lisa@phs.UUCP (Jeff Gillette) (09/25/84)
From: yiri@ucf-cs.UUCP (Yirmiyahu BenDavid) Subject: Re: Biblical Christianity part 2 <Yirmiyahu BenDavid> > I have translated the so- called "New Testament" for myself > and have found quite the opposite of what you (and other > Christians) claim is there. Oh? I too read early Christian literature in Greek texts. What have you found in the New Testament that is "quite the opposite" of the claims of Christianity? > If you do not translate for yourself, how do you presume > to recommend among translations? As Mr. BenDavid is no doubt aware, it is impossible to translate a foreign language perfectly. One may look for a "literal" word-for- word translation (like the New American Standard Bible or the Revised Standard Version), or one may prefer a more "idiomatic" translation (like the New English Bible or the New International Version). If I understand Charley Wingate, his point is quite well taken, that best way to understand the Bible (short of reading it in Greek or Hebrew) is to look at *several* translations, especially those that represent differing translation philosophies and theological perspectives. By the way, Mr. Wingate may have exaggerated the problem of textual corruptions. The New Testament is practically 99 and 44/100 percent pure. The Old Testament has some glaring textual problems, but these are neither so numerous nor so incomprehensible as to render much of it "gibberish." Jeff Gillette ...!duke!phs!lisa