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All English Bible Translations Flawed,
Says Bible Scholar

Contact: Dr. Joel M. Hoffman, 718-834-1080,

Joel@Lashon.Net; www.Lashon.net

 

NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2011 /Christian Newswire

"From the Ten Commandments to the Psalms to the Gospels,

English translations of the Bible distort the original meaning of the text:

The Ten Commandments don't forbid coveting.

Psalm 23 is not primarily about sheep or a shepherd. And God didn't give

his only begotten son because he loved the world so much."

 

So writes Bible scholar and translator Dr. Joel M. Hoffman in a Huffington Post

blog posting today entitled "Five Ways Your Bible Translation Distorts the

Original Meaning of the Text."

 

In the post, Hoffman identifies etymology, internal structure, and cognates

as the "three pillars" of Bible translation, warning that they

"don't work very well."  He adds that historical translations and

misunderstood metaphors further "degrade all English Bibles." 

As a result, he writes, English Bible translations "conceal what the

Bible originally meant."

 

In a surprisingly entertaining 20-minute video presentation that accompanies

the blog post, Hoffman expands on his material. He also delves more deeply

into the meaning and importance of the Ten Commandments, ultimately

claiming that they provide a moral framework missing from modern legal codes. 

The video was filmed earlier this year in East Hampton, NY at a prestigious

TEDx conference on "the Next Generation."

 

Hoffman concludes his presentation with some advice for the next generation. 

Referring to the Ten Commandments, he tells an engaged audience that he

hopes that "as we move forward, we will ... remember to bring with us the

things we learned in the past."

 

ABOUT DR. HOFFMAN Dr. Joel M. Hoffman, a frequent guest speaker at

churches and synagogues, has held faculty appointments at Brandeis University

and at Hebrew Union College, and lectured at universities on four continents.

He is the author of And God Said: How Translations Conceal the

Bible's Original Meaning (2010, Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press)

and In The Beginning: A Short History of the Hebrew Language

(2004, NYU Press), and the chief translator for the 10-volume series My

People's Prayer Book (winner of the National Jewish Book Award).

He also moderates the popular Bible-translation blog "God Didn't Say That."

 

He can be reached through his website at www.Lashon.net.

 

The 20 minute --video presentation-- says a more about it.

Last edited by INVICTUS
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So if it is not accurate how and why do so many people follow it as the word of God? It seems to me that if you can't trust the translation to be right, then you have nothing to build your belief on. How do you know what parts are misinterpreted or just flat out added to the original text?

 

This is one of the reason that many people such as myself can't put any kind of "faith" in the bible. It was made by men and then translated by other men.

 

Not a holy book, but a holely book.

Hoffman's concept of "flawed" is flawed.  When he critiques certain translations on the basis that an English word used by  translators now has a different  meaning than it did when that particular translation (e.g. the King James) was made, he is not finding error; he is simply substantiating that the English language has evolved.  The translation would have been correct and correctly  understood by those living 400 years ago. As translated in the KJV,  Paul wrote, "I do you to wit of the grace of God." It simply means, "I make known to you the grace of God." The original translation was correct and was understood by the readers in that era.  Not many modern-day readers readily understand the usage.  

 

Hoffman's take on John 3:16 is nothing but a cavil.  The word "so" means "thus" (Greek "houtos").  The verse is saying that God loved the world in such a way.  From what follows in the verse, the reader can easily discern that the verse is saying that the  depth of the love of God is enormous, owing to what He gave the world in the form of His Son.  Hoffman assumes that the reader of this verse interprets "so" as "so much." The "much" part in not inherent in the Greek, standing alone, but is nevertheless apparent from the context. Hoffman is big on use of context in translation, so he should be consistent and accept that context, in John 3:16, does just the thing he demands.

 

Perhaps Hoffman selected John 3:16 for special reference since he, being Jewish, would not be expected to have any special relish for a verse that proclaims the existence of a Messiah that he and his fellow believers believe not to have yet come.

 

Originally Posted by Winston Niles Rumfoord:
Originally Posted by INVICTUS:

 All English Bible Translations Flawed,

______________________________
Then read in in its original languages, and report back to us. 
And what is that funky avatar you use, the Fire Department badge? 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

There there, isn't it a relief from the boring pipeline from God/

dumb bible stuff /who created God /aclu???

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And what is that funky avatar you use, the Fire Department badge?

 

-----Well, it sure isn't a tiny silver tonka phallus shaped toy.

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