"Good as New" is Bad

If the KJV was good enough for James I, it's good enough to me. What's with all the tinkering?

Smile. Well translation must take the words from one language into the receptor culture. The KJV is a great literary work reflective of English of the early 17th century. Some words shift in meaning and updates are necessary. The problem is that people go nuts with it, begin to change the actual words in the Hebrew/Greek of the Bible. Some out of cowardice and deference to the culture.

I like the English Standard Version as it stands in the English translation tradition back to Tyndale (whose work - though the Catholics killed him - is abundantly found in the KJV). Faithful to the original words, understandable to modern readers is the goal. Other translations go overboard trying to change the meaning - for instance to make the Bible sound more feminist or more gay friendly, etc. Cowardly.

I hope you are doing well John - any updates on your end? How are you doing these days? Drop me an e-mail or something.

I think the quality of the message in any communication is important. I also think the effort to understand what is in the KJV versus a more mondern translation would tend to cause the reader to reflect more on the values that the author(s) convey. While we both know I am not a believer, I *am* a person who values effort and thought in belief. If people actually went back and tried to learn the earlier languages (e.g. Hebrew, Latin & Greek) to read it, I think it would be even more beneficial. Maybe I am a classicist at heart.

All is well here. Working a lot. Still single. Looking for a house and doing the transactional lawyer thing. I hope all is well with you and the family.

John, we actually have two classicists who are regular readers here - that view is highly esteemed on the POCblog.

If half the Christians in the world cared half as much about what they believe as you do John, the church would be far better off.

Best wishes on the house hunt.