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The Most Literal Version

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Glory Bound, Dec 2, 2004.

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  1. Glory Bound

    Glory Bound New Member

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    I know this has been addressed in the past, but I'm not having any success using search to find it.

    I'm having a discussion about the "most literal" translation, and would appreciate your experienced opinions. While almost all agree that the NIV is not very literal, it gets harder when talking about KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, and HCSB.

    What are your picks for Most Literal bible version?
     
    #1 Glory Bound, Dec 2, 2004
  2. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    1901 American Standard Version, so literal it is hard to read at times. For years it was the standard for serious bible students. I think Dr. Bob still uses the ASV.

    I use the ESV for everything, even is the pew bible in the church. Think it strikes the balance between literalness (is that a word) and readability.
     
    #2 go2church, Dec 2, 2004
  3. natters

    natters New Member

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    #3 natters, Dec 2, 2004
  4. CertainSound

    CertainSound New Member
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    I just got an ESV and enjoy it. I haven't heard anything negative about it yet. How about you?
     
    #4 CertainSound, Dec 2, 2004
  5. EaglewingIS4031

    EaglewingIS4031 New Member

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    I Don't know the Biblical Languages but the experts say the NASB is most literal
    then the ESV and HCSB. Both the ESV and HCSB have a good bit of dynamic equivelence. the HCSb more so than the ESV, but the HCSB usually foot notes the places where it strays from the literal. The ESV is less honest about it.
     
    #5 EaglewingIS4031, Dec 2, 2004
  6. Lawson-

    Lawson- New Member

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    I enjoy the LITV. Of the versions that I own it I think it is the most literal.
     
    #6 Lawson-, Dec 2, 2004
  7. Plain Old Bill

    Plain Old Bill New Member

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    NASB,ESV,NET,Hard to find an ASV.Those would be the 4 in my book.
     
    #7 Plain Old Bill, Dec 2, 2004
  8. Trotter

    Trotter <img src =/6412.jpg>

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    The ASV is a free download on E-sword.

    In Christ,
    Trotter
     
    #8 Trotter, Dec 2, 2004
  9. Phillip

    Phillip <b>Moderator</b>

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    Yep, ASV is a free download on all free Bible software including online Bible which can be found at onlinebible.net (not .com -- that is a totally different website). just wanted to make that clear.

    ESV is also a free download at some places. I think E-sword may have it.

    ESV is good if you don't mind an updated RSV. Otherwise, every three verses are word for word RSV, but I think a lot of the problems have been fixed.
     
    #9 Phillip, Dec 2, 2004
  10. Plain Old Bill

    Plain Old Bill New Member

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    I think the ESV will get better and batter over time.Like all translations it is subject to correction.
     
    #10 Plain Old Bill, Dec 3, 2004
  11. Plain Old Bill

    Plain Old Bill New Member

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    I wish my computer could spell better.
     
    #11 Plain Old Bill, Dec 3, 2004
  12. Exile

    Exile New Member

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    A strictly literal translation would be very hard to read, and could even be misleading if idioms are left in their original form. All versions, therefore, use dynamic equivalence to some degree. That being said, I tend to prefer those translations that contain less paraphrasing. Right now I use primarily the ESV, although I still read NASB, KJV, and others as well.
     
    #12 Exile, Dec 3, 2004
  13. Glory Bound

    Glory Bound New Member

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    How does the NKJV compare to the others as far as being literal?
     
    #13 Glory Bound, Dec 4, 2004
  14. stevec

    stevec New Member

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    Try this:

    [​IMG]

    For my money you can get rid of everything east of the NIV.

    HTH
     
    #14 stevec, Dec 4, 2004
  15. Lawson-

    Lawson- New Member

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    The LITV is the english only text of an interlinear.
     
    #15 Lawson-, Dec 4, 2004
  16. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Good chart. In our Bible Institute we recommend everyone get an interlinear (we buy them by the case so they are under $20) with a dictionary/lexicon, literal English under the Greek, and KJV1769 in a column for easy comparison.

    Not familiar with the LITV - what does that mean? Any link?
     
    #16 Dr. Bob, Dec 4, 2004
  17. rsr

    rsr <b> 7,000 posts club</b>
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    #17 rsr, Dec 4, 2004
  18. mesly

    mesly Member

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    This is a nice chart, thanks for sharing it here. I am curious, would the NASB listed here be the NASB77 or the NASB95? The reason I ask is that with '95 version, it appears that they have made it less literal for the sake of readability. Do you think the '95 version would be less literal now than the ESV?
     
    #18 mesly, Dec 4, 2004
  19. stevec

    stevec New Member

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    Great, now you're gonna ask me where I got it! :mad:

    I don't remember. :D It's fairly recent (within the past year) so I would guess it's the NASB '95 but that's just a guess.

    You can find a similar one here.

    To answer you're question, IMHO the '95 is still more literal than the ESV. Not by much, but a little.
     
    #19 stevec, Dec 4, 2004
  20. stevec

    stevec New Member

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    OK, I found it. I stole it from Zondervan's website here and yes, it is the NASB '95.
     
    #20 stevec, Dec 4, 2004
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