THE BIBLE INTO ENGLISH: WHY SO MANY TRANSLATIONS?

Bible translation has been necessary almost from the beginning. The Old Testament (or Hebrew Bible) was written originally in Hebrew and Aramaic. But when many Jewish people settled in Greek- speaking Alexandria, Egypt, a Greek translation of the Old Testament was needed. And that was called the Septuagint (the 70) or the LXX (the 70) translators (actually 72) who completed the work between 250 and 150 B.C.

What about the New Testament? Jesus spoke Aramaic (a language closely related to Hebrew). However, very soon the majority of Jesus’ followers were Greek-speaking. As a consequence, the Four Gospels which contain the life and teachings of Jesus originally were written in Greek. So also were the rest of the New Testament books.

However, as time passed, the Western Christians were more Latin-speaking. So in 410 A.D., St. Jerome completed his translation of the Hebrew and Greek Bible into Latin. His work was called the Latin Vulgate (meaning the common everyday Latin) and it became the official Bible of the Western Church for many centuries.

But people like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale saw the need for a Bible in English, since most people no longer read or spoke Latin. You may recall they were condemned as heretics for their efforts, and Wycliffe’s body was exhumed and burned and Tyndale was burned at the stake.

However, English prevailed, and in 1604 A.D., King James I of England authorized a new translation to be read in churches, schools, and homes in the English-speaking world. That translation, the famous and influential King James Bible of 1611, became the standard for over 264 years.

But the English language is a living language, and its words, phrases and expressions change over the years. So in 1885, the British produced the English Revised Version of the King James Bible. And in 1901, the Americans produced the American Standard Version. And then in 1952, the American produced the Revised Standard Version. Why? Because English is a living language with new words (think of those in the high-tech, computer, space industry) and changing nuances of meaning of existing words. Think of “cool”, “hot”, “square”, etc.

Not only is English a living language, archeological discoveries help us better understand the original meanings of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words. So translation is an ongoing challenge.

Some of the recent translations and versions include the New English Bible (1970) by British scholars; the New American Bible (1970) by Roman Catholic scholars; the New International Version (1978) by somewhat conservative Protestant scholars; and the New Revised Standard Version (1990) with its emphasis on inclusive language.

There are many others too numerous to mention here. But translation is an ongoing process for two reasons: English is a living language with new words and changes in meaning, and extended research helps us understand better the original meanings of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek words. But the important thing is to read the Bible, and never to take it for granted.