Greek or Hebrew Translated Bible

[CantThinkofaUserName]

What's the closest translation to the original bible? Which came first? Greek? Hebrew? And is that version of the bible available for purchase? If so, where?

Thanks!

 

[drich0150]

Hebrew for the old testament, and Greek for the new.. Most translations (NIV,KJV, etc,etc.)already incorporate these manuscripts into what ever version it has been translated into.

 

[Radagast]

What's the closest translation to the original bible? Which came first? Greek? Hebrew? And is that version of the bible available for purchase? If so, where?

The OLD TESTAMENT was first written in Hebrew (with a few of the later parts in Aramaic). It has been preserved by Jews and Christians. There is also a Greek translation made around 200 BC.

The NEW TESTAMENT was first written in Greek. There are thousands of ancient manuscripts.

Modern English translations such as the New International Version (NIV) follow the ancient manuscripts, and I would recommend the NIV as a translation.

 

[BereanTodd]

The languages the Bible was written in are covered above. To that all I will add is that there is some possible evidence that the Gospel of Matthew was actually originally written in Hebrew and not Greek.

We have tens of thousands of manuscripts (MSS) of the new testament alone, written in Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, Coptic and other languages.

For an english language bible, by far the most accurate word-for-word translations are the NASB and the NKJV. One that smooths the rough-ness of it out and makes it a little more readable while maintaining pretty good integrity of translation is the ESV.

The NIV is a very loose (thought-for-thought as opposed to word-for-word) translation.

For real study avoid anything like the Message, NLT or other extreme paraphrases that are out there.

 

[Radagast]

The languages the Bible was written in are covered above. To that all I will add is that there is some possible evidence that the Gospel of Matthew was actually originally written in Hebrew and not Greek.

Jesus spoke in Aramaic, and it does seem that an initial record of what he said was made in Aramaic by Matthew and later translated into Greek. The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) sometimes use slightly different Greek words for what was presumably the same Aramaic word.

For an english language bible, by far the most accurate word-for-word translations are the NASB and the NKJV. One that smooths the rough-ness of it out and makes it a little more readable while maintaining pretty good integrity of translation is the ESV.

The NIV is a very loose (thought-for-thought as opposed to word-for-word) translation.

The NIV and ESV are more closely based on the oldest manuscripts. Both are accurate translations (in so far as I've checked the Greek), though the ESV is slightly more word-for-word, and hence sometimes a little harder to understand.

 

[BereanTodd]

The NIV and ESV are more closely based on the oldest manuscripts. Both are accurate translations (in so far as I've checked the Greek), though the ESV is slightly more word-for-word, and hence sometimes a little harder to understand.

Actually the NASB, NIV and ESV all use the exact same MSS. The NASB takes a strictly literal word-for-word view of translation. The NIV takes a thought for thought view. The ESV is much closer to the word-for-word, but strives for more readability.

The NIV is not so accurate, by going thought-for-thought they actually take some liberalities, and at times do the theological work for the reader rather than translating what is actually there.

The NKJV, like the KJV, relies on the "majority" text.

 

[Radagast]

... The NIV takes a thought for thought view...

I don't personally think that "thought for thought" accurately describes the NIV's approach to translation. This thread is not the place for the debate, but see this post.

 

[BereanTodd]

I don't personally think that "thought for thought" accurately describes the NIV's approach to translation. This thread is not the place for the debate, but see this post.

I understand translation, I have a couple of years of Greek allready under my belt at the seminary level, and though I don't mean to boast, for sake of this discussion, I have still a 3.88 GPA at one of the toughest seminaries out there (DTS) - and one of the best when it comes to languages.

I am NOT a KJO person (I laugh at them), and I am not one to say that the NIV is some devil-inspired horrible book. But it IS innacurate in many places, and it also has a real habbit of doing the theological work for the reader, rather than translating what is there.

This is nothing revolutionary, ask any group of Greek scholars. If you want accurate versions it's the NASB, the NKJV, the NET (though this one is very accurate I dislike it - it's just too different from common readings that we all are used to), and the ESV to a lesser extent.

There are versions that people like - and to be sure the NIV is one of the more read versions now days - but nothing touches the four I mentioned above for accuracy of translation. Nothing else is even really close.