Newsletter July 2011

At a memorial service recently a pastor spoke about a woman’s reading of the Bible and then went on to say that she not only read the Bible faithfully, but that she was careful about which translation of the Bible she read. As I heard those words I thought to myself that I had never heard this particular compliment paid to a Christian man or woman before. And then I wondered what concern was behind the pastor’s remarks.
There are many translations of the Bible available for use today. Some of them are good, some not-so-good, and a few very poor. But for about 350 years there was one translation of the Bible that was used in the English speaking world, and it was the King James Version of the Bible, sometimes called the “authorized version.”. This year, 2011, is the 400th anniversary of the publication of the KJV. King James I of England called for a new translation of the Bible at a conference in 1604. A committee of 47 scholars worked at Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster until the publication of the Bible in 1611. All were members of the Church of England and all but one were clergy. Over time the translation they produced became the standard Bible for all English speaking Protestants around the world.
According to an article in Wikepedia, the King James Version of the Bible has been called "the most influential version of the most influential book in the world, in what is now its most influential language", "the most important book in English religion and culture", and "the most celebrated book in the English-speaking world." It has contributed 257 idioms to English, more than any other single source, including Shakespeare; examples include “feet of clay” and “reap the whirlwind.” Although its use has diminished in the last 50 years, it is still the most popular version of the Bible sold in the English language.
The KJV was produced because of problems with the other translations of the Bible into English in the early days of the Reformation. When English replaced Latin in the liturgy and the Bible, several translations were attempted. Some reflected the theological bias of those doing the translating. One of several ways the KJV translators tried to overcome bias was to use language that was formal and somewhat old fashioned, even on the day it was first published. They succeeded in their primary task of producing a Bible that people of many religious leanings all admired. This was a result of both accuracy and artistry.
Today the language of the KJV is very much out-of-date. But no modern translation compares with the majestic language of Luke 2, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” or the opening line of 1st Corinthians 13 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal.”
And yet, 400 years after these lines were published, there is a need for new translations for people who do not find Shakespearean English understandable, as beautiful and elegant as it can be. Thus the many translations in use today.
In choosing a Bible to read, the first thing one needs to know is the difference between a paraphrase and a translation. A paraphrase is a free attempt to state what the translator thinks the passage means. A translation is much more literal and may at times be much more difficult, but it is much more accurate. For the serious Christian, a translation is always to be preferred over a paraphrase. For the Bible to speak to modern man, the translator needs to stand as far in the background as possible and let the Bible speak.
The direct descendents of the KJV Bible are the Revised Standard Version of 1952 (RSV) and the New Revised Standard Version of 1989 (NRSV). Both of them have a few problem areas – as do all translations including the KJV – but both of them quite accurately translate the original texts.
As I think about the 400th anniversary of the KJV Bible, I think I would like to be known as one who was careful about which translation of the Bible I used and accurate when I quoted a passage of scripture. I would be pleased if someone said about me what that pastor said about that woman at that memorial service.
But whether you read the KJV or the latest newest translation, whether it is on Kindle or on parchment, I encourage you to read the Bible today.