Month: January 2012

Bible Translations and Mistranslations

Where did Jesus come from? (Or: Is your father the father of you?)

One of the most common expressions in Bible translations is a variation on the theme “daughter of so-and-so,” “father of so-and-so,” etc. For example, in Genesis 11:29, we learn that Milcah was the daughter of “Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah” (NRSV, along with most others). Even the new CEB, which prides itself on…
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January 26, 2012 12

What percentage of your Bible translation is accurate? (Trying again.)

My last attempt to see how people understand the accuracy of their Bible translations didn’t work. I got a lot of responses, but not one answer to the basic question. So I’m trying again, with a poll: [polldaddy poll=5860379] Please feel free to comment after you’ve answered the poll.

January 20, 2012 9

How to Love the Lord Your God – Part 3, “Heart and Soul”

In two previous postings (here and here) I show how “Love the Lord your God with all your heart [and] all your soul” — from Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 — actually refers to two specific aspects of being human: the intangible (levav in Hebrew or kardia in Greek) and…
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January 18, 2012 16

What percentage of your Bible translation is accurate?

I’ve just returned from a three-day festival of learning in Kerhonkson, NY, where I spoke about, among other things, Bible translation. Right at the end I was asked a great question, which I repeating here: What percentage of your Bible translation is accurate? We all know that there is no Bible translation that’s 100% accurate.…
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January 18, 2012 18

How to Love the Lord Your God – Part 2, “Soul”

A while ago I explained why I don’t think “heart” is an accurate translation in “Love the Lord your God with all your heart [and] all your soul,” from Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5. The reason was that the original referred to both emotion and intellect, while “heart” in English…
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January 11, 2012 37

The Year in Review (2011)

With 2012 now upon us, here are the ten posts from 2011 that were most popular at God Didn’t Say That: Who Says Homosexuality is a Sin? Adultery in Matthew 5:32 What’s the difference between an eagle and a vulture? Q&A: What’s the best Bible translation to read and study from? The Ten Commandments Don’t…
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January 1, 2012 2

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives

Recent posts from my Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives:

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