What makes a Bible translation faithful? Is one version superior to others? Do we really need more than one translation? How can answering these questions help us become better Bible readers? Dave Brunn has been involved in Bible translation work around the world for many years. From the perspective of this on-the-ground experience in different cultures he helps us sort out the many competing claims for various English Bible translations. By giving us a better understanding of the process of translation, Brunn helps us read and understand Scripture more clearly. He demonstrates how the variety of translations enables us to grasp more fully the meaning of the biblical text. This clear, readable and informative work will be of special interest to pastors, undergraduate and seminary students, missionaries, Bible translators, Bible study leaders and anyone involved in Christian ministry.

Dave Brunn

Cover

Title

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Preface

Abbreviations

English Bible Versions

Other Abbreviations

Introduction

Chapter-by-Chapter Synopsis

Toward a Deeper Sense of Unity

1 Unity and Division

In Search of the Right Standards

The Powerful Effect of God's Word

"Word for Word" or "Thought for Thought"?

A Solemn Responsibility

From Enmity to Amity

2 Form and Meaning

Reflecting the Original Form

The Process of Translation

The Idiom Disconnect

Direct Transfer Is Rare

"Autumn Days": An Example from Hebrew

The Edge of the Sword

Warm Hearts: An Example from Lamogai

Substituting a Different Body Part

A More Literal Alternative

The Dynamics of Meaning

A Truly Dynamic Phrase

Figurative Language in Hebrew

Figurative Language in Greek

Should the Form Be Preserved?

Beyond Figurative Language

3 Ideal and Real

Cultural Ideals

Ideal Translation Standards

Types of Translations

Highly Literal Translations

Modified Literal Translations

Idiomatic Translations

Unduly Free Translations

A Range, Not a Precise Point

The Idiomatic Range

Where Does the New International Version Fit?

Seeking to Be "Transparent" to the Original Text

4 What Is in a Word?

The Building Blocks of Language

Is It Really Word for Word?

Is a Word Always a Word?

Logos: More Than Just a Word

What Is the Primary Meaning?

Finding the "Default" Rendering

How Do You Translate a Word?

Adding and Taking Away

Counting Words

The Logos: The Living Word

Some Technical Examples

5 Criteria for Adjustment

Four Key Constraints

Required by the Grammar

Required[3] for Correct Meaning

Required for Clarity of Meaning

Required for Stylistic Naturalness

Analyzing Translational Adjustments

Explicit and Implicit Information

Applying the Flowchart to Scripture

Adjustment 1: The Word "Wife" Was Added

Adjustment 2: The Word "the" Was Omitted (Twice)

Adjustment 3: The Phrase "Who Had Been" Was Added

Adjustment 4: The Name Bathsheba Was Added[17]

Adjustment 5: The Word "and" Was Omitted

Adjustment 6: A Greek Verb Was Replaced with an English Noun

Not Strictly Form-Based

6 Divine Inspiration

A Growing Definition

Translating Word for Word

One Hebrew Word Translated Many Different Ways

Many Different Words Translated the Same

Omitting Words[6]

"God" Omitted?

More Omissions in the "Most Literal" Versions

Omitted for the Sake of Appropriateness

Adding Words[24]

Replacing a Word with a Phrase

Translating Concepts

Other Grammatical Changes

Rhetorical Questions Changed to Statements

Substituting Present-Day Equivalents[29]

Some Inconsistencies

Translation and Inspiration

What Is in a Name?

Terminology for Nonliteral Versions

Summary

7 The Babel Factor

A Radically Altered Linguistic Landscape

Translating Words

Dealing with Ambiguities

The Genitive Construction in Greek

Older Brother—Younger Brother

'This interesting and important book, written by someone who has devoted many years of his life to Bible translation, is particularly fascinating because it avoids jumping from disputed theory to hard examples. Rather, it jumps from thousands of examples to genuine wisdom on translation issues--along with at least some of the bearing of these examples on theory. This book will diffuse some of the polarizations that characterize many of the disputes. It will also encourage us to recognize we are not as far apart as some of us have supposed, and remind us of how difficult good Bible translation is and how grateful we should be for the wonderful and even complementary choices we have in English Bibles.'- D. A. Carson, research professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School  
   
 'It is a joy to recommend this book to every serious student of the Scriptures. I have read through the whole book carefully; the author has done a tremendous amount of research, looking at passage after passage in many English versions. He has shown clearly, in his text and in his many, many charts, that the versions that are traditionally classified as

\["For those seeking clarity in Bible translations", "Answers questions about translation faithfulness", "You will read and understand the Bible better"\]

Explore the value of different Bible translations and deepen your understanding of Scripture.

The Good Book Stall

With about eighty new versions of the Bible in English published in the twentieth century alone, we may be wondering, are some of those versions more accurate than others? Dave Brunn, who embraces the Bible's "verbal, plenary, wholly infallible and inerrant inspiration", and who spent twenty years with a translation team in Papua-New Guinea, looks in considerable detail at the work of Bible translation. The book is strewn with tables and charts, some of them several pages long. I can see why he should want to include these, but confess I found them distracting. He focuses primarily on literalness in translation (i.e. generally "word for word", rather than "thought for thought" versions), drawing most of his examples from "literal" versions, such as the ASB, KJV, NKJV, ESV. (I felt the book would have greater immediacy for English readers if the NIV and NRSV accounted for more than just the occasional footnote). Dave is "shocked" to find that literal versions often depart from their own rules by not always translating the original text literally, e.g. when translating idiomatic sayings. "Literalness does not necessarily result in increased accuracy", he concludes. This is a controversial area and Dave asserts that he does not wish to "add fuel" to the debate among Christians, emphasising the importance of unity rather than division, and stressing the "interdependence" between versions, each one of which has "the potential of strengthening and enhancing the other". He has never found a version he agrees with 100% nor one that he disagrees with 100%. Despite the reservations I mention above, I saw much in this book to reward the serious Bible student, and I welcome Dave's commitment to unity.

One Bible, Many Versions

one bible, many verses

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