I wanted to write a quick note here as this relates to my study tonight, as well as illustrating quite a number of translation problems. Here is our text, with CEV (NOT CEB) to the left, NRSV in the center as a “literal” comparison, and NLT to the right. I’m copying the NRSV notes as…
In Hebrews 2:1-4 I believe the author of Hebrews provides a basic apologetic outline, and I think it’s a very useful one to follow. After the first two verses, which start from a platform that was already accepted by the audience, the author emphasizes the importance of the decision. If he is right in what he…
J. K. Gayle links to me in a post regarding the notion of “canon.” There’s a good discussion going in the comments as well. Let me note in passing that the label “personal canon” grates on me a bit. Let me be clear that I’m not saying it’s bad; I’m referring to my reaction to…
Chris Heard asked via Twitter whether the NLT was suitable for academic study. T. C. Robinson has given an answer: Concluding thoughts: The NLT, New Living Translation, is simply too loose to be considered a serious academic Bible. While I have some sympathy with this point, I have to ask just what the definition of “serious” and “academic”…
One of my criticisms of The Message is that it tends to blunt the force of many scriptures, making them more palatable than they are. Now don’t get the idea that I’m a critic of The Message in general. In fact, I think it makes a great contribution to the literature available for rapid reading…
The following is a video review of the CEV: For more details, see the MyBibleVersion.com detail page for the CEV.
A few weeks ago I began looking at the new NLT Study Bible, and indicated that I would use it and then comment as I went along rather than writing a review as such. Introductory Comments Since I’m looking at the manuscript for a new study guide to Luke that that I intend to publish,…
There a teacher’s saying that there are no bad questions, except the ones you don’t ask. There’s another saying that says that once you know the right question, the right answer will follow. As with many one liners, these two seem to clash. On the front of my book What’s in a Version?, I have…
Yesterday I blogged about the HCSB of Acts 17:26, and in particular the portion that reads something like “made of one ______”. The KJV reads “blood” which is one of the textual variants, while the HCSB says “man” which apparently does not occur in any of the ancient manuscripts. Since I read these lectionary texts daily…
This post is based on Acts 2:42 and 46. In the NLT of Acts 2:42 the phrase breaking of bread, admittedly a bit less than meaningful in modern English, is translated as sharing in the Lord’s supper. The NRSV reads “breaking of bread” but a note in the New Interpreter’s Study Bible suggests “Lord’s Supper,” and the…
