Tuesday 14 November 2017

Soon another translation: The Readable Bible

Today’s readers often struggle with the Bible. Many do find that it has long, complex sentences, old fashioned “holy” words or words one does not use in our daily language any more. Often people also find that the page after page of plain paragraphs make it for difficult reading.

Publishers have tackled the problem by moving further and further from the text — from literal translation (KJV, NASB, ESV), to thought for-thought translation (NIV), to paraphrase (TLB, NLT), to loose paraphrase (The Message), which often leaves the reader with little idea what the biblical text actually says.

The Readable Bible wants to reverse this trend. It presents the literal text, but does so using modern formats. The result is a literal translation that is as easy to read as a paraphrase.


In 2008 Rod Lauglin decided to create a new Bible translation that presents the original text and uses modern formatting to make it clear and easy to grasp. His primary work for the past eight years has been developing and translating The Readable Bible.

When you know that there are about 120 English translations of the complete Bible and that only about 15 of those were translated by a single person, which may have brought certain people to act negatively or to look pre-cautious at that translation. You may doubt in the possibility that one person looked at every word in the original language and made the English text decision, but it is a reality and for that person an immense task. In addition, there are an additional 300 translations of significant portions of the Bible into English.

The author has observed two things.
 First, just because a translation comes from a committee does not mean it is better, best or correct! There have been instances when committees were divided on the best translation to render. Compromises are made (“your way here, mine there”), and sometimes the chairperson breaks the tie. Being human, there are those with more sway than others. The perfect is never the result whether the work is done by one or many.
Second, committees are not prone to take risks. They are not spending their own money, and they have responsibilities to the publisher and/or owner of the resulting text. An individual has a one-on-one relationship with God, a calling from Him and (hopefully) is willing to abandon all, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and please his Father and Savior. What looks like a fool’s journey to others is simple obedience by the one called.

Since 1850 over a dozen new Bible formats have been developed. the makers of the Readable bible think that using modern formats shall make it easier for people to read, comprehend, and remember Scripture. Therefore the Readable Bible maintains the integrity of the literal text but places it in easy-to-read formats, and thinks it's the best of both worlds! so it offers genealogical trees, maps of the journeys and battles of the kingdoms, census numbers are presented in census tables, Law code is presented in outline format as in modern law books.Also the text format is presented like it would be presented in our daily publications, poetry and theological passages are presented in cascading text, digressions in the text are separated by callouts so readers can easily see where the digression begins and ends.

The publishers also want to give Callouts and footnotes:
  • Define words that are used in the Bible and not used in secular life (for example, Urim and Thummim).
  • Define words that are common, but commonly misunderstood.
  • Provide insights into ancient culture and historical context.
  • Provide a literal translation whenever a thought-for-thought translation is given. 
The first release will be a standard 6” x 9” Bible available in two editions:
The Readable Bible Entire Bible in One Volume
  • Fully Annotated Edition – with over 10,000 notes providing background information, cross-references, alternate and literal translations.
  • Standard Edition – with footnotes limited to those that provide background information, definitions of words not used in secular conversation, and definitions of words whose biblical meaning differs from secular usage.
  • Available in 2020.

 Select books will be sold separately starting in 2018 as they are produced. The entire set will be available in 2020.
The Readable Bible in Individual Volumes or 23-Book Set



A third new Bible translation for 2017 based on older Catholic versions

From March of 2004 to March of 2009, the Roman Catholic theologian Ronald L. Conte Jr. worked nearly every day translating the Latin Vulgate Bible into modern English. When completed, he placed the translation in the public domain, so that anyone could use this Bible version
 for the greater glory of God and the service of the Church.
The translation is called the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible. It is a translation of the Sacred Bible, Sixtus V and Clement VIII Latin Vulgate edition. The 1914 Hetzenauer edition of the Vulgate was the main source text. Several other Latin editions were consulted including the 1861 Vercellone edition, the 1822 - 1824 Leander van Ess edition (which compares the 1590, 1592, 1593, 1598 editions of the Sixtus V and Clement VIII editions), and the modern-day Tweedale Edition (London, 2005). The Challoner Douay-Rheims Version of the Bible was used as a guide in translating the Latin text into English. The original Rheims Douai Bible was also frequently consulted.

Ronald L. Conte Jr. relied on God's Providence and Grace in translating and editing the Sacred Bible on his own, which is an incredible demanding task. Luckily he could rely on various reference texts, in print and in electronic form. Since the Latin editions of the Bible used in this translation are in the public domain, as the sole translator and editor of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible, he placed the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible in the public domain in perpetuity.
For him it is clear that the Bible is a gift from God to all humanity. No one should own or restrict what is given to all by God.

He writes
Anyone may make their own version of the Bible, based on, or derived from, this version. While some may criticize this translation, "no one is forbidden to do it better!" Any Biblical scholar, or other person, who thinks that he can improve on this version, can make whatever changes to this version that he sees fit to make. Changed, altered, or edited versions of the Catholic Public Domain Version can be published in print or electronically, in whole or in part; no further permission is needed. However, no one may copyright or otherwise restrict any edit of this edition of the Bible; this version must remain in the public domain. But if anyone prepares a substantially new version of the Bible, based on or derived from this version, please consider placing the new version also in the public domain.
and ads
I strongly recommend that everyone refrain from doing anything with this version of the Bible that might incur the wrath of God. If anyone tries to copyright or otherwise restrict this version of the Bible, may God rebuke them. If anyone promotes or distributes this version of the Bible, or frees it from unjust restrictions, may God bless them.
Though the The Catholic Public Domain Version, Original Edition was completed on March 28th, 2009, this August the 'final' version was presented and became available online free: SacredBible.org. And a brief page describing the translation is here: Version Information.

The translator writes
The CPDV is available from Amazon in Kindle format. However, since the translation is public domain, several different persons or entities have published an edition at Amazon. My edition in particular has a green mottled cover and is available here:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0051IBLXG/
According to the reviews of the translation on Amazon, some editions are incomplete. However, I assure my readers that my edition here has all 73 books of the Catholic Bible.
A printed version of the CPDV is available at Lulu.com here.

If anyone is interested in using the CPDV in any way, you do not need my permission. It is truly public domain. The online edition here:
www.sacredbible.org/catholic/
is the master files for the version. When I publish an edition in print, I work directly from those exact files. So there is no better reference source for this edition of the Bible.
— Ronald L. Conte Jr.

An on-going list of errors and corrections in the files and text of the CPDV, original edition,
since completion of the translation on March 28, 2009 can be found at the Errata page.


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Related articles

Friday 10 November 2017

From Two new bibles, a look at one created with passion for creating meaningful, inspirational products that share God’s truth to the world

Who can object to products that share God’s truth to the world?  And when it is about the Word of God we would love to hear about it and get such products better.

BroadStreet Publishing is the publisher of The Passion Translation. It represents their passion for creating meaningful, inspirational products that share God’s truth to the world with beauty, quality, and creativity. 
They were thrilled to partner with former missionary, linguist, minister, and Bible teacher Dr. Brian Simmons in a groundbreaking attempt to re-introduce the passion and fire of the Bible to English readers. Dr. Simmons as a missionary, he and his wife, Candice, pioneered church plants in Central America. As a linguist, Brian co-translated the Paya-Kuna New Testament for the Paya-Kuna people of Panama. He and his wife have birthed numerous ministries, including a dynamic church, Gateway Christian Fellowship, in West Haven, Connecticut. He is also known as a gifted teacher of the Bible who has authored several books and serves churches worldwide through his teaching ministry.

Brian began his biblical studies with The New Tribes Bible Institute and continued on to earn his doctorate with Wagner Leadership Institute, with a specialization on prayer. His doctoral thesis is now published, Prayer Partners with Jesus, available on Amazon.com.

While Brian serves as the lead translator for The Passion Translation, every book (including the numerous footnotes) was evaluated by respected scholars and editors. In preparation for the release of the full New Testament October 31, 2017, BroadStreet Publishing formed an even more extensive and diverse team to review and provide critical feedback to ensure The Passion Translation is faithful to the original text and heart of God.

The translators have worked hard to express the original biblical languages in modern English. They believe there really is no such thing as a consistent word-for-word translation. Yes literal meaning matters, but the full meaning of a passage doesn’t transfer from word-to-word. Therefore their translation philosophy is that the meaning of God’s original message to the world has priority over its exact form, which is why their goal was to communicate the meaning of Scripture as clearly and naturally as possible in modern English.

They say
Brian and other reviewers have sought to remain faithful to the original biblical languages by preserving their literal meaning, yet flexible enough to convey God’s original message in a way modern English speakers can understand. It is a balanced translation that tries to hold both the Word’s literal meaning and original message in proper tension, resulting in an entirely new, fresh, fiery translation of God’s Word.
They have good reason to see how language quickly evolves.
About every hundred years or so the vocabulary of people undergoes a dramatic change. In this era of modern technology we find an even more rapid shift. Therefore, it is important to keep translations of the Bible in step with changes in the English language.
they say with reason. But how can you bring the emotion of the different generations and cultures our society encounters. They believe that in past translations wonderfully gifted scholars were trained to focus on other factors besides the emotion of the text but a as Brian has studied the original biblical manuscripts, he uncovered what he believes is the love language of God that has been missing from other translations.

In my previous article I mentioned how people often look at bible translations coming from a denomination, which often gives some problems for accept ion of that translation or gives some negative reactions against it based on church doctrine.

This new Bible translations promises to bring a fresh approach to translating the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic manuscripts that intentionally transcends denominational barriers.
It is not rooted in any one tradition or denomination, but desires to help the wider Body of Christ encounter the heart of God anew in the language of today.

The governing philosophy behind The Passion Translation is to transfer the meaning of God’s original message found in the biblical languages to modern-day English. They believe that Dr. Simmons has sought to faithfully carry over the meaning of the Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic into modern English along with the nuances of the Scripture’s poetry and prose to make it sparkle and come alive to the reader.

In fact we must say it is only Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Songs and the New Testament and not the Whole Bible and when looking at the people who work at the translation again one could say it is also written from a denominational point of view. How it is going to be known we have to wait. It also could be called New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) “translation” of the Bible or New Apostolic Reformation Bible (NARB) or TPT it being produced by the NAR 'apostle' Brian Simmons and being endorsed by
Bill Johnson (Bethel/ NAR), Bobbie Houston (Hillsong), Patricia King (NAR), Lou Engle (The Call/ NAR), James Goll (NAR), John & Lisa Bevere (NAR), Banning Leibscher (Jesus CULTure), Che Ahn (NAR), Stacy Campbell (NAR), Chuck Pierce (Healing Rooms/ NAR)


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Preceding
From Two new bibles, first a look at not such a new one

From Two new bibles, first a look at not such a new one

The first new bible for this Autumn is perhaps not so new as it likes to pretend. The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) is descended from the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible), which was first published in 2004. Often we get to know that a certain bibletranslation is written from the denominational view. The Holman bible (HCSB) distributed by a Baptist company (Holman/Lifeway) got also that label to be a ‘Baptist Bible’.  Perhaps for that reason the Holman disappeared in the name. their aim is like in the previous Holman bible to capture the Bible’s original meaning without compromising clarity and this in a contemporary language.
An optimal blend of accuracy and readability, this translation helps readers make a deeper connection with God’s Word and inspires lifelong discipleship. 
 the publishers say.

They do find that their new translation is for everyone — for readers young and old, new and seasoned.
It’s a Bible pastors can preach from and a Bible you can share with your neighbor hearing God’s Word for the very first time.
In the older HCSB version the Greek word kristos (or Christos Χριστός) was translated as Messiah when translators felt that Jesus was being referred to in a Jewish context, and Christ when not specifically in a Jewish context.  You could call this being helpful for context, but inconsistent in word-for-word translation accuracy.  The CSB has moved to the more traditional use of translating Christos consistently as Christ.

The fear of God's Name has moved the publishers this time not to use the Name of God. At the time of publishing the HCSB we where pleased to find one publisher who at least wanted to show where the Tetragrammaton stood, even when they did not choose for God's real Name, but preferred to print Yahweh. But now we are back to start, they avoiding their readers to see where it is about Jehovah God, omitting the Name of God and replacing it with the non-saying Lord. According to the translation team, most readers responded that they were unfamiliar with the Tetragrammaton (a Hebrew name for God, YHWH, which should be pronounced Yai How Whah = Jehovah), and that it was unhelpful and even an obstacle for new Bible readers. this one must understand from the point of view that most readers became confused and read that it was about Jehovah God (or Yahweh in that version) whilst their pastors said it was about Jesus.

We wonder who can think that it is
The overall thought in changing it was that people can figure out who the ‘LORD’ is easier than they can figure out exactly who ‘Yahweh’ is or why we call him that. Hence the change.
Concerns over this were addressed by Dr. Iain M. Duguid, a member of the translating team,
 “as a translator for the original HCSB and part of the oversight committee for the revision, I’d encourage you not to panic. The CSB retains the strengths of the HCSB and (in my opinion) improves on them. Yes, we have followed the NT and most English translation in going back to the LORD for Yahweh, largely because we felt the previous attempt ended up in inconsistencies. But it is a revision, not a wholesale new translation. Many passages have been left untouched because we felt we got them right first time around. In other places, we have sometimes moved in a more literal direction, for example “Lord of Armies” instead of “Lord of Hosts” and “Children of Adam” for “ben adam.”

 Csb-translation-logo
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Also of interest
  1. Bible: Translations are Reliable
  2. English Bible History by John L. Jeffcoat III and Dr. Craig H. Lampe
  3. Tyndale, the Bible and the 21st Century
  4. The most important translation…
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A diluted reformation point

Luther Bible, 1534
Luther Bible, 1534 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
500 years ago most protestant take October 31 as Reformation Day and the beginning of Protestantism where Luther gave the Bible to the people.

One of the key findings in “U.S. Protestants Are Not Defined by Reformation-Era Controversies 500 Years Later”is that today U.S. Protestants are split on that issue that played a key role in the Reformation:
> 46% say the Bible provides all the religious guidance Christians need, a traditionally Protestant belief known as sola scriptura. But 52% say Christians should look for guidance from church teachings and traditions as well as from the Bible, the position held by the Catholic Church.

  • Just 30% of all U.S. Protestants affirm both sola fide and sola scriptura.
  • However, belief in sola fide and sola scriptura is much more prevalent among white evangelical Protestants than among white mainline Protestants or black Protestants in the United States. Among self-identified white evangelicals, 44% express both convictions, and this figure rises to 59% among white evangelicals who say they attend church at least once a week.
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 Preceding article:
Only six of ten commandments of God still important to British Christians

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Wednesday 8 November 2017

Predikant wijst op verveling en vermoeidheid in de kerk

Wijziging van Gereformeerd2.jpg: De Christelij...
Wijziging van Gereformeerd2.jpg: De Christelijke Gereformeerde Gemeenten blijken sinds 1968 niet meer te bestaan, en daarentegen zijn er juist wel weer Nieuwe Vrijgemaakte Kerken ontstaan. Nou maar hopen dat er niet wéér een scheuring komt, want er is geen plek meer onderaan over voor nóg een kerk.... *kijkt een beetje sip* (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Twee predikanten, Paul Visser (Amsterdam) en Kees van Ekris (Zeist), roepen op tot een grondige bezinning op de innerlijke secularisatie waaraan ze veel kerkgangers ten prooi zien vallen. Vaker dan hun lief is, ontmoeten ze in het pastoraat vermoeide zielen, die het geloof eigenlijk beu zijn. Dat plotselinge ‘leeglopen van het geloof’ gebeurt niet aan de rand, maar midden onder jarenlang toegewijde gelovigen.

Predikant Kees van Ekris schreef in het Nederlands Dagblad
"Vaak denk ik: de druk is te groot. De druk op kerk-zijn om die sluwe atmosfeer van verveling te doorbreken en te overwinnen.
Maar hoe kan het komen dat er "verveling" in een kerk of tijdens een dienst is? Vinden de meeste kerkgangers Bijbel lezen dan vervelend? Normaal zou men toch denken dat het Woord van God hen moet aantrekken.  volgens mij komt het echter door dat vele kerkgemeenschappen hun leden onvoldoende betrekken in de dienst. Ofwel zijn er die kerken die af gaan op de entertainment factor maar onvoldoende nieuws kunnen brengen, dat maakt dat velen er op uitgekeken geraken.
Volgens de predikant is het meer
De druk op de beleving, om een levende christen te zijn die bijna in z’n eentje deze sferen moet kunnen weerstaan. De druk op de discipline, om zelf een standvastig getuige te zijn in dode tijden.
Al geeft hij toe dat er ook een verwachting is naar de prediker en zegt hij
De druk op de preek en de prediker om vrolijk en bevlogen, diepzinnig en praktisch de crisis tegen te moeten spreken. We begrijpen de theologie die deze druk intensiveert: meer discipline, meer beleving, meer kekke christenen.
Nog meer vermoeidheid en verdoving zijn het gevolg van de vele inspanningen die geestelijken doen om meer entertainment, sterker accent op keuzes, discipline, e.d. te krijgen in hun kerk.

Volgens Kees van Ekris zijn
Het zijn de strategieën van ‘meer’ die de vermoeide ziel niet helpen, maar pijnigen."
Meer bidden, vuriger spreken, een extra portie discipline. Het werkt even. En opeens knapt er iets. Het kan de vermoeide ziel niet meer oppeppen.
Meer bidden, vuriger spreken, een extra portie discipline. Het werkt even. En opeens knapt er iets. Het kan de vermoeide ziel niet meer oppeppen. | beeld vidiphoto
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Ds. Paul Visser ziet geloof onder kerkgangers verdwijnen

De Amsterdamse predikant Ds. Paul Visser die in een traditie staat "waarin God niet automatisch jouw God was en jij niet vanzelfsprekend zijn kind", ziet geloof onder kerkgangers verdwijnen.

Voor hem staat het vast dat
God moest gezocht en gevonden worden. Sterker nog: het ging erom dat jij door Hem gezocht en gevonden werd. Je was niet bij voorbaat gered, je was van nature verloren. Intussen was je in de doop wel het beslissende toegezegd. Maar dat lag niet voor het oprapen. God is niets aan ons verplicht, maar wel alles verplicht aan zichzelf – en daarmee aan ons.
Tegenwoordig vinden wij een hele hoop protestanten die vinden dat als zij bij een kerk behoren "gered zijn" en dat zij dan niets meer moeten doen. Zij zijn er van overtuigd dat werken van geloof helemaal niet meer nodig zijn. Die verkeerde gedachte ontslat hen van eender welke inspanning om hun geloof te onderhouden en waar te maken.

De predikant ziet ook de gevolgen van die gedachte van het eens gered zijn altijd gered zijn.

De gevolgen daarvan zie ik om me heen: geloof als het sluitstuk van een redenering, zonder daadwerkelijke bekering, zonder ‘goede strijd’ om met God in het reine te komen. Een geloof ‘van horen zeggen’, zonder zelf zijn overtuigende stem te hebben vernomen. Een geloof dat je jezelf voor een appel en een ei hebt eigengemaakt.
Maar een geloof dat daarom ook voor de eerste de beste schotel linzen van de hand kan worden gedaan. Daarmee zijn we bij de kern. Een geloof dat niet op leven en dood is verworven, wordt niet als een kostbaar geschenk gekoesterd. Het is niet bestand tegen de kritische vragen van een wereld die het zonder God ook prima voor elkaar heeft. Het is evenmin opgewassen tegen de harde werkelijkheid van alledag, waarin je vaak bitter weinig van God gewaar wordt. De twijfel zit bij velen maar net onder de oppervlakte. En zodra ze de kop opsteekt, blijkt ze veel dieper geworteld dan men zelf vermoedde. Geruisloos valt het geloof af, als een verdord blad van een boom. Geloof dat niet ontvonkt is aan de omgang met God, met alle verbijstering en verrukking vandien, wordt op den duur een saaie bedoening. Het wordt een riedel, die je steeds minder raakt en die je na verloop van tijd beu wordt. Bovendien – kijk om je heen! – zonder geloof kun je toch ook prima een goed mens zijn?
Dat is trouwens wat heden velen denken dat men geloof niet nodig heeft en dat iedereen goed kan doen en zo een goed mens kan zijn. die gedachte doet ook geen verlangen naar het werken aan een goede relatie met God.
Als ik de balans opmaak van wat ik vlak om me heen en breder zie, dan is de conclusie even zorgwekkend als onontkoombaar: het geloof dreigt onder trouwe kerkgangers meer en meer te verkruimelen.
Je merkt het aan allerlei signalen: aan kerkgang zonder verlangen naar de ontmoeting met God, aan Bijbellezen zonder verwachting en verrassing, aan kwijnend gebedsleven. Eerlijk gezegd ontmoet ik te vaak mensen die het geloof beu zijn.
Een belangrijke oorzaak daarvoor is gelegen in het feit dat het geloof ongemerkt en sluipenderwijs tot ‘gemeengoed’ is geworden. Het is niet langer een gave van God, door twijfel, verwarring en aanvechting verworven.

Paul Visser
De predikant uit Amsterdam voegt toe dat eenzijdige preken over "een God Die altijd klaarstaat met genade en geborgenheid, op den duur gaan vervelen en irriteren." Daarom pleit hij voor "preken die ook eerlijk erkennen dat je God eerder kwijt bent dan rijk, dat Hij geregeld niet te volgen is en dat wij meer dan eens nauwelijks iets van Hem gewaarworden."

Lees het interview in het Nederlands Dagblad
Geloof onder kerkgangers verdwijnt

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Aanverwant 
  1. Een koning die zijn onderdanen wetten oplegt waarvan hij weet dat zij zich er nooit aan kunnen houden
  2. Ongelovige Thomassen, Jezus en zijn God
  3. Redding, vertrouwen en actie in Jezus #5 Verblijven in Christus
  4. Redding, vertrouwen en actie in Jezus #6 Samenhoren
  5. Doop en Geloof
  6. Verzoening en Broederschap 2 Uit de eigen cocon stappen
  7. Geen race voor de snelste, noch een strijd der helden
  8. Een race niet voor de snelste, noch een strijd om de sterkste
  9. Zij die in de renbaan lopen en geroepen zijn voor rechtvaardiging door geloof
  10. Wanneer men geloof gevonden heeft door de studie van de Bijbel moet men werken van geloof verwezenlijken
  11. Geloof zonder risico tegenstrijdigheid
  12. De aanduiding door Paulus en Jacobus van de werken die wij horen te doen
  13. Ademen om les te geven
  14. De nacht is ver gevorderd 23 Studie 4 Nu actueel: Daad van geloof
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