Is the KJV the most accurate translation of the Holy Scriptures?

[2timothy316]

There are those that think that the King Jame Version of the Bible is the most accurate Bible translation there is. Many have placed their whole dogma on this belief. What evidence is there that it is or it is not the most accurate translation?

In the 1611 KJV Acts 12:4 says, "And when hee had apprehended him, hee put him in prison, and deliuered him to foure quaternions of souldiers to keepe him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people."

Here it says that people where celebrating Easter. Is this one of the errors in the KJV?

[Miles]

I'm pursuing a PhD in Biblical studies and figured I'd give this forum a go .

What did you get your masters degree in?

.

[Conversator]

I'm pursuing a PhD in Biblical studies and figured I'd give this forum a go .

What did you get your masters degree in?

.

I'm barely two years in. I live in a dorm, and am often so impoverished that I smoke random cigarette butts! Between school, work, and the ever present question: can I really pay my bills with these degrees? I often find myself doubting the prudence of my endeavor. I can't answer your question yet, I'm still languishing in the hell of academia. I was raised fluent in Hebrew, and have a fascination with the Tanach (Old Testament) , but with absolutely no desire, or conviction to seek rabbinic employment though ' Reform rabbi ' will be ( my calling) safety net if all else fails . I'm particularly curious with Christianity's use of it, as well as the background that shaped early Christian thought.

[Tcg]

I'm barely two years in.

Two years into your Master's degree? I got my Master's degree in two years. What am I missing here?


Tcg

[Tcg]

There are those that think that the King Jame Version of the Bible is the most accurate Bible translation there is. Many have placed their whole dogma on this belief. What evidence is there that it is or it is not the most accurate translation?

No, it's not the most accurate translation. And even the KJV translators did not set out to produce "the most accurate translation".

As for which translation is the most accurate, in my biased opinion it would be the translation I'm currently working on - the Transliteral Bible.

What is your background in ancient languages? What team of experts do you have working with you? Here's an example of the experts who worked on the NIV. I'm not suggesting it is the most accurate translation, but it sure beats one individual:

Committee on Bible Translation

Behind the NIV Bible stands a world-class team of biblical scholars: the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT). CBT members bring decades of Bible translation experience to their work, along with an unshakeable commitment to God’s Word. Their efforts, which began in 1965, continue to this day, ensuring an accurate, faithful Bible translation for generations to come.

https://www.biblica.com/niv-bible/niv-b ... anslators/

When did you begin your effort?


Tcg

[Conversator]

I'm barely two years in.

Two years into your Master's degree? I got my Master's degree in two years. What am I missing here?


Tcg

I suppose you're a cleverer chap than I. Cheers!

[otseng]

The question needs to be asked: Is Bible accuracy subjective or objective?

Actually, I think it's pointless to try to say one Bible translation is more accurate than another (including my own translation). Each translation has their own strengths and weaknesses.

The strength of my translation is it avoids the main translation problem of deciding between formal equivalence or dynamic equivalence.

The terms dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence, coined by Eugene Nida, are associated with two dissimilar translation approaches that are employed to achieve different levels of literalness between the source and target text, as evidenced in biblical translation.

The two have been understood basically, with dynamic equivalence as sense-for-sense translation (translating the meanings of phrases or whole sentences) with readability in mind, and with formal equivalence as word-for-word translation (translating the meanings of words and phrases in a more literal way), keeping literal fidelity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_a ... quivalence

In my translation, it does neither. Rather, it transliterates the root Hebrew or Greek original word. So, it is not translating, but writing the original word in English letters.

The weakness of my translation is it is missing the morphology of the transliterated words.

[otseng]

What is your background in ancient languages? What team of experts do you have working with you? Here's an example of the experts who worked on the NIV. I'm not suggesting it is the most accurate translation, but it sure beats one individual

I have zero background in Hebrew or Greek. Actually, that is one of the main reasons I undertook this project - to learn the original languages.

I'm working on it by myself, so there's no team working with me.

But, I am a programmer, so I lean on software to help me do the translation work. With all the software tools out there now, one doesn't need to be fluent in ancient languages first before trying to take on creating a translation.

With my translation, there are things that are revealed that even the NIV (or any English translation) does not reveal. I could probably write an entire book on this (which I might do someday after I actually finish the translation).

When did you begin your effort?

Jan 2019. I've completed the first pass of the NT and now working on the OT.

[Eddie Ramos]

It does to me.

Ok, if it matters to you where the word "Easter" comes from, other than how it's used in the Bible, then that's an interest you have that has nothing to do with the Bible. To try and analyze any word we come across in the Bible, with how the world has decided to use that word in worldly things, and then bring that secular understanding into our Biblical interpretation, will only lead to error. The Bible is a spiritual book and we cannot not look outside this spiritual book to obtain spiritual understanding.

The Bible doesn't teach English. So the truth about the English language comes from outside the Bible.
What kind of truth are you talking about? There is a lot of truth outside of the Bible. The planet Earth being here is truth. Creation is truth. All of the laws of physics are truth. No one gets on an airplane and thinks 'I hope the law of aerodynamics are still true.' The Bible doesn't teach the law of gravity or aerodynamics, yet they are truly there. God made them all. Te Bible encourages that we look at everything He has created and see His work of truth in it. "For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable." - Romans 1:20 https://biblehub.com/romans/1-20.htm
God has another 'book', the book of creation.

A person that doesn't verify everything is susceptible to gullibility and credulity.

I was talking about spiritual truth, the greatest truth that matters in the Bible. The world (or "book of creation") has nothing to do to teach us spiritual truths. The passage you quoted is not speaking about any invisible physical laws (like gravity), it's speaking about mankind knowing (but rejecting) that they were made in the image of God and thus knowing (but again, rejecting) the fact that there is a God, so they are without excuse.

Now, the Bible was not given to us in English, therefore any translation is subject to be examined against the original texts. This is how we can be sure that the English translated word for "Easter", simply means "passover". The Greek texts show this with a little effort on our part to look into it. And this same truth applies to any word translated in any language.

[Tcg]

I'm barely two years in.

Two years into your Master's degree? I got my Master's degree in two years. What am I missing here?


Tcg

I suppose you're a cleverer chap than I. Cheers!

That's not my point. You state you're going for a PhD and yet haven't achieved your Masters. How are you going far a PhD absent a Masters? Was I silly enough to take an unneeded step?


Tcg

[Tcg]

I have zero background in Hebrew or Greek.

Yes, that answers my question quite thoroughly.


Tcg