Biblical Bible Translating

"The author recalls how, after becoming very familiar with the Biblical Old Testament in its original Hebrew growing up, an encounter with an English language version led her on a ten-year project of examining various translations of the Old Testament and their histories, "--Novelist.

More than 300 Bible or New Testament translations, including the popular King James Version, have been produced in English in the past 600 years. These various translations, both obscure and well-known, were undertaken by diligent individuals working either alone or in committees known to number more than 100. This reference work provides information about the men and women who produced English language translations. Arranged alphabetically by surname, each of the 346 entries includes biographical and vocational information; notes on the various editions produced; samples of their translation; and other pertinent facts. In cases where translations were done by committee, the chairpersons and project initiators are covered. Important anonymous translations are also included.

In Understanding Bible Translation, William Barrick surveys the fascinating work of Bible translation worldwide. Drawing on decades of experience translating the Bible, Barrick explains best practices for Bible translation and walks the reader through the translation process. In addition, he provides insight for evaluating English translations and highlights resources for understanding difficult passages of Scripture.

A Guide to Bible Translation offers a broad overview of theory and practice in Scripture translation from ancient times to the present day, with an eye to the future. Its 726 articles by 180 translators, publishing specialists, and scholars are addressed to a global readership of Bible translators, interpreters, students of culture and biblical studies, as well as interested church members and clerical leaders. This unprecedented Guide opens up and celebrates captivating stories of people, languages, and key topics of scholarship involved in over two millennia of Bible translation. Hearing a passage read from the new Gbaya language Bible, my Muslim friend declared with astonishment, "God really does speak our language!" Multiply that response by over 3,000 language communities where worshipers listen attentively to God's Word clearly translated and clearly read. We are grateful to the editors and authors whose life-long dedication to the communication of God's Word and to excellence in scholarship makes this Guide available to us. Thomas G. Christensen, Professor Emeritus Institut Luthérien de Théologie de Meiganga, Cameroun Bible translation has always allowed itself to be stirred and driven, not just by challenges, but also by new knowledge, new technologies, new ideas of presentation, dictates of different geographical locations, and the needs of the target audiences whether these were ecclesiastical, politico-cultural, or ideological in nature. And now through this Guide's easy narrative style, its categorization of topics, and the courage to allow diverse voices and languages to speak into this complex subject, the United Bible Societies has added one more innovative tool into Bible translation work. Professor Margaret Muthwii, Vice Chancellor Pan Africa Christian University, Kenya In the 1990s, translation studies, led by scholars such as Susan Bassnett, André Lefevere, and Mary Snell-Hornby, took the now famous "cultural turn," looking at how institutions of power influenced translation decisions. Right around the same period, Bible translators took the "translation studies turn," looking to translation studies scholars such as James Holmes, José Lambert, Ernst-August Gutt, Lawrence Venuti, and Cristiane Nord, to expand their theoretical base. Such interdisciplinary collaboration, taking place at colloquia around the world, can be seen everywhere in the United Bible Societies' A Guide to Bible Translation, which will appeal to students of Bible translation, translation studies, sacred text translation, the history of translation, and, especially, cultural studies. Professor Edwin Gentzler University of Massachusetts-Amherst, USA

Charles is currently the Executive Director of Baptist Bible Translators Institute in Bowie, Texas. There he works with the sponsoring church of Baptist Bible Translators Institute, which is Central Baptist Church. During the last nineteen years at Baptist Bible Translators Institute, Charles has trained missionaries in Linguistics, Ethnology, Language Learning, Bible Translation, and Cross-cultural Communication. Biblical Bible Translating is for people who are concerned about faithful Bible translation. There is a great deal of misunderstanding about what constitutes faithful Bible translation. This book will give the reader a clearer understanding of the principles and problems involved in producing a faithful translation of the Bible. Biblical Bible Translating was developed slowly during 21 years of teaching it to hundreds of students. It began during 2 years of teaching at New Tribes Institute in Camdenton, Missouri and it came to completion at Baptist Bible Translators Institute in Bowie, Texas. Who Will Benefit Most From This Book? Laymen: People who read these chapters, and apply the principles of cross-cultural communication taught in them, will improve their communication skills. Ministers and Preachers: A preacher who reads this book will be a better preacher if he understands and applies the principles of interpretation and semantics taught in it. Missionaries and Translators: The material in this book will help missionaries who are preparing to do Bible translation work and it will help those who are already involved in Bible translation. Interpretors: Because interpreters in foreign languages are, in fact, instant translators, they too will profit by reading this book. Those who will be translating tracts and other Christian materials into other languages will also find it helpful. Christians: It is hoped that the thoughts on these pages will challenge Christians to take up the work of planting New Testament Baptist churches by translating God's Word into over 3,000 languages of the world that have no church and no Scripture.

This is a modern-spelling version of the 14th century middle english translation by John Wycliffe and John Purvey, the first complete english vernacular version, with an introduction by Terence P. Noble. Also contains a glossary, endnotes, conclusion and bibliography.

One of the most frequently asked questions related to the Bible is, “Which Bible translation should I use?” People often wonder what is the all-around best English Bible translation available. In this book, Douglas Moo, Wayne Grudem, Ray Clendenen, and Philip Comfort make a case for the Bible translation he represents: the NIV 2011 (New International Version), the ESV (English Standard Version), the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible), and the NLT (New Living Translation) respectively. In each case, the contributors explain the translation philosophy under- lying these major recent versions. They also compare and contrast how specific passages are translated in their version and other translations. Which Bible Translation Should I Use? is ideal for anyone who is interested in the Bible and wants to know how the major recent English translations compare. After you’ve read this book, you will be able to answer the title question with confidence. You will also learn many other interesting details about specific passages in the Bible from these top experts.

With so many Bible translations available today, how can you find those that will be most useful to you? What is the difference between a translation that calls itself “literal” and one that is more “meaning-based”? And what difference does it make for you as a reader of God’s Word? How to Choose a Translation for All Its Worth brings clarity and insight to the current debate over translations and translation theories. Written by two seasoned Bible translators, here is an authoritative guide through the maze of translations issues, written in language that everyday Bible readers can understand. Learn the truth about both the word-for-word and meaning-for-meaning translations approaches. Find out what goes into the whole process of translation, and what makes a translation accurate and reliable. Discover the strengths and potential weaknesses of different contemporary English Bible versions. In the midst of the present confusion over translations, this authoritative book speaks with an objective, fair-minded, and reassuring voice to help pastors, everyday Bible readers, and students make wise, well-informed choices about which Bible translations they can depend on and which will best meet their needs.