Evaluating bible translations

[matthias]

Hail all,

I’m seeking an “objective” way of evaluating bible versions for their accuracy in translation, doctrinal integrity, and most specifically looking for a key to sniffing out anti-catholic bias and modernist/liberal scholarship.

Specifically I’m looking for.
Key scriptural passages and commentary/notes

I want to know how you evaluate your “favorite translations” and in turn reject other translations.

There is already a thread for people to just list off their “favorite version”, so please don’t use this post for that. I am most specifically looking for a key to evaluate translations (if such a thing can be done).

Specifically key verses that can be miss-translated to erode the faith.

Basically I’m of the mind that currently available Catholic bible translations leave much to be desired or in some instances are flat out inadaquate and problematic.

It seems that the older the version are often more true to doctrine but are missing out on the most up to date (legitimate) biblical scolarship from archeology and modern translational technology (computers and etc).

Basically I’m a convert to the Catholic faith that is frustrated that the largest Christian church, the One Church founded by Christ, can’t seem to produce a single translation that is both up to date in scholarship and yet not plagued by modernist inclusive language and heretical notations.

After listening to EWTN radio for 2 years I finally broke down and converted. After converting I needed a complete cannon and I purchased a NAB. The notes are horrible. They throw every modern theory like the fictional Q gospel text at us yet don’t bother to mention (name removed by moderator)ortant doctrinal content. It seems to waste half the notations with theoretical drivle that has no direct use to me what so ever.

I’m sorry for the complaint but…
I’ve looked at the RSV-CE and while a good translation it is still outdated by some good modern archeological discoveries and translational technologies. The language is a little (slight bit) outdated too.

I started using the ESV right before I converted to the Catholic Church and I am thinking about going back to it. It has a minimal notation that is mostly just listing variant translations.

The ESV is based on the RSV (which everyone seems to toute as the best modern Catholic version available) and it is a “conservative/traditional” translation that is free of modernist inclusive language and other suttle poisens.

Besides lacking the deuterocannonical texts it seems to me to be very close to the RSV only perhaps more conservative and taking advantage of the best up-to-date/traditional (if you can have such a thing) scholarship.

I’m trying to find key verses that I can use to evaluate if it contains a protestant bias that would prevent me using it as a primary text.

All you Catholics out there should really take a look. It’s really quite good. I wish there were a ESV-CE. Maby if enough of us wanted it, such an adaptation could be coaxed out of the translators.

I honestly think it would be ideally adapted for a replacement for the NAB as the dominant leturgical text.

Anyway I’m getting way way to long in the blabering here.

Just looking for a way to actually evaluate the ESV with key texts rather than reading the whole thing making careful notes on anything that seems protestanty.

Oh… and don’t get me started on the lack of decent study bibles and student bibles. Yes the Navarre and Ignatious study bibles are great but only if you don’t mind spending a fortune and lugging a pile of individual volumes around with you…

OK I’m done ranting.

Please give me some feedback.

You guys are great.

 

[matthias]

Wow.
I really need to learn how to cut things down.
Looks like I just wrote a novel. hehe.

 

[puzzleannie]

since I do not read the original bible languages, therefore have no expertise whatever in translation or evaluating translations, am not a bible scholar or a theologian I do what the smart Catholic does, trust Holy Mother Church to provide approved translations for my use. She has done this with the NAB, RSV-CE, original Jerusalem Bible and the DRC. When working with lectionary-based materials or classes like RCIA I use the only version approved for the lectionary, the NAB. For academic or written work I use the RSV-CE since it is the version used in Church documents. For bible study I use any of these versions, often comparing passages. For private devotion other purposes I use the version that is easiest for me to read.

 

[jurist12]

I have used the ESV(English Standard Version) since last summer and can’t say I’ve seen any Anti-Catholic bias in it. It is interesting to note that the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) which holds sacramental views close to what Catholics hold to has chosen the ESV as their “official” translation. Also many conservative Anglicans in the US are using the ESV as well. It was done by a non-denominatioal committee that is conservative and believe the Bible to be the literal Word of God written, no “liberal” bias like the over rated RSV-CE. Even Father John Neuhas’s Magazine “First Things” gave the ESV two thumbs up as the best available English translation. The only “downside” to the ESV is that there are no editions available yet with the Deutero-Canonical books IE “Apocrypha” yet available. but so what? If you want them you can always purchase those books separately bound, Oxford and Cambridge University presses sell them as bound together volumes. Please fellow Catholics lets get on the bandwagon on this one and trash the NAB and RSV-CE and start using a decent and excellent translation, the ESV. If enough of us do so and petition the publisher of the ESV, Crossway Books, then maybe they will see that it is in their best interests to issue a “Catholic Edition” as they are very keen on seeing the ESV use increase and become “The Standard English Bible” for Christians in the US and UK. For my money the ESV is the best English translation available Period. In Christ, jurist12

 

[Anima_Christi]

Has anyone else noticed that the ESV seems to be really popular with Calvinists/Reformed, for some reason? I looked at their website and a great deal of the recommendations come from Presbyterian pastors or theologins. It’s also my PCA friend’s favorite Bible. It appears to be most popular with “traditional” Protestants.
Oh, and I sent the publisher an email asking if they will produce a Catholic Edition. If they reply, I’ll post it here. Till then, I’m sticking to the RSV-CE published by Ignatius.

 

[BayCityRickL]

Take a summer breather and read Jaroslav Pelikan’s Whose Bible Is it? 250 pages.

The best editions of the bible are the original Hebrew and the Greek. If you’re not past thirty, you have no excuse for not sitting down and learning Hebrew and Greek.

Otherwise, every Bible you read will have some bias in the translation and bias in the commentary, if any is published with the text. When you read Pelikan’s book, you should realize that there are tremendous biases in the interpretation of the Bible.

Jews and Christians have totally two different spins on the “Old” Testament. And, the Koran is a far distant “third” for interpreting the Torah.

According to the guide on the Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures published by the Pontifical Biblical Commission in the early 1990’s there is no one ‘correct’ and final interpretation of the Bible. The Vatican Council II said in Dei Verbum that Scripture is an inexhaustible resource of inspiration.

The ultimate and final interpretation of Scripture will be completely and exhaustively and infinitely revealed to us in eternity, in Paradise. I can hardly wait.

 

[Fidelis]

puzzleannie:

since I do not read the original bible languages, therefore have no expertise whatever in translation or evaluating translations, am not a bible scholar or a theologian I do what the smart Catholic does, trust Holy Mother Church to provide approved translations for my use. She has done this with the NAB, RSV-CE, original Jerusalem Bible and the DRC. When working with lectionary-based materials or classes like RCIA I use the only version approved for the lectionary, the NAB. For academic or written work I use the RSV-CE since it is the version used in Church documents. For bible study I use any of these versions, often comparing passages. For private devotion other purposes I use the version that is easiest for me to read.

Wiser words were never said. Unless you are very adept at translating the original Hebrew and Greek, it’s just best to have several approved translations to compare and contrast, rather than looking for the perfect (or even the least worst) version and crumbing on others. I supose holding out for the perfect Bible is like what Protestants say about looking for the perfect church–don’t go in, because as soon as you do, it won’t be perfect anymore.