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New version: Majority English Bible (MEB)

Discussion in 'Bible Versions & Translations' started by franklinmonroe, Apr 10, 2015.

  1. franklinmonroe

    franklinmonroe Active Member

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    The Majority English Bible has not yet been the subject of a thread on the BB, to my knowledge. The publisher is iUniverse.

    No doubt, this recent translation (copyright 2013) will be often confused with the even newer TR-based Modern English Bible (also MEB). The Majority English Bible (which is actually just the NT) is produced by a non-profit organization that calls itself Common Bible, Inc. and claims to be committed to the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures as a "conviction".

    The name may also mislead some to expect that this translation is based upon the Majority Text, which it is not. The MEB states that it has "conflated" underlying sources (from the MEB's Preface, vii) --
    The process consisted of extracting the majority word, grammatical construction, syntax, even paragraph division from twenty established English New Testament versions, ranging over a period of 200 years of Bible translation history. Major issues -- such the word best expressing the Greek, the grammatical form best converting the Greek into English, the Greek textual variance closest to the original intent -- are all settled objectively.

    Their translation philosophy is described as a blending of "literal, traditional, and modern" concepts. The layout is two column with every verse indented and preceded by the verse number (KJV-style).
     
    #1 franklinmonroe, Apr 10, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 10, 2015
  2. John of Japan

    John of Japan Well-Known Member
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    Thousands of languages without even a portion of Scripture, and they use the money for a new English one?

    Definitely misleading about the "majority" meaning.

    It is impossible to settle all those issues objectively. Subjectivity is the norm. That's why every translation is different.

    I don't plan to buy it.
     
  3. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
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    The extract above from the Preface is enough to convince me that the translation is rather poor. Here are some ungrammatical constructions:

    "The process consisted of extracting the majority word..."

    "Major issues --such the word best expressing the Greek..."
     
  4. franklinmonroe

    franklinmonroe Active Member

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    I apologize for my typo. In their Preface it is "such as the word" (I accidently omitted "as").
     
  5. franklinmonroe

    franklinmonroe Active Member

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    The MEB includes Mark 16:9-20 without comment, footnote, or brackets. But there is an interesting bracketed insertion at John 8 (actually before 7:53). A "special oddity" of the MEB is that they fit the chapter and verse divisions into paragraph divisions (thus, every chapter begins with a new paragraph and causes a few verse numbers to be omitted). So in this case, the notation below the Chapter 8 subtitle (although they follow traditional chapter & verse numbering) is followed by 7:53 --
    [Ed. Note -- While this paragraph is not in the oldest manuscripts, The Majority Bible does not question its authenticity. In the early centuries some might have thought the subject too lawless or indelicate, but ant one who has been cleansed from sin can only love the Lord Jesus and hate their sin the more after reading this touching account.]
     
    #5 franklinmonroe, Apr 11, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 11, 2015
  6. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    The idea of "conflating" about twenty English translations, starting with the KJV and including many others, is an interesting concept. But without a site where samples can be seen, little can be said.

    I watched a video that referenced a site (The Majority English Bible.net) but when I tried to Google it, nothing popped, at least on the first page.
     
  7. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    The goals of the MEB were to be literal, traditional and modern. But traditional and modern do not fit into the conflation model. Thus we find "thees and thous." Apparently a "majority" of the versions conflated were old, and thus contained archaic words.
     
  8. franklinmonroe

    franklinmonroe Active Member

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    They claimed that the versions merged spanned 200 years, so some were old. Yes, "thee" and "thou" were retained but only for second person address to Deity.

    Rev. Kenneth Becker (editor) received his B.A. in Bible (with Greek and English proficiency) and an M.A. in Christian Education from BJU. He claims to have served many years in the pastorate, in mission administration, as a teacher of English (high school and university levels), and a self-supported missionary. He answers some question here --
    http://www.themajoritybible.com/blogs
     
  9. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    The English Bibles used in the conflation start with the 1769 King James Version and end with the 1973 New International Version. Among the versions used are the American Standard Version and the Revised Standard Version.
     
  10. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    During these 200 years (204 to be precise) a lot of scholarship produced many differing views of God's word. But many more modern versions, i.e. NASB95, NET, HCSB and WEB came out after 1973. Too bad the conflation did not spring from modern versus traditional translations.
     
  11. franklinmonroe

    franklinmonroe Active Member

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    You might want to investigate the New Testament of the Open English Bible (OEB) which is being created by taking existing English language translations, especially the Twentieth Century New Testament (1904 edition) and "and conforming them to modern English". The portions of the Old Testament which have been completed at this stage lean heavily on the work of John Edgar McFadyen and Charles Foster Kent.
     
  12. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Yes, the OEB reads very well to my eye, but seems to include translator choices that are, to be kind, questionable.

    Here is the link where anyone can read the text of the NT:
    http://openenglishbible.org/oeb/2014.11/read/

    I did not see anything wrong with John 1:1-3, or John 3:16.

    And while I totally agree (because of my doctrine) with their rendering of John 6:29, I my quite sure every Calvinist will cry foul. :)

     
    #12 Van, Apr 19, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 19, 2015
  13. franklinmonroe

    franklinmonroe Active Member

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    So, it seems that belief is a "work"?
     
  14. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Absolutely! The line we draw differentiates a work (singular) with works (plural). Dr. Wallace (NET) also translates it that way. Salvation is not of works (plural) where we earn it by various "good works." Scripture teaches faith is not works (plural.)

    Now is putting our faith in Christ a "good work?" Nope, all our works of righteousness are as filthy rags. It is God alone who either credits our worthless faith as righteousness or not.
     
  15. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    God credits us with the Grace of Jesus, with his rightiousness, as its faith in HIM that counts, not our faith itself, as God gave that to us any ways!
     
  16. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Yes another post, devoid of any scriptural reference, asserting unbiblical doctrine. Read Romans 4:5, if we believe in the One who justifies the ungodly, then our faith is credited as righteousness. God turns, so to speak a sows ear into a silk purse. Does our faith merit our salvation? Nope, it is a filthy rag. God's action turns it into righteousness!

    So both the OEB and NET translate John 6:29 the same way - that the work God requires of us is to believe in Him.
     
  17. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    And also the truth is that since even that faith required is a gift from god to us, how could we get any crediting other than from the Cross of christ?
     
  18. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    The gift is God created us, even in our fallen state, to able to receive spiritual milk, including His revelations to us through what He has made, and through Jesus Christ as described in the inspired New Testament. If we were not able to receive spiritual milk, the Law (OT scripture) would not be able to guide us to Christ. But the view of Limited Spiritual Ability is well supported, as in John 6:29.
     
    #18 Van, Apr 25, 2015
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  19. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    In the thread discussing the Baptist earliest confessions, Smyth's 1606 give this for the #8 point:
    Only if all, or essentially all, can receive the spiritual milk of the gospel, can it be offered to all. Thus, at least some of the earliest Baptists believed in the Limited Spiritual Ability of many fallen people.

    Then in Helwy's 1611 document, we find:
    Once more we find the some of the earliest Baptists thinking fallen people could accept or reject the gospel and choose life!
     
    #19 Van, Apr 25, 2015
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  20. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    True, but the prominent position among those in the reform tradition would be the other side, and that just shows that among we baptists are both sides been represented and held!
     
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