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031020755X_relation_fm.qxp 9/8/06 2:21 PM Page 1 This page is intentionally left blank 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 1 the CHALLENGE of bible translation 031020755X_relation_fm.qxp 9/8/06 2:21 PM Page 1 This page is intentionally left blank 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 3 Understanding the Theory, History, and Practice the CHALLENGE of bible translation communicating god’s word to the world glen g. scorgie, mark l. strauss, steven m. voth general editors Essays in Honor of Ronald F. Youngblood 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 4 ZONDERVAN The Challenge of Bible Translation Copyright © 2003 by Glen G. Scorgie, Mark L. Strauss, and Steven M. Voth All rights reserved under International and Pan -American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e -book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, withou t the express written permission of Zondervan. AER Edition January 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-32186-6 Requests for information should be addressed to: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The challenge of Bible translation : communicating God’s word to the world / Glen G. Scorgie, Mark L. Strauss, and Steven M. Voth, general editors. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-10: 0-310-24685-7 ISBN-13: 0-310-24685-5 1. Bible—Translating. I. Scorgie, Glen G. II. Strauss, Mark L. III. Voth, Steven M. BS449 .C43 2003 220.5—dc21 2003000027 All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zon- dervan. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans- mitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher. 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 5 Contents Contributors . .7 Abbreviations . .9 Dedicatory Preface . .15 Glen G. Scorgie, Mark L. Strauss, and Steven M. Voth Introduction and Overview . .19 Glen G. Scorgie PART 1: THE THEORY OF BIBLE TRANSLATION 1. Are Translators Traitors? Some Personal Reflections Moisés Silva . .37 2. Bible Translation Philosophies with Special Reference to the New International Version Kenneth L. Barker . .51 3. The Limits of Functional Equivalence in Bible Translation— and Other Limits, Too D. A. Carson . .65 4. Current Issues in the Gender-Language Debate: A Response to Vern Poythress and Wayne Grudem Mark L. Strauss . .115 5. Translation as a Communal Task Herbert M. Wolf . .143 6. English Bible Translation in Postmodern Perspective: Reflections on a Critical Theory of Holistic Translation Charles H. Cosgrove . .159 PART 2: THE HISTORY OF BIBLE TRANSLATION 7. The Bible in English: An Overview Dick France . .177 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 6 8. A Translator’s Perspective on Alister McGrath’s History of the King James Version Walter W. Wessel . .199 9. Translation Was Not Enough: The Ecumenical and Educational Efforts of James “Diego” Thomson and the British and Foreign Bible Society Kent A. Eaton . .213 10. The New International Version: How It Came to Be John H. Stek . .235 11. That Fabulous Talking Snake Ronald A. Veenker . .265 12. Slip of the Eye: Accidental Omission in the Masoretic Tradition David Noel Freedman and David Miano . .273 PART 3: THE PRACTICE OF BIBLE TRANSLATION 13. Agur’s Apologia for Verbal, Plenary Inspiration: An Exegesis of Proverbs 30:1–6 Bruce K. Waltke . .303 14. Justice and/or Righteousness: A Contextualized Analysis of Sedeq> in the KJV (English) and RVR (Spanish) Steven M. Voth . .321 15. Translating John’s Gospel: Challenges and Opportunities Andreas J. Köstenberger . .347 16. “Flesh” in Romans: A Challenge for the Translator Douglas J. Moo . .365 17. Faith as Substance or Surety: Historical Perspectives on Hypostasis in Hebrews 11:1 James D. Smith III . .381 18. The Use of Capital Letters in Translating Scripture into English Larry Lee Walker . .393 Index . .423 About the Publisher. .431 Share Your Thoughts . .432 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 7 Contributors Kenneth L. Barker (Ph.D., Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning), Executive Director, NIV Translation Center, International Bible Society (Retired) D. A. Carson (Ph.D., Cambridge University), Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Charles H. Cosgrove (Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary), Professor of New Testament Studies and Christian Ethics, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary Kent A. Eaton (Ph.D., University of Wales, Lampeter), Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministries and Associate Dean, Bethel Seminary San Diego Dick France (Ph.D., University of Bristol), formerly Principal, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford (Retired) David Noel Freedman (Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University), Professor of History, Endowed Chair of Hebrew Biblical Studies, University of California, San Diego Andreas J. Köstenberger (Ph.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School), Professor of New Testament and Greek and Director of Ph.D. and Th.M. Studies, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary David Miano (B.A., State University of New York at Buffalo), Ph.D. Candidate and Associate Instructor, University of California, San Diego Douglas J. Moo (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews), Blanchard Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College Graduate School Glen G. Scorgie (Ph.D., University of St. Andrews), Professor of Theology, Bethel Seminary San Diego 7 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 8 Moisés Silva (Ph.D., University of Manchester), formerly Professor of New Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary James D. Smith III (Th.D., Harvard University), Associate Professor of Church History, Bethel Seminary San Diego, Lecturer at the University of San Diego, and Associate Pastor, College Avenue Baptist Church John H. Stek (Drs., Free University, Amsterdam), Emeritus Professor of Old Testament, Calvin Theological Seminary Mark L. Strauss (Ph.D., Aberdeen University), Associate Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary San Diego Ronald A. Veenker (Ph.D., Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion), Professor of Religious Studies, Western Kentucky University Steven M. Voth (Ph.D., Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion), Translation Consultant, United Bible Societies Larry Lee Walker (Ph.D., Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning), formerly Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament, Beeson Divinity School (Retired) Bruce K. Waltke (Ph.D., Harvard University), Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies, Regent College, and Professor of Old Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando Walter W. Wessel (Ph.D., Edinburgh University), Emeritus Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary San Diego (Deceased) Herbert M. Wolf (Ph.D., Brandeis University), Professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College and Graduate School (Deceased) 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 9 Abbreviations BIBLE VERSIONS AMP Amplified Bible ASV American Standard Version BER New Berkeley Version (also MLB) BOL Book of Life: A Messianic Jewish Version CEV Contemporary English Version ESV English Standard Version GNB Good News Bible (also TEV) GNC God’s New Covenant GW God’s Word HCSB Holman Christian Standard Bible ISV International Standard Version JB Jerusalem Bible JNT Jewish New Testament (Stern) KJV King James Version JPS The Holy Scriptures: Jewish Publication Society LB Living Bible MLB Modern Language Bible (also BER) NAB New American Bible NASB New American Standard Bible NCV New Century Version NEB New English Bible NET New English Translation NJB New Jerusalem Bible -9- 0310246857_chalbibtr_01.qxd 2/16/07 9:53 AM Page 10 10 The Challenge of Bible Translation NIV New International Version NIVI NIV Inclusive Language Edition (Britain) NIrV New International Reader’s Version NKJV New King James Version NL New Life Version NLT New Living Translation NRSV New Revised Standard Version NVI Nueva Versión Internacional PHILLIPS The New Testament in Modern English, J. B. Phillips REB Revised English Bible RSV Revised Standard Version RV Revised Version RVR Reina Valera Revisada TEV Today’s English Version (also GNB) TNIV Today’s New International Version TNK Tanakh: A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (Jewish Publication Society) OTHER ABBREVIATIONS AGJU Arbeiten zur Geschichte des antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums AThR Anglican Theological Review BAG(D) Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich (2d ed.: and Danker). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature BDAG Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich (3d ed.). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature BDB Brown, Driver, and Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament BDF Blass, Debrunner, and Funk. A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature BECNT Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament