Analyzing Six Bible Translations: Part 2

NOTE: NIV⁸⁴ will be used to designate the old NIV, while NIV will be used for the recent update. The NASB refers to the 1995 update. The ESV refers to the 2011 edition. The HCSB refers to the 2009 edition.

Ephesians 2:1

Ephesians 2:1 in Sinaiticus (ca. 4th century)

ESV  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

NIV⁸⁴  As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

NIV As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

HCSB  And you were dead in your trespasses and sins

NASB  And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

NET  And although you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Check a: inclusion of personal pronoun

The ESV leaves out the personal pronoun “your” which occurs at the end of verse 1 in the Greek.

Check b: translation of the participle

The HCSB and NASB are identical and fine. The NET Bible understands the participle concessively, which is probably the most likely interpretation. The main issue with the ESV, NIV⁸⁴, NIV, HCSB, and NASB is that they translate verse 1 as if it had a main verb and could stand on its own. The Greek case for the participle and the word translated “you” at the beginning of the verse is the accusative, which functions as the direct object. Therefore, the NET Bible’s translation is the most accurate.

Check c: puzzling addition to the text

The NIV⁸⁴ and NIV’s “as for you” is an addition that is quite puzzling, as it seems somewhat redundant.

	1a	1b	1c	sub-total
ESV	0	0	0	0
NIV84	1	0	-1	0
NIV	1	0	-1	0
HCSB	1	0	0	1
NASB	1	0	0	1
NET	1	1	0	2

In case you want your own chart to keep score according to your Bible translation philosophy, see this file on google docs.

Analyzing Six Bible Translations: Part 1

Introduction: Explanation of the Study and My Bible Translation Philosophy

Ephesians 1:1 in Sinaiticus (ca. 4th century)

This study will analyze six Bible translations in two parts. Part 1 will look in detail at one specific pericope. This has the advantage of not “spot checking” a translation, but seeing how it works with an extended text. Ephesians 2:1-10 will be the text analyzed. The particular interpretations that impact the criticisms of the translations will be made explicit in each example. Each word, clause, and sentence will be examined. Only where the translations differ will they be analyzed. Part 2 will look at various texts that have been used to analyze the way different translations have rendered the text.

A point system will be used. When a translation renders the text in the most preferable way, it will receive one point. When a translation renders the text in a way that lines up with the traditional way the text has been translated, and/or in a way that may be less than helpful but is not technically incorrect, then zero points will be received. When a translation renders a text in a misleading or drastically unhelpful way, it will receive minus one point.

The reader should keep in mind the translation principles used for this analysis. If one disagrees with these principles, it could significantly alter the outcome of the study. 1) Idioms/Semitisms should be translated functionally, not formally, if they will be misunderstood or confusing to modern readers. For example, I have asked over 100 college students what the idiom “gall of bitterness” (Acts 8:23; cf. ESV, NASB) means. Not one knew that it referred to being “bitterly envious” (cf. NET). The expression “the son of perdition” means next to nothing to most modern readers (John 17:12; cf. NASB). The translation “the one destined for destruction” is much more helpful (cf. NET). 2) The structure of the translated sentence should conform to contemporary English grammar, not Koine Greek grammar or Hebrew grammar. Greek and Hebrew sentence structure sometimes begins with the object or indirect object; English sentence structure begins with the subject. Also, negative particles sometimes are phrased in very awkward ways in some translations: “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matt 7:1 in ESV). Unless the structure of the sentence is extremely important for determining meaning (for example, in a chiasm), English structure should dictate the translation. 3) What should translators do when faced with the option of translating a sentence into awkward English or smooth out the English and lose something in the translation? These have to be taken on a case by case basis. If what is lost is an emphasis, that could be acceptable. However, if a main theological point gets clouded, then it is unacceptable. 4) There are times when a translation has to make a decision, but the ambiguity is high. Therefore, use of footnotes is preferable at these times. I’m not suggesting that every translation move toward the NET Bible’s 60,000 plus footnotes, but there are times when it does appear to be the best solution. 5) Finally, the contentious issue of gender-neutral (or, gender-accurate, or gender-specific, etc.) translations must be discussed. I do believe that the original languages were much less specific in terms of gender than translations have indicated. For example, anthrōpos in the plural could refer to “men” or “people.” Context will dictate which is best. Certain participles in Greek might be masculine in gender (for example, ho pisteuōn-“he who believes”), but they are not necessarily excluding women (so the previous example might more accurately be translated as “the one who believes”). The gender issues will be discussed as they come up.

So the philosophy I bring to Bible translations might differ from yours. If so, this study would still be useful since you could track along with the discussion and just change the point totals as you see fit. Regardless, the decisions about translation philosophy shouldn’t be decided based upon the translation you use, but the translation you use should be based upon the one that fits your translation philosophy best.

Bible Translation research

Liberty University will be sponsoring a dialogue between three scholars. These scholars will defend the translations they were a part of: Doug Moo (NIV), Wayne Grudem (ESV), and Ray Clendenen (HCSB). In light of this, I will begin publishing a study that I recently did on Bible translations. It will be a rather long study, so I will be publishing it in several parts. Hopefully this series will help you process through the best Bible translation for your personal study. The six translations compared:
1) ESV (2011)
2) NIV (1984)
3) NIV (2011)
4) NASB (1995)
5) HCSB (2007)
6) NET (2006)

"Hermeneutical Hoops" and Tithing

    Recently, Les Puryear posted about tithing. I think he makes some good points criticizing the hermeneutical principle that he focused on, which is: if a command is not repeated in the New Testament, then it does not continue. I first came across that principle when reading Ryrie. More recently I've seen it in a Ben Witherington book: “The basic rule of guidance about such things is that if the Old Testament commandment is reaffirmed in the New Testament for Christians, then we are still obligated to do it. If it is not, then we are not" (Jesus and Money, 21).

    I really don't have any issue with Puryear's critiques. My main point in mentioning his post is to point out that I don't hold to that hermeneutical principle whatsoever. I think all of the following are overly simplistic:
- If it's not repeated, it's repealed.
- If it's not repealed, it continues.
- The moral law continues and the moral law is comprised of the 10 commandments.

    That's what I love about the way J. Daniel Hays' says we should interpret the Old Testament laws in “Applying the Old Testament Law Today,” Bibliotheca Sacra 158:629 (Jan 2001). His brilliant five step process is much closer to my methodology than what Puryear criticizes. Hays addresses the same issue in a chapter in Grasping God's Word (Zondervan).

Perspectives on Tithing-Short Review

Trevin Wax provided a short review of Perspectives on Tithing for Christianity Today.

NAE - Most leaders don't believe in tithing?

An article from: http://www.nae.net/news/547-evangelical-leaders-say-tithe-not-required

Evangelical Leaders Say Tithe Not Required
Many evangelical churches regularly encourage their members to tithe, or give the church at least 10 percent of their income. Yet, according to the February Evangelical Leaders Survey, most evangelical leaders do not believe the Bible requires Christians to tithe. The survey showed that 58 percent do not believe the Bible requires a tithe, while 42 percent do.

“The Old Testament called for multiple tithes, sort of combining government taxes with religious stewardship. Many churches later adopted 10 percent as the standard,” said Leith Anderson, NAE President. “Since there is such a strong evangelical tradition of tithing I was a little surprised that a majority of our evangelical leaders say the tithe system of the Old Testament does not carry over to the New Testament or to us.”

NAE leaders are adamant that this doesn’t release Christians from giving. Alan Robinson of the Brethren in Christ Church said, “Tithing was an Old Testament legal model that ought to lead New Testament Christians to lives of sacrificial generosity. While tithing is not ‘required’ today, it is my view that Christian generosity will, at a minimum, reflect the Old Testament requirements of the law and should, in fact, greatly exceed it.”

David Neff, Editor-in-Chief of Christianity Today, added, “Anything less [than 10 percent] seems like an ungenerous response to God.”

Although most leaders do not believe the Bible requires Christians to tithe, the overwhelming majority, 95 percent, indicated that they give at least 10 percent. This contrasts with an Empty Tomb, Inc., report that found that evangelicals give churches about 4 percent of their income (and all Christians only 2.43 percent).1

One respondent who does not tithe said that he gives more or less depending on the needs and his situation. Another leader, Jerry Dykstra of the Christian Reformed Church in North America who believes tithing is required and indicated that he tithes said, “If folks actually tithed, churches would not know what to do with the money.”

“For many American Christians, sacrificial giving encouraged throughout the Bible would mean giving over 10 percent. Personally I believe that the New Testament teaches ‘proportionate giving’ that may be more or less than 10 percent depending on income. In my home we’ve always given more than 10 percent,” Anderson said. “Increasingly churches offer financial courses and teach on stewardship. My hope is that in coming years, we will see more generous, proportionate, cheerful and sacrificial giving among American evangelicals.”

The Evangelical Leaders Survey is a monthly poll of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. They include the CEOs of denominations and representatives of a broad array of evangelical organizations including missions, universities, publishers and churches.

Mark Twain on Christianity and Hell

Mark Twain's autobiography was published this year, 100 years after his death (as he requested). He made this observation about Christianity and hell:

"There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money-grabbing, and predatory. The invention of hell measured by our Christianity of today, bad as it is, hypocritical as it is, empty and hollow as it is, neither the deity nor his son is a Christian, nor qualified for that moderately high place. Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled."

This reveals a sad history of some of Christianity and gross misunderstanding of the God we Christians worship.

New Book on Amazon-May 2011 release date

Here is the description on amazon:

Was the tithe just for Israel, or is it also applicable to Christians? Must a tithe go only to your local church, or can it be received by any Christian organization? Do we tithe on the net or the gross amount?

Perspectives on Tithing presents in point-counterpoint format the most common views about how Christians are to give of their financial resources, addressing the myriad of questions that surround the complex issue. Ken Hemphill (Empowering Kingdom Growth) and Bobby Ecklund (Ecklund Stewardship Ministries) contribute "The Foundations of Giving" while the book's editor, David A. Croteau (Liberty University), writes "The Post-Tithing View: Giving in the New Covenant." A chapter by Reggie Kidd (Reformed Theological Seminary) is called "Tithing in the New Covenant? 'Yes' as Principle, 'No' as Casuistry." Finally, Gary North (Institute for Christian Economics) looks directly at "The Covenantal Tithe," and Scott Preissler (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) provides the epilogue.

Drs. Kostenberger speaking at Liberty University

Perspectives on Tithing

A new book has just been completed: Perspectives on Tithing. It looks at the arguments for and against the continuation of the tithe for Christians from 4 different angles. I'm the editor and a contributor. Also writing chapters were Reggie Kidd (Reformed Theological Seminary-Orlando), Ken Hemphill and Bobby Ecklund, and Gary North. I was very pleased with some of the chapters and responses.

Some have asked: how can you have "four views" ... isn't it just "yes you have to tithe" or "no you don't"? Far from it! All the chapters come to slightly different conclusions and get there using very different texts, methodology, and terminology. Some might accuse one chapter of legalism and another of antinomianism. It should be released around May, 2011.

Rick Warren and Calvinism

This post is for those who think that Rick Warren's beliefs on Calvinism (John Piper said that Warren is a four-pointer) are a recent ... that he is changing beliefs for this conference or to speak at the conference.

Quotes from Rick Warren on some of his theological leanings: "An Interview with Rick Warren: A Purpose Driven Phenomena" in Modern Reformation, volume 13, number 1, January/February, 2004.

"Theologically, I am a monergist and firmly hold to the five solas of the Reformation. It's pretty obvious from the book that I believe in foreknowledge, predestination, ... and, especially, concurrence--that God works in and through every detail of our lives, even our sinful choices, to cause his purposes to prevail."

"I'm a fourth-generation Baptist pastor. My great grandfather was led to Christ by Charles Spurgeon, attended Spurgeon's college, and was sent by Spurgeon to America to pastor. So I guess God predestined me to be a Baptist!"

"In closing, I'd like to mention that I have personally benefited from the writings of a number of the Alliance council, especially D. A. Carson, Michael Horton, Mark Dever, Gene E. Veith, Phillip G. Ryken, Mark Talbot, and R. C. Sproul. I'd like to commend them and thank them for their works."

"I read every issue of MR, and I think it is a magazine that is needed in our world today."

A Selection of Post-Tithe Quotes: Late 1900s

Jerry Horner (Southern Baptist; 1972)

“Exegetically and thus dogmatically the New Testament does not recognize tithing as a regulation in the new covenant.” 183

Jerry Horner, “The Christian and the Tithe,” in Resource Unlimited,

ed. William L. Hendricks (Nashville: Stewardship Commission

of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1972), 183.

Richard B. Cunningham (Southern Baptist; 1979)

Richard Cunningham was a SBC seminary professor of Christian philosophy.

“The problem is that the New Testament nowhere contains a specific commandment that the Christian should tithe. The tithe is mentioned only three times in the New Testament.”

He also said that “in each case the allusion to the tithe is merely incidental to another point being made.”

“If that were the clear standard of giving in the New Testament church, it would have been useful to appeal to the tithe in the major giving passages in the New Testament. But in those passages … there is not the slightest hint of the tithe.”

Richard B. Cunningham, Creative Stewardship, Creative Leadership Series,

ed. Lyle E. Schaller (Nashville: Abingdon, 1979), 101.

Garry Friesen (1980)

“Christians are not under obligation to practice tithing.”

Garry Friesen, with J. Robin Maxson, Decision Making & the Will of God:

A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View, Critical Concern

(Portland: Multnomah, 1980), 357.

James Montgomery Boice (1986)

“Sometimes in question-and-answer periods I am asked whether Christians today are obliged to tithe. I suspect the questioner wants to know how little he must give to Christian causes and how much he can keep for himself. I reply with what I believe to be a proper statement of the case, namely, that the tithe was an Old Testament regulation designed for the support of a particular class of people. It was not carried over into the New Testament. Nowhere in the New Testament are believers instructed to give a specific tenth or any other proportion of their income to Christian projects.”

James Montgomery Boice, The Minor Prophets: Two Volumes

Complete in One Edition (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1986), 2:255.

Paul Fink (1982)

“It is interesting to note that tithes are never mentioned in the New Testament. … Nowhere in the New Testament is it suggested that the believer is to give 10 percent of his income … The storehouse, contrary to much popular preaching on the subject, is not the local church.”

Paul Fink, “Malachi,” in Liberty Bible Commentary: Old Testament,

ed. Jerry Falwell (Lynchburg, VA: The Old-Time Gospel Hour, 1982), 1859.

J. Vernon McGee (1991)

“We are to give, but on a different basis. The church is not under the tithe

system as a legal system. That does not mean that some people couldn’t give a tenth to the Lord—that may be the way the Lord would lead them to give.”

J. Vernon McGee, Malachi, Thru the Bible (Nashville: Nelson, 1991), 81.

A Selection of Post-Tithe Quotes: Mid-1900s

Francis Pieper (Lutheran; 1953)

“We Lutheran professors deplore and reprove as sin the undeniable fact that New Testament Christians make use of their deliverance from the Old Testament tithe to excuse their indolence in contributing for the purposes of the Church, particularly for missions. Also Luther reproved this sin. [the sin of not supporting ministers and missions] But we also know that the Christian Church never commands where Scripture does not command. The obligation to pay the tithe has been abolished in the New Testament. While the New Testament Scripture inculcates that obligation of generous and untiring giving, it leaves the exact amount and the details of the contributions to Christian insight and freedom.”

Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, vol. 3, trans.

Walter W. F. Albrecht (St. Louis: Concordia, 1953), 50.

Paul Leonard Stagg (Baptist; 1958)

Tithes “are not thus binding upon Christians.”

Leonard Stagg, “An Interpretation of Christian Stewardship,” in

What is the Church? A Symposium of Baptist Thought,

ed. Duke K. McCall (Nashville: Broadman, 1958), 151.

Hiley H. Ward (Baptist; 1958)

Ward wrote a whole book dedicated to why tithing is not necessary for Christians: Hiley H. Ward, Creative Giving (New York: Macmillan, 1958).

Roy T. Cowles (1958)

Cowles said that he has “taken the position against the tithing doctrine for many years.”

Roy T. Cowles, Scriptural Teaching on Stewardship:

Tithing or Stewardship? (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1958), 3.

R. C. Rein (Lutheran, Missouri Synod; 1959)

“The fact that many church members today contribute far less than ten per cent does not constitute a valid reason for advocating the tithe as the ideal guide for giving. For, apart from the fact that the tithe is not a worthy standard for giving in the New Testament, those who advocate it should, in fairness, call attention to the many offerings that the Israelites brought in addition to the tithe.”

R. C. Rein, First Fruits: God’s Guide for Giving (St. Louis: Concordia, 1959), 64.

Wick Broomall (1960)

Broomall says that the silence of tithe in NT is “best explained only on the ground that the dispensation of grace has no more place for a law on tithing than it has for a law on circumcision.”

Wick Broomall, “Tithes,” in Baker’s Dictionary of Theology,

ed. Everett F. Harrision (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1960), 525.

Alfred Martin (1968)

Martin was a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. At one point in his career he was a Vice President at Moody.

“The Christian, since he is not under the law, is not under the obligation to tithe.”

Alfred Martin, Not My Own: Total Commitment in Stewardship (Chicago: Moody, 1968), 36.

A Selection of Post-Tithe Quotes: Early 1900s

Albert L. Vail (Baptist; 1913)

“My judgment is that the strong probability at this point favors the New Testament plan, to be considered later, as better even for immediate financial results than the tithing plan.”

Albert L. Vail, Stewardship Among Baptists (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1913), 73-74.

John Harvey Grime (Baptist; 1934)

Grime provided ten reasons Christians are not required to tithe.

“1. It violates the divine plan laid down in the New Testament Scriptures.

2. It violates every principle of church polity upon which all our churches stand.

3. If the Scriptures require our churches to tithe, we have not a single scriptural church in our association.

4. It changes our giving from the realm of voluntary worship to that of slavish obedience to law.

5. It makes our churches tax gatherers.

6. No Baptist Church has ever adopted it. Should a church adopt it, they would cease to be Baptist.

7. So far as history goes, it was never mentioned as a Christian or church obligation until after the ‘great apostasy’ in 250 A. D., and the union of Church and State in 325 A. D., and then only by the apostate church, and not by Baptists. The agitation among Baptists, of this question, is of recent date.

8. No Baptist Confession of Faith has ever mentioned it.

9. It screens the rich, and oppresses the poor.

10. Not one syllable in all the Bible that connects the tithe system with the churches of Jesus Christ. When Baptists leave the Bible, they get into trouble.”

John Harvey Grime, The Bible and History on the Tithe System ( n.p.: n.p., 1934), 4.

John Theodore Mueller (Lutheran; 1934)

“With respect to the tithe which God enjoined upon the Jews in the Old Testament, Lev. 27,30, we must remember, on the one hand, that also this provision belonged to the Ceremonial Law, which has been abolished by Christ, Col. 2, 16.17, so that it is no longer binding upon Christians in the New Testament; on the other hand, however, the abolition of the law of tithing must not be abused by Christians in the interest of neglecting liberal giving, since also in the New Testament God exhorts His saints to give continually and liberally, 2 Cor. 9,6.7.”

John Theodore Mueller, Christian Dogmatics: A Handbook of Doctrinal Theology

for Pastors, Teachers, and Laymen (St. Louis: Concordia, 1934), 414.

R. C. H. Lenski (Lutheran; 1946)

Lenski said “[t]ithing is Jewish” and “Paul shunned tithing.”

R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistle

to the Corinthians (Columbus: Wartburg, 1946), 1172.