The Standard October 28, 2023
Every language has idioms and expressions that are practically impossible to translate effectively in a word-for-word fashion. In the U.S. we say things like “once in a blue moon,” “killing two birds with one stone,” something is “about to go down,” a “ballpark figure,” giving up something “cold turkey,” “learning the ropes,’ “tabling an agenda item,” or “spilling the beans.”
Since the original Old and New Testament texts were written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, it is helpful for us to read passages in several different translations. Some Bible scholars try to translate Scripture, as much as possible, with a word-for-word approach. This is called formal equivalence or a literal translation, where the goal is to stay as close as possible to the original wording and grammatical structure. Of course, no two languages are exactly the same, so it is impossible to do this 100%, while still maintaining the reader’s comprehension. The King James Version is the top example of the word-for-word approach. Even then, its translators noted in the preface that they did not translate the same word the same way in every instance, but used their discretion in trying to capture the sense of the original word in each case.
Other Bible scholars take a mediating approach, following the form only when the result is natural or easily comprehended English. Each Bible translation lies on a spectrum somewhere between form and function, and there is no completely pure version of any approach.
1 John 3:1 is an encouraging verse which will serve as a good example for us. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” (KJV) “See ye what love the Father hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the world doth not know us, because it did not know Him.” (Young’s Literal Translation)
Students in Bible Study Fellowship and Community Bible Study are welcome to use the translation with which they are most comfortable. BSF teaches from the New International Version, while CBS teaches from the English Standard Version.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (NIV)
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (ESV)
Bible scholar, Jen Wilkin, in her “Abide” teaching video on 1 John 3 brings this verse to life. “The more literal translation of the phrase ‘see what kind of love’ is this: ‘Behold of what country is the love the Father has given to us. Behold of what country.’ You would never say that. But what’s the sense of it? ‘How in the world?’ Like, ‘where in the world does this come from? Behold of what country.’ This is amazing! We should be amazed that the Father has given us the kind of love by which we are called the children of God.”
celiastone 