What is inspired?

No, it is a FACT. I know four different languages- English, Spanish, American Sign Language, and Mexican Sign Language, as well as a smattering of others and I also took Greek many moons ago in college. It is a FACT that some languages are more precise than others- and that is very clearly borne out by looking at the Greek words translated "love" or "charity" that have MUCH MORE precise meanings than the English words.

You can translate from Greek to Spanish in a much more precise manner than you can from Greek to English because both Greek and Spanish are Romance languages.

 

Thanks for the correction. When we went to Mexico as missionaries I was amazed at the similarities between Greek and Spanish. My two years of very basic Greek helped prepare me for learning Spanish.

 

Yep, "regardless of language". If we all spoke Jacobean English and still used "thee" and "thou" then the KJV could be that translation for us all... but we don't speak in Jacobean English, and neither did the common people of the day when the KJV was translated. So I guess that the KJV would have never fit that classification.

All bibles carry the inspiration that was given by God because of what they are and what they contain. No bible translation is inspired in and of itself. God did the inspiring through the original authors and not through any translation committee that has ever been on the face of the earth.

 

Simple fact is, GOD chose hebrew & Koine Greek to preserve His word in, and as for valid translations, none is more "inspired" than another.

Still, I have no doubt that GOD caused translations to be made. And, as the Creator of all languages, He is fully aware that no English translation can be a 100% literal word-for-word translation of the Hebrew and Greek.

I believe "influenced" or "caused" is a better word than "inspired" here.

 

I agree with Stilllearning, an accurate translation of God's word is inspired, else it could not be called scripture. But the scriptures themselves declare the texts the Ethiopian eunuch to be reading "scripture", and almost all scholars agree he was reading a Greek translations of the OT, which would also necessarily be a copy.

Acts 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

I will trust God's word over the opinions of men. If the scriptures themselves show that an accurate translation and a copy of scripture are scripture, that's good enough for me.

 

What an absurd argument. Show me anywhere in the NT where the word "scripture" or "scriptures" does not mean God's word.

 

Dr.Bob just did. "Using God's Word and not a translation, go to your "proof" text in Acts 8. Nowhere is the word "Scripture" used. It is simply called a "writing" (graphe and NOT biblion)." Graphe is very different from biblion. Any written material is graphe, but only scripture is biblion, just like any atuomobile is a car, but only a Cadillac is a Cadillac.

"No man-made translation can begin to equal God's perfect Word." I am beginning to see the truth of that more and more as I grow older. Should I ever get the chance I want to study Greek so I can better know God's actual word and not just what someone else is telling me it says.

 

Inspired means God breathed. The Scripture is God breathed. It is the sacred writings(what the term scripture means) that are God breathed. Only the original writers were free from error. Translations are not inspired(in the sense as the English words being God breathed) but a translation of the God breathed words.

 

2 Timothy 3:16

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

πασα γραφη θεοπνευστος και ωφελιμος προς διδασκαλιαν προς ελεγχον προς επανορθωσιν προς παιδειαν την εν δικαιοσυνη

Look at a bold word above. It is "graphE" that means to "write down."

Look at a word, "graphE" – Let’s say "graph" by using the suffix, "-graph."

Seismograph is to WRITE DOWN (RECORD) when the earthquake occurs.

Therefore all scripture (graphE -- writings) is given by inspiration of God. This means His breathed Words in the autographs. The inspiration refers to the autographs only.

The translation does not refer to the inspiration, but it refers to the derivation. The KJV is a translation, not the inspiration but the preservation that the KJV was derived from accurate Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.

If the KJV is inspired, were the apographs, where 5,000 manuscripts disagreed each other, inspired also?

 

Does that include English speakers in the 21st century, or must they learn 17th century English?

 

It's quite strange to be agreeing with the few of you I don't usually side with. :tongue3: FTR, in no way do I support the inspiration of a single version!

Ya’ll miss the important portion of the passage:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and

1) profitable for teaching,
2) for reproof,
3) for correction, and
4) for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

Translations derive their authority from the inspired words they translate.
As they correctly translate the meaning, they are inspired, even if not perfectly.

Translations are used by God to speak to us today as they did to the Ethiopian eunuch

Rob

 

Thank you Rob, that is what I am saying. If a translation is not inspired, it would not have the power to convict the soul. But the scriptures say the word of God is quick and powerful.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

One only needs attend a revival to see the powerful effect the word of God has on men. It is obvious that our English translation (and other translations in other languages) carries the power of God. I have personally seen dozens of men come down to accept Christ after hearing a powerful sermon from the word of God (in English).

And this is exactly what we see in the story of the Ethiopian eunuch. Though he was listening to a translation and copy of the Hebrew OT, he was convicted to trust on Jesus for salvation.