”"
" No Perfect Translation
Because it is produced by well-meaning but fallible men, no Bible translation is perfect. Only the original manuscripts by the prophets, apostles, and writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Languages are not precisely parallel in meaning. Often a translator has to make a judgment call as to which would be a better word to use based on his own competence with the languages and his own background in understanding the Scriptures.
Because the originals are unavailable, many modern translations are based on less than perfect source texts that are themselves born of translator biases. Some translations interpret certain passages according to traditional theological understanding (for instance, “Easter” in Acts 12:4 instead of the proper “Passover”); some are very loose or general in the use of language; others use outdated language (what does the KJV mean in reference to the Kingdom in Luke 16:16 that every man “presses into it”?); while nearly all suffer from the fluid nature of language as old meanings are replaced by new inferences. (Remember when “gay” meant happy and “bad” always denoted something harmful?)"
Tons more about the origins of various popular English Bibles here, invaluable info if accuracy is important to you.
Is There a Best Bible Version
