Bible Translations: The Three Major Textus Receptus Translations

After the turn of the century, in recognition of the need for further updating of an English language TR Bible, 47 scholars were named to a new committee on Bible translation to publish the Modern English Version (MEV). Their goal was to produce a KJV-style translation in a more modern English vernacular while remaining faithful to the original sources. While the TR was still the base text, MEV translators kept the poetic beauty of the KJV as a watershed English translation and simply updated the English to be more meaningful and intelligible to modern readers. In addition, they incorporated what we have learned about the ancient languages, culture, and geography of that time to render a more accurate translation.

To appreciate how language changes over the centuries, compare 1 Corinthians 1:21 in the original Tyndale Bible with the updates:

Hath not God made the wysdome of this worlde folisshnes? For when the worlde thorow wysdome knew not God in ye wysdome of God: it pleased God thorow folisshnes of preachinge to save them yt beleve. (Tyndale, 1534).

For seeing the world by wisdom knew not God in the wisdom of GOD, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (Geneva Bible, 1560/1599).

For after that, in the wisedom of God, the world by wisedome knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching, to saue them that beleeue (KJV, 1611).

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (KJV, 1769).

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe (NKJV, 1982).

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe (MEV, 2014).

The life calling of these significant Bible translators and scholars was to glorify God so that the lost world might come to a saving knowledge of Jesus through reading an accessible and understandable English Bible translation.

PR

Link to James F. Linzey’s author page.

Notes

[1] Daniel B. Wallace, “Why I Do Not Think the King James Bible Is the Best Translation Available Today” Bible.org https://bible.org/article/why-i-do-not-think-king-james-bible-best-translation-available-today

[2] “William Tyndale: Father of the English Bible” Christianity.com (April 28, 2010). http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/translator-william-tyndale-strangled-and-burned-11629961.html

[3] On the other hand, English translations like the NRSV, NASB, NIV, ESV, HCSB, NLT, and The Voice Bible are all based on the Alexandrian text-type manuscripts.

Image: Ben White

Tags: bible, major, receptus, textus, translations

Category: Biblical Studies, Fall 2018