There are today countless Bible versions on hundred of Bookshelves across the world, and hundred soft copies of the same on a hundred online bookstores. One just have to only walk into a street store or pick an Android phone and download as many Bible apps as possible.
While this is good since it means God’s word is everywhere almost, there is really no easy identification of copies or versions that are false. Not everyone is paying attention to that. Perhaps the Theologians carry out reviews once in a while. Yet that doesn’t do much to the wildfire.
The different doctrines that identify with the faith all claim to have revised the Bible. This is indeed the truth. Some of them have gone as far as altering the original content. Here are some views about Bible Translation and Revisions:
“One who translates a verse literally is a liar, since he distorts the meaning of the text, and conversely, one who adds his own translation is tantamount to one who curses and blasphemes God” – Rabbi Yahuda
Williams Tyndale, an early commentator expressed his reservation thus:
“Which thinge onlye moved me to translate the new testament. Because I had perceaved by experyence, how that it was impossible to stablysh the laye people in any truth, excepte the scripture were playnly layde before their eyes in their mother tonge, that they might se the processe, ordre and meaninge of the texte: for els what so ever truth is taught them, these ennymyes of all truth qwench it ageyne, partly with the smoke of their bottomlesse pytte wherof thou readest apocalipfis ix. that is, with apparent reasons of sophistrye & traditions of their awne makynge, sounded with out grounde of scripture, and partely in jugglinge with the texte, expoundinge it in soch a sense as is impossible to gether of the texte, if thou see the processe ordre and meaninge therof”— William Tyndale
“Indeed, I disagree very much with those who are unwilling that Holy Scripture, translated into the vulgar tongue, be read by the uneducated as if Christ taught such intricate doctrines that they could scarcely be understood by very few theologians, or as if the strength of the Christian religion consisted in men’s ignorance of it. The mysteries of kings, perhaps, are better concealed, but Christ wishes His mysteries published as openly as possible. I would that even the lowliest women read the Gospels and the Pauline Epistles. And I would that they were translated into all languages so that they could be read and understood not only by Scots and Irish but also by Turks and Saracens. … Would that, as a result, the farmer sing some portion of them at the plow, the weaver hum some parts of them to the movement of his shuttle, the traveler lighten the weariness of the journey with stories of this kind” — Desiderius Erasmus
There are diverse Schools of thought and their respective views about Bible Translation and what it means to the faith. These view have without doubt affected the religion negatively and positively. One thing has remained the same amidst the chaos; Man’s salvation is the most necessary and will continue to be the central message everywhere around the World
