Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament

224 Pages·2003·4.65 MB·English

by  Jason David BeDuhn

TRUTH IN
TRANSLATION
Accuracy and Bias in
English Translations of
the New Testament
Jason David BeDuhn
UNIVERSITY PRESS O F AMERICA®

TRUTH IN
TRANSLATION
Accuraacnyd B iaisn E nglish Translations
oft heN ew Testament
JasoDna vid BeDuhn
UnivePrrseiostyfAs m erica,® Inc.
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ISBN0 -7618-25(5p6a-p8e rb: aaclkkp.p r.)
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ANSIZ 39.48-1984
Fo r my Bibllea dies:
my mothearn dg randmothers

CONTENTS
Preface VB
Acknwoledgments Xl
Inotdruction xiii
TheO rigionfMs o derEnn gliBsihb les 1
TheW orko fT ranslation 11
27
MajoErn gliTsrha nslations
41
BowintgoB ias
51
GraspiantAg c curacy
63
Wheni sa M ann ota M an?
ProbitnhgIe m pliMceiatn ing 75
89
WordTso gethaenrdA part
97
An UncertTahirno ne
103
TamperiwnigtT he nses
113
Andt heW ordw as. .W.h at?
135
TheS pirWirti Lta rge
A FinaWlo rd 161
169
AppendiTxh:eU seo f" Jehovianht "h NeW
183
Bibliography
Index 189

PREFACE
Thibso oki sw rittteopn r oviydoeu w itah foundatfioorun n derstanding
theN ew Testameinntt h ef ormi nw hiciht c ometso y out oda-y-E nglish
translatoifto enxst wsr ittaebno uttw o-thousyaenadr asg oi nG reek.
Theraer mea nyd ifferEenngtl itsrha nslaotfit ohneBs i blaen,d n ot wor ead
alikeI.fy ouh aven otictehdi syo,u m ay haveb eena larmedS.i nce
Christibaenlsi etvhea tth eisra lvattioos no med egredee pendusp on
understantdhietn rgu tfhosu nidn t heB iblteh,ei detah aBti bldeisf fienr
whatt hesya yc anb ev erdyi sturbing.
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bestw,h ichi st hem ostr eliable, hawsht ihcehl easbti as.P riests,
ministearnsdt, e achelriskm ey selafr eo ftena skefdo rt heiorp iniaonnd
adviocnet his subajnedwc eta ,l flr eegliyv iet W.e recommepnadr ticular
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thed ifferebnectesw eeBni blesO.f coursteh eraer er easofnosr t he
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Tot eltlh ed ifferbeentcwee etnh emt,h ougyho,un eeidn formaotnih oonw
vii
viii TRUTHI NT RANSLAn ON
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whilaen e normoaumso unotf e nergiyss penotn t hei nterpretoaftt hieo n
Engliwsohr dosf m oderBni blevse,r lyi tattltee ntiisgo inv einn p ubltioc
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shapendo tb yt hemb,u tb yt he BiTbhleed .e mocratizoaftC ihorni stianity
overt hel asste vercaeln turhiaessi nstililnte hde o rdinabreyl ievae r
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claimmse rleyt os ummaribzieb litceaalc hionngp sa rticsuulbajre citts ,
reliheesa violnyt hep rinciopf"l ter uitnha dvertisiThnegp .u"b ltircu sts
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familiawriitthty h er eligiaonudss ocial enviroofnt mheean ntc ient
Mediterrarneegaino rna,t htehra tnh eh ighwaaynsd b ywayosf M iddle