- Feb 5, 2002
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(ANALYSIS) The Religion Guy’s Answer: There are two reasons, translations and texts, both of which have cropped up in the news of religion this year. The venerable King James Version (KJV) appeared without changes over centuries.
But today, experts continually reconsider the best available evidence to improve our English Bibles. Publishers periodically issue new updated Bible editions to incorporate their findings in the sacred text itself or footnotes that explain options and issues.
Regarding translations, scholars well-versed in ancient languages and cultures need to decide what present-day English words best convey to current culture the meaning of the ancient Hebrew and Greek, whether by word-for-word or thought-by-thought translation, or a mixture. Regarding “textual criticism,” specialists compare a passage in various available ancient manuscripts; though most differences they assess are minor, some are significant.
A summary by the late textual critic Bruce Metzger said revised editions are necessary for three reasons: ongoing manuscript discoveries, “further investigation of linguistic features of the text,” and “changes in preferred English usage.”
Continued below.
Why Do Our Bibles Keep Changing?
(ANALYSIS) There are two reasons, translations and texts, both of which have cropped up in the news of religion this year. The venerable King James Version (KJV) appeared without changes over centuries. Today, experts continually reconsider the best available evidence to improve our English Bibles.
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