Does It Matter?

My friend, Donald, gave me a book about the differences in the translations of the Bible - word for word vs thought for thought.

I haven't finished the book yet but I have concluded that the guy who wrote it is WAY too smart for me. But mostly I have been thinking about the Bible and what it says and how it impacts my life.

My preferred translation is the ESV (which this author helped translate = good) but I also like to read the NIV and the NLT (= not good in his eyes). Some of what he says I agree with. I don't necessarily like changing the word "man" in a poetic passage in Psalms to "they" as the NLT does in one of his sited passages. I think the passage loses something of its "poetic-ness" by the change but I don't mind that it now includes "all" in the blessing.

Sometimes translations or paraphrases that are too easy to understand don't require that I dig deep or wrestle with God over the meaning, which may not be a good thing. But if I am more prone to read because I CAN understand, then that is good. I have to admit I'm not a big fan of The Message but I do believe it has its place.

God's word is alive and fluid and powerful. It is up to the Holy Spirit, not the translators, to give me understanding. But I have to be reading the Bible in the first place.

For me it is important to read a lot of different translations. I have 8 different complete translations and 3 others that are just New Testament. With the internet Bible sites I have access to even more. I usually read one version for Bible study and a different one for reading through the Bible (which I change every year). I do this because I find I don't read as closely as I should when the passages are very familiar. I have a tendency to skim rather than actually read for insight and understanding. A new translation gives that unfamiliar aspect.

So does it matter which translation a person uses? I don't think so...as long as one doesn't get stuck in a particular translation for life. If the person reading has a real desire to know and understand and obey what God has said, God will reveal His truth.