Are There Too Many Bible Translations?

Hey Andy, the Bible has had too many translations. Can’t God just start over and send us all an email?

Ha, that’s pretty good. But if God would just send out emails, how many do you think would open it and read it, and how many do you think just send it to their junk folders?

English Versions of the Bible

Actually, in terms of the English versions, I think a lot of Bibles have been getting better at their translating of the Scriptures. For example, I’m a fan of the TNIV. Now, it had gotten some harsh criticism, and was even discontinued and replaced by a newer version of the NIV. However, if you can get one, the TNIV is updated in its translation from the NIV, and has also corrected many of its mentions of genders. For example, in many cases, in the Greek, the case ending for the Neuter is the same case ending as the Masculine. But instead of recognizing the subjects as both men and women, the NIV takes on the masculine – the TNIV corrects this. The NLT (New Living Translation) and NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) are also all favorites of mine, and good translations in my opinion, too. In fact, when doing a study, I like to use all four (NIV, TNIV, NLT, NRSV) with the Greek, just to get the gist of what’s really being said.

Bibles in Other Languages

In terms of other languages, honestly, I don’t think there are enough translations of the Bible. For example, when you look at the many countries in Africa, there are still some areas that speak languages that the Bible has not yet been translated into. Also, just as there are many versions of the English, I have to sometimes wonder if there need to be updates among the other languages that are out there.

The Best Language To Read the Bible

But now, if you really want to get the meat of the scriptures’ meaning without dealing with all the different English translations, try learning the Hebrew and Koine Greek, in which the Scriptures were originally written. Because honestly, no matter how many English translations there are, or how much better they’re getting, there is still so much that’s lost in the translation.

If you’d like to check out different translations of the Bible, the Bible Gateway is a favorite online source of mine.

Not Obeying the Bible

Another issue I see, in terms of Bible translations, is that there’s not yet a language for people who just like to read the Bible, but not obey it. I know, that’s sarcasm. But seriously, regardless of the different languages and translations in which the Bible has been written, there’s still that issue of people not wanting to obey it. They just like to read it, as they would a fictional novel or self-help book. They may like parts in it, and take those out, but leave the rest of the Bible in there. You’ll hear me use certain terms on here about such people, like “Liberal Christians“, “Christian Lite“, and people who practice “cheap grace”. But then you have people to take things out of the Bible that they don’t want to believe and write their own bibles with such taken out, and teach that to people. Other people just take the Bible figuratively, as if it had codes in it that we have to solve if we’re to understand it. I would guess that’s why we have so many pseudo-Christian religions out there. But Jesus said that some will come claiming to be Him, teaching such false doctrines, and deceive many — and some will do so KNOWING they’re deceiving many.