A Baseball Diamond

I'm not much of a baseball fan but I thought it might be helpful to illustrate some ideas about English Bible translations .

From homeplate to firstplate are the unduly free versions like The Message and Living Bible . A number of others are still in the category but not so extreme .

From first to second are paraphrases like the Phillips . Somewhat free , but in my opinion on much higher ground than The Mesage and The L.B.

From 2nd to 3rd the baseline starts to get really crowded . I would think that the NLT2 would start the process . Then the Norlie , Weymouth , NAB , REB , NJB , and NET . After those would be the NIrV , NIV , and TNIV . The MLB follows and then the ISV , HCS , ESV, NRSV , NASU , and the old NAS ( pre-95) . Just look at that cluster . The territory allows hardly any wiggle-room . The first 8 are more dynamic and then kind of a hybrid-translation starts . The distinct difference between some of the ones leaning toward formal is minimal .

You can figure out what ones are on a bee-line to home .

Just my opinion . Feel free to disagree . Debate is allowed .

 

Getting back to my OP , do many of you agree that the line from 2nd base to 3rd is crowded ? And if it is crowded , that the differences between those versions are less ? ( I mean after the first 8 translations which are more overtly dynamic . ) . Those 8 are about the first 40 feet . The others on the path to third plate are on the remaining 50 feet with some tight congestion .

 

Continuing on my theme I thought I would quote some passages on the baseline from 2nd to 3rd . I will cite the following in order : REB, NJB,TNIV and ESV .

Ephesians 2:10

we are God's handiwork , created in Christ Jesus for the life of good deeds which God designed for us .

We are God's work of art , created in Christ Jesus for the good works which god has already designated to make up our way of life .

For we are God's handiwork , created in Christ Jesus to do good works , which God prepared in adavance for us to do .

For we are his workmanship , created in Christ Jesus for good works , which God prepared beforehand , that we should walk in them .

Romans 3:5

Another question : if our our injustice serves to confirm God's justice , what are we to say ? Is it unjust of God ( I speak of him in human terms ) to bring retribution upon us ?

But if our injustice serves to bring God's saving justice into view , can we say that God is unjust when -- to use human terms -- he brings his retribution down on us ?

But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly , what shall we say ? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us ? ( I am using a human argument . )

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God , what shall we say ? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us ? ( I speak in a human way . )

John 6:27

You should work , not for this perishable food , but for the food that lasts , the food of eternal life . This food the Son of man will give you , for on him God the Father has set the seal of authority .

Do not work for food that goes bad , but work for food that endures for eternal life , which the Son of man will give you , for on him the Father , God himself , has set his seal .

Do not work for food that spoils , but for food that endures to eternal life , which the Son of man will give you . On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval .

Do not labor for the food that perishes , but for the food that endures to eternal life , which the Son of Man will give to you . For on him God the Father has set his seal .

2 Corinthians 4:16

No wonder we do not lose heart ! Though our outward humanity is in decay , yet day by day we are inwardly renewed .

This is why we do not waver ; indeed , though this outer human nature of ours may be falling into decay , at the same time our inner human nature is renewed day by day .

Therefore we do not lose heart . Though outwardly we are wasting away , yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day .

So we do not lose heart . Though our outer nature is wasting away , our inner nature is being renewed day by day .

 

And how about some OT passages ? I am glad you asked . Will this help ?

Isaiah 65:1

I was ready to respond , but no one asked , ready to be found , but no one sought me .

I have let myself be appraoached by those who did not consult me , I have let myself be found by those who did not seek me .

I have revealed myself to those who did not ask for me ; I was found by those who did not seek me .

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me ; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me .

Psalm 23:6

Goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life , and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord throughout the years to come .

Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life . I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come .

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life , and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever .

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life , and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever .

Ecc. 3:11

He has made everything to suit its time ; moreover he has given mankind a sense of past and future , but no comprehension of God's work from beginning to end .

All that he does is apt for its time ; but although he has given us an awareness of the passage of time , we can grasp neither the beginning nor the end of what God does .

He has made everything beautiful in its time . He has also set eternity in the human heart ; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end .

He has made everything beautiful in its time . Also , he has put eternity into man's heart , yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end .

 

I did not mean to imply ( by using the baseball anology ) that the most literal versions are the best . An interlinear is not a real translation anyway .

I have said many times on these threads that there is value along the continuum of translational styles . I actually prefer a functional equivalence model overall . I do not go for the extremes at either end though .

My analogy is one-dimensional . I would appreciate a 3-D illustration however ( if you can come up with one ) .

 

Col. 1:15

REB __ He is the image of the invisible God ; his is the primacy over all creation .

NJB __ He is the image of the unseen God , the first-born of all creation .

TNIV__ The Son is the image of the invisible God , the firstborn over all creation .

ESV__ He is the image of the invisible God , the firstborn of all creation .

Col. 2:23

Such conduct may have an air of wisdom , with its forced piety , its self-mortification , and its severity to the body ; but it is of no use at all in combatting sensuality .

In these rules you can indeed find out what seems to be good sense -- the cultivation of the will , and a humility which takes no account of the body ; but in fact they have no value against self-indulgence .

Such regualtions indeed have an appearance of wisdom , with their self-imposed worship , their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body , but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgences .

They have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body , but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh .

Col.4:4

Pray that I may make the secret plain , as it is my duty to do .

pray that I may proclaim it as clearly as I ought .

Pray that I may proclaim it clearly , as I should .

that I may make it clear , which is how I ought to speak .

Col. 4:13 ( just a snippet )

I can vouch for him

I can testify for him

I vouch for him

For I bear him witness