Nathan James Norman
  • Blog
  • Writer
  • Pastor
  • Bookshelf
  • Links
  • Contact

Nathan James Norman

Husband. Father. Pastor.
Storyteller. Reader. Comic Fan.
Slave of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Orchard Church

Read the Introduction!

4/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
I'm embarrassed to admit this, but there was a time in my early twenties when I thought the italicized letters in one of my Bible versions were emphasizing  important doctrines. So, there's large sections of that Bible that feature almost nothing but highlighted italics!

In reality, though, those italics were meant to signify "help words" that did not appear in the original text, but have been inserted to smooth out the English translation.

Whoops!

But I was young and naive! How could I have avoided such a pointless blunder?

I should have read the introduction to the translation.

Obviously, the introduction in your Bible is not the inspired Word of God. But, the introduction give you a vast amount of information about the translation and features of your Bible.

The introduction answers important questions like:
  • What do the italics mean?
  • Why are these brackets here?
  • What ancient manuscripts is this translation based on? Why?
  • How close is this translation to the original languages?
  • Why is LORD in capital letters in the Old Testament?
  • Why doesn't my Bible contain the name YHWH (Yahweh)?
  • What sort of men and women translated this version, and what was their agenda?
  • What is the deal with all the formatting?

You don't have to read everything in the introduction (sometimes called "Preface") but spend five minutes skimming through it. You'll understand the Bible that much better!

I've interacted extensively with the New International Version (1984), New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version, and the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Each of them are wonderful translations, but the introduction contains very useful information.

And on one last note, every so often I run into some well-meaning folks who believe that the King James Version is the only "inspired" translation, and that the other translations are "perversions". And to these well-intentioned, but erroneous, individuals I send them to the original introduction in the KJV. In the introduction, the translators say it is not a perfect (or perfectly literal) translation, that other translations are needed for a complete biblical understanding and that the KJV sought to use words and language that was accessible to the contemporary culture so they could readily access the Bible!


Read your Bible's introduction!

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Adoption
    Art
    Axiom
    Beowulf
    Christmas
    Comics
    Drabble
    Flash Fiction
    Foster Care
    Good Friday
    Humor
    Infertility
    Interviews
    Memes
    Music
    Politics
    Practical
    Preaching
    Reviews
    Speculative
    Theology
    Tragedy
    Trinity Watch
    Untold Podcast
    Video
    Writing

    Blog Roll

    Albert Mohler
    Breakpoint
    Christian Humanist
    Christian Geek Central
    Critical Press Media
    David N. Alderman
    Doug Geivett

    Good Book Blog
    Living With Cogan
    Open Biola
    Project Rooftop
    Reasonable Faith
    Running Slowly w/ Kids
    Spirit Blade Underground
    Strangers and Aliens
    The Table Podcast
    This Old Farmhouse

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012