The Complete Guide to Bible Translations: How They Were Developed - Understanding Their Differences - Finding the Right One for You

by Ron Rhodes

Overview

Given the wealth of English translations of the Bible available today, how can anyone know which is the right one for them? The options seem overwhelming. Biblical scholar Ron Rhodes provides an easy-to-read guide that takes the guesswork out of choosing a Bible. He critiques the prominent theories of translation, lets readers in on the debate about gender-inclusive language, and thoroughly covers the major English translations from the King James Version to the New Living Translation and everything in between, including the two most recent Bibles for Catholics. His examination of each version includes the story behind the translation the translation theory used the intended readership pluses and minuses comparisons with other translations A unique feature is Rhodes' look at secondary factors to keep in mind when choosing a Bible, such as the type size, the quality of the paper, the existence and placement of cross references and other study helps, and the types of bindings. The result is an indispensable guide to help readers through the maze of choosing the translation best suited for them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780736925464
Publisher:	Harvest House Publishers
Publication date:	03/01/2009
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Ron Rhodes, president of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries, is heard regularly on nationwide radio and is the author of Bite-Size Bible Answers, Bite-Size Bible Definitions, Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses and 5-Minute Apologetics for Today. He holds ThM and ThD degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary and teaches there and at several other seminaries.

Table of Contents

Introduction-Why Choosing the Right Bible Translation Is Important 7

1 The Difficulty of Bible Translation 17

2 Theories of Bible Translation 29

3 The Debate over Gender-Inclusive Language 47

4 The King James Version 65

5 The Revised Standard Version 75

6 The Amplified Bible 83

7 The New American Standard Bible 89

8 The Good News Translation 97

9 The New International Version 105

10 The New King James Version 113

11 The New Revised Standard Version 119

12 The Revised English Bible 127

13 The New Century Version 133

14 God's Word 139

15 The New Living Translation 147

16 The New International Reader's Version 155

17 The English Standard Version 161

18 The Net Bible 169

19 The Message 179

20 The Holman Christian Standard Bible 187

21 Today's New International Version 193

22 The New Jerusalem Bible (Catholic) 203

23 The New American Bible (Catholic) 209

24 Choosing the Best Translation and the Best Bible 215

Appendixes

Appendix A The Textual Basis of Modern Translation 227

Appendix B The Rendering of Divine Names 239

Appendix C Does the Apocrypha Belong in the Bible? 243

Appendix D Assessing the "King James Only" Controversy 245

Appendix E A Warning About Cultic Translations 247

Bibliography 255

Notes 257