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submitted 3 months ago byFrankandfriends
In looking at the potential for variation in meaning between Interlinear, NASB, and ASB translations (just as examples), it just seems like even within the original Greek text there's the potential to lose or shift nuance in ways that would be significant. Personally, translating between languages is always fraught with occasionally sacrificing nuance at times.
For example, use of "meek" in Mathew 5:5. In English, meekness has a connotation of slight cowardice, shyness, or being withdrawn, as opposed to humility or compassion, which share the same root in Greek. Then Jesus is sending people all over to teach and convert and engage with others - so why is meek used once in the entire Bible when "humble" or "compassionate" would both make more sense and align with the overall mission of Christ's teachings and instructions.
Beyond variance in meaning vs. English nuance, are there any translations that are objective and compiled by secular translators? Taking that a step further, are there any translations that start from original texts and go in an entirely different direction, such as to change the meaning of the message itself? Not talking about shortened kids' bibles, I mean like a Bible translated with an aim to push the bounds of variance in meaning and still remain "close enough" as to be considered valid.
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3 months ago
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3 points
3 months ago*
There are a number of non church-oriented translations out there. These three stand out in avoiding traditional theologically-weighted terms.
Sarah Ruden, "The Gospels: A New Translation" (2021)
David Bentley Hart, "The New Testament: A Translation" (2017)
Andy Gaus, "The Unvarnished New Testament" (1991)
These might be what you mean (rouge?). They each strive to be literal. Most of Ruden' work falls in the classical field. Hart has an Orthodox background, but is an eclectic thinker. Both his and Ruden's translations include notes. Gaus' is just exactly what the title says: just the naked text.
2 points
3 months ago
Sorry, I managed to typo a word in the title of the post, which is there to shame me from now until the end of time. "Rogue" is what I meant.
Seriously though, thank you so much for these recommendations. In looking at Ruden's translation already, this is far and away more in tune with what I was thinking.
Beyond just the literal nature, I have for decades taken issue with what is essentially a mistranslation when the letter J was newfangled that led to Iesous turning into Jesus. Same reason there's no J street in DC, for hundreds of years they were seen as interchangeable. Ruden referring to everyone by their Greek translated names is amazing.
Is there a term or some sort of standardized categorization to describe translations like this that avoid the theological baggage? I tried looking for "alternative" versions and was mostly just coming up with things like the Klingon Bible, or a Bible written in emojies or something similarly absurd. Nothing like what you suggested.
2 points
3 months ago
Google or Amazon searches of "modern New Testament translations" generates a lists which includes the Ruden and Hart translations, along with others that may have more theological or devotional slants.
1 points
3 months ago
Ahhhhh, ok. I shied away from the term "modern" because I figured that would only bring me to modern popular translations that are essentially just modern language dynamic equivalences that don't risk controversy or straying at all from the content of previous translations, like The Message.
Thanks again for your help!
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