For the sake of clarity, we have translated certain original-language terms consistently, especially within synoptic passages and for commonly repeated rhetorical phrases, and within certain word categories such as divine names and non-theological technical terminology e. For theological terms, we have allowed a greater semantic range of acceptable English words or phrases for a single Hebrew or Greek word.
We have avoided some theological terms that are not readily understood by many modern readers. Many individuals in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, are known by more than one name e. For the sake of clarity, we have tried to use a single spelling for any one individual, footnoting the literal spelling whenever we differ from it. This is especially helpful in delineating the kings of Israel and Judah.
All such decisions were made with the goal of clarifying the text for the reader. When the ancient biblical writers clearly had a theological purpose in their choice of a variant name e. In a few cases, we have utilized the transliteration, Yahweh , when the personal character of the name is being invoked in contrast to another divine name or the name of some other god for example, see Exodus ; The New Living Translation provides several kinds of textual footnotes, all located in the text with an asterisk:.
When for the sake of clarity the NLT renders a difficult or potentially confusing phrase dynamically, we generally give the literal rendering in a textual footnote.
This allows the reader to see the literal source of our dynamic rendering and how our translation relates to other more literal translations. On occasion, we also provide notes on words or phrases that represent a departure from long-standing tradition. The Hebrew word used throughout this passage is used to describe various skin diseases.
When our translators follow a textual variant that differs significantly from our standard Hebrew or Greek texts listed earlier , we document that difference with a footnote. We also footnote cases when the NLT excludes a passage that is included in the Greek text known as the Textus Receptus and familiar to readers through its translation in the King James Version.
In such cases, we offer a translation of the excluded text in a footnote, even though it is generally recognized as a later addition to the Greek text and not part of the original Greek New Testament. All Old Testament passages that are quoted in the New Testament are identified by a textual footnote at the New Testament location.
When the New Testament clearly quotes from the Greek translation of the Old Testament, and when it differs significantly in wording from the Hebrew text, we also place a textual footnote at the Old Testament location.
This note includes a rendering of the Greek version, along with a cross-reference to the New Testament passage s where it is cited for example, see notes on Psalms ; ; Proverbs Some textual footnotes provide cultural and historical information on places, things, and people in the Bible that are probably obscure to modern readers.
Such notes should aid the reader in understanding the message of the text. When the meaning of a proper name or a wordplay inherent in a proper name is relevant to the meaning of the text, it is either illuminated with a textual footnote or included within parentheses in the text itself. There are a number of different cross-referencing tools that appear in New Living Translation Bibles, and each offers a different level of help.
All straight-text Bibles have the standard set of textual footnotes that include cross-references connecting New Testament texts to their related Old Testament sources. Many NLT Bibles include an additional concise cross-reference system that places key cross-references at the ends of paragraphs, linking them to the associated verse or verses with a cross symbol within each paragraph.
This space-efficient system, while not being obtrusive, offers many important key connections. Larger study editions include a full-column cross-reference system, which allows space for a more comprehensive listing of cross-references. In this larger system, symbols differentiate between various kinds of cross-references. Standard cross-references in this system appear unmarked.
In some study editions, we utilize an expanded full-column cross-reference system that has been enhanced by adding a system of Hebrew and Greek word studies.
This tool, which takes of the most significant Hebrew words in the Old Testament and Greek words from the New Testament, creates a chain reference which points to key instances of these words so they can be studied in context.
Skip to content Learn about the objectives, translation philosophy, methodology and process of the New Living Translation development. The Bible Translation Committee. The New Living Translation provides several kinds of textual footnotes, all located in the text with an asterisk: When for the sake of clarity the NLT renders a difficult or potentially confusing phrase dynamically, we generally give the literal rendering in a textual footnote.
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It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. I really enjoy reading the NLT. I have pulled some key points out in it. I found one mistake in it so far, Matthew it is an offering, not a sacrifice.
I looked it up in greek after being corrected. As you said, many versions; same Message. Let the Holy Spirit guide you and you will not fail. Nice post. I be taught something more difficult on different blogs everyday.
It is going to always be stimulating to read content from other writers and practice slightly something from their store. I enjoy the NLT personally, and my two oldest sons do as well. What boble comentary would u advise to use for bible study and prep for sermons and more,,, and…wonderfull.. Hi, thanks for reaching out!
That really depends on your personal needs and preferences. I blog quite often and I genuinely thank you for your information. The article has truly peaked my interest.
Contents show. From the Revision of a Paraphrase to a Full Translation. Share on Social Media. Follow us on Social Media. Tyler Martin. Hey, I'm Tyler Martin! I'm a husband, father, content creator, and Bible nerd. I have a B. I've spent my life learning about the Bible and I am passionate about helping others discover the beautiful and imaginative world of the scriptures. Notify of. Inline Feedbacks. August 14, pm. Matt Noonan. July 13, pm. May the Joy of Christ Jesus fill your heart and calm your soul!
XMC PL. Nor do we doubt that they sincerely wished to make the Bible easy to understand. We prefer to say that, under the license of "dynamic equivalence," they have failed to practice self-restraint, and have ended up presenting their own theological notions as the inspired word of God.
Aside from any theological bent, the NLT presents numerous questionable and even peculiar interpretations. These are apparently designed to prevent the reader from misunderstanding the text where a literal rendering would leave room from misinterpretation, but in many cases they are more meddlesome than helpful. For example, Matthew Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you give you will be judged.
Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. For others will treat you as you treat them". But this is very strange. Is not the meaning rather, as in the Good News Bible, "do not judge others so that God will not judge you. For God will judge you in the same way you judge others"? We naturally think of this in relation to the teaching in the previous chapter, "if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you" The NLT adds a footnote here giving the alternative interpretation, but obviously the literal rendering leads to no confusion or misinterpretation.
It would have been better to give a literal rendering and allow the reader to interpret. Further comments on specific renderings in the New Living Translation are given in the article on Dynamic Equivalence. There may be a place for this version in the education of children, but we conclude that it is not suitable for use by adults in the Church. The version carries over too much of the unsound paraphrasing of the Living Bible.
The attempt to provide a blanket justification for this paraphrasing by calling it "dynamic equivalence" is a mere fig leaf, as Poythress aptly calls it. It was a mistake to have used such a problematic version as the basis of the NLT to begin with.
The "reviewers" would have done much better, no doubt, if they had produced a fresh translation. In addition, there obviously has been a good deal of editorial meddling for non-scholarly reasons, in connection with the "inclusive language" and other things.
Moreover, even if we were to grant that dynamic equivalence is the best method to use in translating the Bible which we do not , we find that other versions have made a much more successful application of its principles at every point where we have compared them with the NLT. Finally, we note that Craig L. Blomberg of Denver Seminary, who was a reviewer for the NLT's Gospel according to Matthew, has explicitly stated that this version is not suitable as a regular Bible for adults.
Responding to criticism of the NLT, Blomberg explained that the version is for "kids or very poor adult readers," and he suggested that readers of the NLT should move on to a more accurate version when they are able:.
I relished the chance to work on the NLT New Living Translation team to convert the LBP into a truly dynamic-equivalent translation, but I never recommend it to anyone except to supplement the reading of a more literal translation to generate freshness and new insights, unless they are kids or very poor adult readers.
My sixteen- and twelve-year old daughters have been weaned on the NLT and have loved it, but both already on their own are now frequently turning to the NIV. A major revision of the New Living Translation —called the New Living Translation second edition —was published in The text of the revised edition is much more literal than that of the first, and several of the problems noted in the foregoing review have been corrected.
He worked with two other scholars on translating the Old Testament book of Exodus. Ninety scholars served as Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew translators. With other scholars serving as reviewers, the team for the New Living Translation included over top biblical experts.
Bergen was asked to serve as a translator for the NLT because he is known throughout the country for his dissertation on Hebrew Discourse Linguistics, discourse analysis computer program, and papers on the Hebrew in Exodus. He has presented these studies at meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Evangelical Theological Society.
He also holds a Ph. Many people are familiar with the Living Bible a paraphrase which Ken Taylor published in It is a combination of several works Taylor wrote to convey messages of the Bible in an easily understood manner. Though the Living Bible has been effective in communicating many biblical truths, the paraphrase contains inaccuracies and is not sold by some Bible retailers. Every book of the NLT was reviewed by three or four people, then rated in the areas of accuracy and clarity.
Because of the extensive efforts of world-class Bible scholars, the NLT is the most expensive translation project in the history of Bible translation. Some of the inaccuracies in the original Living Bible are found in lists which do not agree. For example, Exodus and Exodus contain a list of stones. In the Hebrew text, the words in each list are identical, but in Taylor's translation, they differ. In addition to some inconsistencies, the Living Bible also contains biases because it was one person's interpretation.
The NLT is predicted to be a success primarily because it will not have such theological slants. According to Bergen, having a team of scholars helped the translation to have less bias and more accuracy. One example of the clarification the NLT attempts to provide is found in Exodus Other issues addressed by NLT translators were that of God's name and gender issues. Bergen and other scholars chose to use "Yahweh" in place of "the Lord" when it was necessary.
The trend for contemporary versions of the Bible is to change gender specifications. Where the Bible in its original language would use "man" in a generic sense, modern translations use "humanity" or "people. Bergen said it was a privilege to work with scholars of the highest caliber on this project.
He added, "It was a challenge to create a text that reproduced both the emotions and insight that the original Hebrew text produced. The New Living Translation of the Bible will be released this month in a basic text-only format. All will be priced comparably with other versions. The Tyndale House Publishers state, "We believe that this new translation, which combines the latest in scholarship with the best in translation style, will speak to your heart. We present the New Living Translation with the prayer that God will use it to speak His timeless truth to the church and to the world in a fresh, new way.
One afternoon I was in my room, studying the Bible in preparation for leading the weekly student meeting that evening. I found myself baffled about the meaning of a chapter in Ephesians, on which I had been asked to speak. I read the chapter several times, without much comprehension. Then I read it slowly, a verse at a time, with no better results. I could understand the words, of course, but I just could not understand the significance of the teaching or make any useful application to my life or the lives of the students.
Suddenly I was overwhelmed with the realization that my Bible reading in the New Testament letters had ever been thus. All my life I had wrestled in vain to understand them. Others could grasp the meaning; why couldn't I? Was I more stupid than my friends who gloried in reading the Word?
Frustrated and ashamed, I exclaimed to the empty room, "Why can't somebody translate the Bible so a person like me can understand it? That same yearning found another expression fifteen years later when Ken's ten children had the same trouble understanding the King James Version that he had always had.
Ken and Margaret Taylor had family devotions each evening after supper, but when Ken asked the children a few questions to make sure they had understood the day's Bible reading, he was often met with blank stares. So Ken would restate the meaning of the passage in simpler terms.
In his autobiography he describes a poignant moment that brought back his own frustrations: "I remember that after I had explained the meaning of one particular verse from the King James Version, Janet, then about eight, said, 'But Daddy, if that's what it means, why doesn't it say so? One Saturday morning, Ken was puzzling over how to communicate the meaning of that evening's Scripture passage to his children.
He decided to write out a simpler version of the passage in advance. It worked, and from time to time he used that method of paraphrasing the Scripture passage for the family.
Eventually he decided to paraphrase the entire book of Romans, followed by the other epistles of the New Testament. Ken thought other families might also find his paraphrase helpful, so he sent the manuscript to several publishers.
They all turned him down, but he was undaunted, so he decided to publish it himself. He called the book Living Letters and arranged for 2, copies to be printed. He named his tiny company Tyndale House Publishers in honor of William Tyndale, the sixteenth-century translator who translated the Bible into English and was burned at the stake for his efforts.
Living Letters was published in , and within a few years it was followed by a series of books containing other portions of Scripture paraphrased into modern English. By the time the complete edition, The Living Bible , was published in , the paraphrase had become phenomenally popular.
Over the next twenty-five years, more than 40 million copies of The Living Bible were sold in dozens of different formats. Despite its popularity, however, Ken Taylor and his colleagues at Tyndale House were frustrated that it never received wide acclaim by pastors and scholars. Too often it was dismissed as being "just a paraphrase. They concluded that pastors' perspectives on various translations are established during their seminary years, so Mark and Ron asked themselves how The Living Bible could be made more acceptable to seminary professors.
This line of reasoning led to the conclusion that a group of seminary professors should be invited to assist in revising The Living Bible. If The Living Bible were revised by an independent group of scholars, it would be easier to convince other seminary professors to see it as a bone fide translation. In October of , Tyndale held an initial conference with several professors of Old Testament and New Testament to explore the possibility of revising The Living Bible.
The first step was to form the Bible Translation Committee, which included six general reviewers:. Each general reviewer was responsible for five major sections of the Bible individual books or groups of books , and each was given the task of finding three world-class evangelical scholars to assist him in each section.
They put together a "dream list" of scholars who had written major commentaries on the respective books in their lists, and then they invited those scholars to participate in the process of reviewing and revising The Living Bible.
Most of the scholars they contacted accepted the invitation, so the final list of 90 scholars is a world-class group of evangelical scholars. In the early stages, the revision task was seen as simply correcting any words, phrases, or verses where The Living Bible 's exegesis interpretation was judged to be faulty.
As the project unfolded, however, the translation team came to see that they were creating a new translation from the Hebrew and Greek rather than simply a revised paraphrase that followed the dynamic equivalence theory of translation.
The goal of this translation theory is to produce in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the message expressed by the original-language text—both in meaning and in style. Such a translation attempts to have the same impact on modern readers as the original had on its own audience. A dynamic-equivalence translation can also be called a thought-for-thought translation, as contrasted with a formal-equivalence or word-for-word translation.
Of course, to translate the thought of the original language requires that the text be interpreted accurately and then be rendered in understandable idiom. So the goal of any thought-for-thought translation is to be both reliable and eminently readable. Thus, as a thought-for-thought translation, the New Living Translation seeks to be both exegetically accurate and idiomatically powerful. In making a thought-for-thought translation, the translators must do their best to enter into the thought patterns of the ancient authors and to present the same ideas, connotations, and effects in the receptor language.
In order to guard against personal biases and to ensure the accuracy of the message, a thought-for-thought translation should be created by a group of scholars who employ the best exegetical tools and who also understand the receptor language very well.
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