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(BI181) Introducing Bible Translations In this course, Dr. Strauss describes how God used human language, it is God’s message to us, God’s revelation to us. The bible is written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Interestingly, there were thousands of languages within human history and God chose to use these three language as the base text through which to relay His message to us. The Old Testament were originally recorded in languages belonging to the Semitic family while the New Testament was written in the Indo-European family. Translators approach translating the bible with different philosophies. While the King James Version has been around for several hundred years, there are several dozen now. Choosing to read a bible is best accomplished by reading different translations. No translation can capture all the meaning, but a translation can capture certain aspects. There are two approaches one is called formal equivalence and the other is functional equivalence. Formal Equivalence focuses on word for word and lexical concordance, while functional equivalence is seeking an equivalent word in each context. Formal equivalence also wants to follow the grammar as well, while the functional seeks to phrase certain clauses that reproduce the same meaning. Formal translation wants to translate until comprehension is achieved, and functional is seeking meaning. “Words have, instead, a range of potential senses. That is true of almost all words. There [are] a few words that are highly technical terms that really only have one sense or one meaning, but almost all words in the English language have more than one meaning. They have not a literal sense, but a semantic range. Think of the word “apple.” It could be a kind of computer—a type of computer—or it could be a kind of fruit. Think of the word “cold.” “Cold” could be a viral infection, as a noun, or a low temperature, as an adjective. “That is cold weather.” Think of the word “table.” I could say, “Set my computer on a table.” Or I could say, “Let me show you this table of data.” Or I could use it as a verb: “We could table this discussion.””1 Translation is not about merely replacing a word, we need translation because languages are different in word meaning, in idioms, and in terms of collocations. Language is an amazing tool, however when it relates to the bible, it can very challenging to read it the way it was written for most people. While every translation is a interpretation is a fair statement, there is a difference between linguistic interpretation and thematic interpretation. One deals with what English words best express Hebrew or Greek words and a thematic interpretation deals with the actual meaning of the text. Later Dr. Strauss deals more and more with semantic meaning, words do not have a single literal meaning they have a range of potential meanings. “It is unreliable—to translate words literally on a one-to-one basis. You have to translate them according to their meaning in context. Look at the semantic range, what the word can mean, and then look at the literary context to determine what it does mean.”1 Dr. Strauss also stresses that translating idioms literally doesn’t work, because idioms don’t mean what they say. In discussing these, he also brings up metaphors which really add a lot of value to the reader in being able to understand what the God and the biblical writers are hoping to convey. Collocation is defined as a word whose meaning comes from its relationship and the Instructor goes into its consequences in relation to it with regard to the bible, especially if we go into different languages, for example with the verb, “to make.” Remember each translation is interpretation. Formal equivalent versions strengths help to identify the formal structure of the original text, it also helps to trace repeated words and verbal allusions, it also helps in reproducing Greek metaphors and idioms, and also helps in identifying ambiguities in the text. Functional equivalence translation’s strengths are communicating accurately the meaning of the text, providing natural sounding language, making clear what the text actually means, or rather clarity, and finally general readability. Translation is not about replacing words, but reproducing meaning and we all should utilize all kinds of translation. Meaning of the text is of the highest priority, which should be the goal of any bible translation that wishes to be the best. I really liked this course and really helped me getting a better grasp of how I can speak to someone looking for people translations. 1 Mark L. Strauss, BI181 Introducing Bible Translations, Logos Mobile Education (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

My response to BI181 Introducing Bible Translations Before taking this course I never thought how good it could be to use multiple translations to get a broader picture of God's word. Grew up reading the King James Version of the bible in the Catholic Church, and after drifting away and fulling giving my life to the Lord I began reading the English Standard version. Felt like I would be able to understand God's word with just that. I was very much mistaken. Dr. mark Strauss showed us not only the many translations available to us, but also explained that no translation captures all of the meaning. As well as all translations capture important aspects. We all come from different cultural and different languages are spoken, and can some languages such as Spanish and french and have different meaning which can be feminine or masculine. As well words don't have just one meaning or literal meaning. You can take a simple work like bat and wont know if they are talking about the animal or an object used in baseball. That is why context is so important. Even though all translation is interpretation, but the contexts will determine the meaning of it. Its a two step process of interpreting the text as well as expressing the meaning. But Dr. Strauss does remind us that no translation is perfect. Words do get lost in translation and have to factor that some words do have have a translation in another language. It is unreliable to translate literally and we should translate according to context. I was shocked to see the the word man/men was removed in a total of six hundred seventy one times during the gender language section. Would notice some of it as I read the some Scripture but thought that was the way it always was especially in the begin of my walk. Now I have notice that it stick out like a sore thumb and catch my self pausing when I come across it. I do my best to no pay to much attention and get passed of all the political correctness of this world has to offer and just dive into the word of God and study the word for what it is especially pouncing between the 5 translations I use now have help me get the bigger picture of it. One thing they may not be translated in one version I can pick up more context from another and bring it all together as a whole. I am glad Dr. Strauss did point out the fact that translation is not replacing words, but that is reproducing meaning. I remember when I was gonna begin to take this course ad seen the title and just thought how exciting or interesting could this course be. I can admit I set the bar very low and how I was proven wrong completely and couldn't get enough of the course once I started. I remember I started the course late at night and couldn't stop until completed it and that's exactly what happen. Just seen the that was fifteen segments in this course there was so much information that came exploding out of it. Always left you wanting more and how simple Dr. Strauss was explaining it all and sharing all of his knowledge and wisdom with us. Just in the past year from taking these courses and really spending planned time in in my Bible, it has been easier to see the point of the Author is trying to get across. I know I am far from a biblical scholar but just being able to translated it better and as sitting in bible study and comparing with other followers, I feel a confidence I have never felt before. I can explain what I feel it means to me and well take others opinions. Siting with my mentors and Pastors and talking about God's word and the acknowledgment and feedback they give me fulfilling. Dr. Strauss has given us the tools to help us understand the bible on another level, it is our job now to use those tools to understand his word and as well being able to share it with others to its fullest. What good is a God's word with we keep it to ourselves and not share it with the world, being able to share the grace and mercy of God's word with others is the best part out of all this. Dr. Strauss put it best “ continue to read God's word so that yo will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Our Lord Jesus Christ “

Bi181 – Response To be honest, based on the title “Introducing Bible Translations” I thought this course was going to be quite dull and I didn’t expect to get anything from it since English is not my native language. But I was so wrong! This course was really interesting and even funny. Never before have I taken as many notes compared to how short this course was. Mark Strauss caught my attention already in the first segment with his excerpt from “Crazy English”. I would say that a greater understanding of how translation works, is what I will remember the most from this course. I was aware of the formal/functional equivalences before this course, but this was the first time someone really described them to me in a deeper sense. I think this kind of teaching would be very benefitable for so many Christians, simply because many Christians have an opinion on which bible translation is the best translation. I will be honest, I come from the perspective that formal equivalence is the only true translating philosophy because that philosophy “best” render the original meaning of the text. Now I realize that I have been very wrong (or right, depending on what you mean with “original meaning”). When a translation is true to the original form, something will be lost when translated into another language. The text will seem more archaic and sometimes don’t even make sense to our modern minds. On the other hand, I appreciated that Strauss lifted both good and bad things with both translating philosophies. I can see that the formal equivalence is much better when you’re studying word allusions throughout the Bible (which I enjoy) and you get more in touch with the Greek and Hebrew idioms used in the original text. I appreciate Strauss’ statement that it is always best to read many translations. Now I clearly see the benefits of reading and comparing many bible translations, ranging on a wide spectrum. While the ESV can help med see the original form and repeated use of certain words, the New Living Translation can help me see the more modern meaning of the text. I have a strong feeling that many of the strange verses in the Bible are strange simply because they contain old foreign idioms, metaphors or collocations, and not because they contain strange theology. And here is why I think this teaching would be benefitable for many Christians. I don’t think it is just isolated to one language, but I think the formal/functional equivalence dichotomy is present in every language which has more than one translation of the Bible. On the one hand, you have people who are eager to preserve the “original meaning” of the text. Often that results in very literal translations and a love for archaic language. Typically they don’t change their translations or Bibles very often (or ever). On the other hand, you have people who simply want to understand the text. They don’t mind change their translations often and they enjoy reading bible translations that they understand. I have been part of the former “tribe” and have been very suspicious of translations that are called “paraphrases” or less literal (you should be aware that for a long time we’ve only had 2-3 translations in Swedish of both the OT and the NT). I have viewed them as sub-level Bibles and haven’t really bothered to read them. I have a lot of friends who think the same way and we have all read the same translation. A couple of years ago a new Swedish translation was released covering both the OT and the NT. A translation which is quite similar to the NIV. I remembering reading it and thinking “is this what this verse really means”. By translating many idioms into colloquial Swedish I actually understood some verses better than I had from reading my more literal translation. Now when I have heard Strauss explain how translation works and how the meaning of the text is most often better conveyed by a functional equivalence, I much more appreciate the “paraphrases” I once disliked. I think his teaching would be very useful for many of my friends who are all part of the literal “tribe”. If they would understand that the true meaning of the text can be obscure in a literal translation but more fully revealed in a paraphrase, I think they also would start to appreciate other translations than the one they are currently using. Let my end with a good quote from Strauss summarizing how a literal translation (or even the Bible) is not an end in itself: “The kingdom of God is about the message of the text, not the words, not the formal features of the text.” Kind Regards / Henrik